Frederick Foodie

Things I Learned in Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:29:00 +0000

I've returned to bucolic Frederick, ready to seize the day and take the town by storm. Or instead, I'm totally and completely jet-lagged and have had my 3rd night in a row of waking up at 3am. Amateur.

A world traveler I am not, though I guess, technically, I am, having spent time in Rome, Abruzzo, and ever so briefly in Copenhagen. I'm new to the 8 hour flights and the accompanying layovers. To the strangeness of being functionally illiterate with words swirling about that I simply do not understand. (Example: Uscita is not a subway stop in Rome. It means exit. Moron.) To driving up what seem to be endless and death-defying mountains with twists and curves that no bus should ever try to maneuver.

But with that said, I really enjoyed the adventure. I liked being away from home, for a bit, and I liked seeing things I never thought I'd lay my own eyes on, in their natural setting.

Look! The colosseum!

I'll tell you about the trip and the bits and bobs of all of the adventures in the next few weeks or so, as I remember them and go through my notes and so on and so forth. The cheese factory, the almonds, the ridiculously good pizza. Today though, today, I'm going to tell you what I learned while on my grand adventure, and not a whole heck of a lot of it has to do with food.

Fish & emotions...really!

I am neither as brave nor as badass as I actually thought I was, and actually missed my family tremendously, including the two teenagers.
Americans on holiday with unlimited quantities of wine sometimes do not behave in a way that is appealing.
You should have at least a passable understanding of the language before you visit a foreign country. It's just the respectful thing to do.
Fish, when consumed on a trabocco on the Adriatic Sea, really can conjure emotions (the restaurant's tagline, almost assuredly translated not quite correctly, read Fish & Emotions, and I had both)
Hearing an Italian say the word Viper instead as Veeper will cause endless hours of laughter, and perhaps a nickname or two.
You cannot seek out epiphanies. They must arrive on their own schedule, and sometimes not at all.
Sitting in the basement of an Italian palazzo, cooking while music plays and a slightly off-kilter German stokes the fire of the pizza oven can be very pleasant indeed.
If you're on a tour with a group of 20, you're incredibly lucky when you get a really good batch, even with the over-imbibing.
A detox meal on the 8th day of a food-centric Italian vacation is never a good idea.
It may be a fault to some, but I really don't care for Italian red wine, though Limoncello is all together another matter.
If an Italian butcher and his family ask if you want you pasta "just a little spicy", the answer, must absolutely be a resounding NO.

That's our chef, Dino, behind me. I got a "brava" for my mad gnochetti kneading skills.

I liked Italy and I'd like to go back someday. I really liked the idea of Copenhagen a great deal more than I thought, though I never even got out of the airport or the hotel adjoining it. It could have been the great design or the tall blondness of everything, but it felt like a place I'd want to see...someday.

So here's the group, with our hostess Christina, on our last evening at the Palazzo. We cooked, we ate, we had fun together. I met people I wouldn't have otherwise, from Vancouver and Alexandria, and from a few places in between.

I was awed by the bravery of 3 young women, each traveling alone, and sometimes cursed the ability to go online and check emails and post pictures and recount the day to those at home instead of finishing it out by being downstairs, swilling down bio-dynamic Montepulciano in great quantities. I relished each lunch and dinner and cursed each breakfast, sucking down cappuccinos and not much else. I was terrified on the mountains and became "that woman", much to my chagrin, and tried to play off the fear, though unsuccessfully. I learned a few things in the kitchen, though not as many as I hoped, and though I was happy to set foot again on American soil, it was really for the family at home and not necessarily just being in the good 'ole U. S. of A.

So now it's back to real life, and summer camp registrations and staffing and business and softball, and track and...you get the idea. It was a week ago from this very moment that we were filled to capacity with fish & emotions. I'm glad I did it, and I'm glad to be home.

Now We're Cookin': Palazzo Tour d'Eau

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:28:00 +0000

Yup...still in Italy, and now we're actually cooking...woo hoo! I've spent a few days in Rome with two of my wonderful friends, Sharon & Kerry:

And now we've finally moved on to the reason for the trip...cooking! We're in Caruncchio, Abruzzo (Italy), and as I may have mentioned yesterday, we're on the top of a mountain...in a old castle-ish villa, Palazzo Tour d'Eau. It's crazy around here. All of the towns are perched on the top of the mountains, my guess is to more easily defend themselves during an attack. I actually think it's to make hysterical tourists more hysterical. Whatever. ;) What I think I'm actually getting though, is a real taste of Italy and the culture, albeit in a slightly sanitized American-friendly way. This isn't touristy Tuscany -- this is the real Italian country-side. It's very, very...quiet.

The lovely Angela, traveling by herself for the very first time is sweet, funny, and knows how to taste wine while videotaping the instructor!

After a wonderful dinner Sunday evening, totally prepared for us by the terrific staff here, we got to move on today and get the ball rolling. We started the day the way anyone would start, tasting wine! We hit the Montepulciano, both cheap and not, in an effort to learn more about how to properly taste wine and to give the grape juice of the region a go. Our host, Massimo, knows a thing or two (or three or four...) about wine. It's always fascinating to listen to someone who really knows his stuff. The class went for some time, and ended with a "peasant" lunch. I must be a peasant, because it was delicious. Do the words "anchovy toast" make you salivate? Of course not! But it was indeed tasty, though I feel like every time I take a breath a giant fish holding a head of garlic is making an appearance. Good thing the family is thousands of miles away!

I try to steer clear of the typical food shots that are so pervasive and, uh, annoying, but I believe that a trip that required my very first passport breaks the rules a wee bit. Don't you? Here's lunch, missing the veggie frittata (yum) and a veggie torte in pastry (also yum):

Anchovy Toast -- Sounds funky, tastes yummy

Bruschetta

Caprese


Doesn't that look like a real food pic??

Lunch dessert - don't know the name, but it was very satisfying with homemade amaretti cookie crumbled over whipped cream...duh...it was awesome!

So with full belly and droopy eyes, I dragged myself up to the room, snuggled under the covers, and then proceeded to check emails and do work until it was time for our first real class. I'd like to be better at this whole napping thing, especially from a castle in Italy, but there's always so much to do. Like get ready to cook...finally!


This is Cheryl and Dino, our instructors for the week in the gorgeous basement kitchen of the Palazzo Tour d'Eau

We tumbled into the basement kitchen, which doesn't make it seem nearly as fab as it really is. With high ceilings, gorgeous handmade mosaics, and a wood-fired pizza oven, this place is a rustic cook's dream come true. They use induction burners instead of gas due to local regulations, but since Cheryl & Dino were running that end of things, it didn't matter a lick to me. Over the course of the evening, we made stuffed artichokes (if you don't know about my fondness for artichokes, you may want to check here), arugula-prosciutto wraps, and tiramisu, which truthfully, I thought was one of those made-up American/Italian dishes. Take a look:

Dino is working through dealing with a group of hungry Americans...I keed, I keed!

The cooking was pretty light for us. Trimming a few artichokes, crumbling some bread, pulling together the filling. Nice and easy, and a gentle intro to the kitchen and working together.

Not the sexiest shot, but look at that space!

Kitchen Studio Represent!

Just one example of the fab mosaics in the kitchen. This actually takes up the entire wall.

Fab fresh artichokes

Now they're stuffed and ready to cook, stove top

Freshly picked arugula, with shaved Parm inside, wrapped in prosciutto, then drizzled with a quick lemon/olive oil vinaigrette and served with oil-cured olives and grissini

Tiramisu does not suck.

So there's the day. Looks like Tuesday starts with a pasta-making class, then caps the day with a truffle hunt (the Abruzzo region is known for truffles and saffron -- I had no idea) and a trip to the truffle-maker's home for a tasting. Stay tuned...

Now That's Italian!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 05:59:00 +0000

As I sit in a castle on the very tippy top of a mountain in Italy, I think to myself, Holy cow! I'm sitting in a castle on the top of a mountain in Italy!!!! Check it out -- here are the views from my room:

Had you asked me just a few months ago if this was part of my plan, I would have, of course, sighed and said something about maybe someday (minus the top of the mountain part -- I'm absolutely terrified of driving on or up mountains and truth be told, I'm not so sure about how I'm going to get up and down without complete panic), then gone back to my everyday life at home and The Kitchen Studio.

Thanks to my friend Sharon, I'm on a cooking vacation with a week full of cooking-related activities ahead of me. A deal on Groupon and a bit of coordinating with the travel company, Epitourean (who really should have told me about the darn mountains when I asked), and here I am. The welcome dinner last night was lovely, featuring truffles and wild boar, as was the homemade limoncello to cap the evening.

There are 20 in the group, with 16 women and 4 men, some in for the adventure and some, obviously, for the food. Today the plan was to go truffle hunting, but the weather is iffy and we may lead with a wine tasting class instead, though I am a bit dubious of tasting wine on a Monday morning. It feels so decadent, doesn't it?

I"m curious to see what the week brings, with the people and the food and the host and staff (who all seem terrific btw). Personally, I'm hoping for inspiration and education, and a bit of time to write and plan. Our first cooking class is this afternoon and I'm curious to see how the instructor handles a group of 20 in the kitchen at one time for a hands-on class.

If you're interested, I'll keep you posted this week with pics and blog updates, and any epiphanies that come my way (I'm hoping they are plentiful and frequent).

One quick note -- we stopped at a rest stop along the way here from Rome. No cappuccino to go -- they all come in porcelain cups and you stand at the coffee bar to enjoy. No time for that, which was a complete bummer, but I did grab salami & Parmesan in to-go packs...it was awesome and pricey (13 Euros!)! No fried nasty roadside food, but instead fresh salads and panini.

Add in the 4 shirtless gentlemen weightlifting and cooking on an oversize Bunsen burner in the parking lot, and the stop may have been the best part of the ride!

Stay tuned, and ciao!

Today I Leave for Italy

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:56:00 +0000

I've always hated those braggarts who shout about every adventure, every trip. But today, I am one. Today I leave for a week of cooking classes in Italy and a few bonus days in Rome. Me. I'm leaving. Getting on a jet plane. Holy cow.

Not that we've had our requisite work meeting where I tell my more-capable-than-me staff how to work everything while I'm gone (I'm sure they'll do a better job than I usually do!), I'm finally excited. And nervous. And just a wee bit nauseous.

Some folks would consider me adventurous or brave, but really, I'm chicken-hearted to the bone. Sure, I moved to NYC immediately after college graduation not knowing a soul, not even my roommate, and making a measly $17k a year (it was a fun, but not prosperous time). Sure, I started my own business, and still have it going strong almost 8 years later, when folks in town actually laughed at me. Out loud. But I've never been a world traveler. Indeed, I just snagged my very first passport (here's a hint: go the the Middletown post office -- they're awesome there).

So when my friend and co-worker Sharon sent me a Groupon deal for a week of cooking classes in Italy, even I couldn't believe that I jumped on the deal. It didn't feel real, like it would actually happen. Then we booked the flights. Then we added on a few days for Rome because really, will I ever get back?

My husband John not only agreed to this grand Italian scheme, but encouraged me as well. The kids? They're both teens now, and pretty self-sufficient in the mornings. I know they'll be fine, as will the puggle, nuzzled under the blankets on my bed as a write.

But as I do the last minute laundry, and throw various and sundry items into plastic bags, and whip up a meal or two for when I'm gone, I wonder what I hope to get out of this trip.

Am I hoping for a fun trip with friends (my friend and other co-worker, Kerry, is also coming along) with food and wine? I am looking for real instruction form real Italians? Am I looking for time away from the family? A chance to see a place in person that I've only ever seen in movies and photos? To find my own thoughts in the mountains of Italy without the constant banging in my head of world and family and life?

Maybe I'm looking for all of the above. No one in my family is a world traveler. We kept things close to home when I was growing up, making the same trip to the same family cabin in the middle of no where (with no bathroom) for the same vacation...when we took one. An adventure was taking the highway to Gettysburg, just 30 minutes away, and driving through the battlefields, almost never being allowed to get out of the car to climb the rocks at Devil's Den or the monument at Little Roundtop, but instead listening to my dad wax on about his time there as a kid and all the fun he had.

When I met my husband, and he had a passport, I was amazed. He'd already been to London and was planning a trip to France with a friend. This just wasn't common in my circle and it seemed so...sophisticated.

So here I am, 20+ years later, getting ready to take off on my first real international adventure (I'm totally discounting the honeymoon to Aruba, where we went specifically because
I wouldn't need a passport and where every other person on the beach was from New York City too), and I'm taking it without the family. It feels weird.

I know that as much as I'd like to take more trips to more countries with more family members, this could be once in a lifetime. I'm a realist, and with two kids headed to college, one in just over a year, and a teacher's salary and a small business owner's salary, this could be it. For a long time, or even forever. But I sure hope not.

If I take a few good pics, I'll post them here, or maybe on my person or Kitchen Studio Face book pages if you're interested, and I'll do my best not to be cheesy, but no guarantees.

If you've been to Rome, or Carunchio, please let me know. I'd love to know where to go, what to see. When I'm not cooking of course. That said...ciao!

Kitchen Studio Summer Cooking Registration NOW OPEN!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:09:00 +0000

That's right -- it's time to get the teens and kiddies registered for summer cooking camp with us at The Kitchen Studio. We've got all new menus, all new recipes, and even a few new themes and time options to float your culinary boat.

We take a great deal of pride in offering real cooking, with real cooking techniques. We're not big on "kid" food, but instead are more focused on getting dirty and really teaching about cooking on levels that the different age groups can understand.

We know that not every kid plays sports or wants to take summer sports camp, and our cooking camps provide a real alternative for kids ages 6-17. All of the age groups are terrific, and after 7 years of summer cooking camps (I know! I don't believe it either!) we've got the right instructors pegged for the right groups. Chef Keri-Ann makes those little guys hum along like they were all meant to be in the kitchen, while Chef Caroline can make those older elementary students cook like they never knew possible. We love that!

As for me, well, I have a soft spot for tweens and teens, and this summer I'm going to be working with the middle and high-schoolers. Dude -- I seriously love cooking with these guys. They're fun, they're sharp, they're witty, and they are the silliest group of all (but don't tell them that). But when they hone in and start really using their knife, or trying new things (Ryan and the lemon souffles in real hollowed-out lemons jumps to mind), well, it makes my hard heart soften just a wee bit. All in all, it makes for a pretty terrific summer.

Now, not trying to toot our own horn too much, (or really, more so trying to avoid the jinx), but I want to let you know that for the past 3 summers, we have sold every single spot in our camps. Every. Single. Spot. Last year, we had our first camp sell out in one day. One. Day.

Now, I don't know if that's going to happen again this year (can you say sequestration???), but you have been warned. Because we want to cook with your kids & teens. We really like 'em, and we know they're capable of more than smiley face English muffin pizzas. This is a case of you get what you pay for. For real.

Just as an FYI - our camps come in at $16/hr. for high quality instruction. Because there is no sitting around in our camps. Those kids are moving, and cooking, and using the best ingredients with the best instructors. We're even offering a multi-camp discount this year because we noticed that the majority of folks signing up kids for camp were registering for more than a single camp. Whether it's one kid taking multiple camps or two kids in the same family taking camps, we wanted to float a bit of a discount out to you. Do us a favor though...this discount is meant for immediate family only. We like our small business a whole lot and want to pass a discount to you the best way we can, while keeping things in control. Cool? We knew you'd understand, so thanks!

Sooooooo...get on over to the Kitchen Studio web site, jump on over to the June/July/August class calendar pages and get started. You AND your kids will be glad you did. :)

Summer Camp Sneak Peek!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:07:00 +0000

Summer cooking camps are one of the most popular things we offer at The Kitchen Studio. We love to whisk, bake, and saute with kids and teens, all summer long. Tomorrow, Friday, March 1, we're opening summer camp registration, but until then, we thought you might like a little sneak peek into what we're offering this summer.

We've got classes for kids ages 6-8 (completed k-2), 8-11 (completed 2-5), and 12-17 (completed 6-11). This year, we've even added a few longer camps for teens (4 & 5 hours) that start in the afternoon -- we're super excited! And did I mention that we're using ALL NEW RECIPES this summer too? It's almost too much to handle. (*shivers with excitement*)

Here's a look at how things break out, week by week:

June 24-28, Diner Delights (8-11 from 9a-12n, 12-17 from 1-4p)
July 1-3, Global Gourmet for 8-11 from 9a-12n, Advanced Techniques Super Camp for 12-17 from 1-6
July 8-12, Cooking 'Round the Clock for 6-8 from 9-11:30a, Cross Country Road Trip for 8-11 from 1-4p)
July 15-19, Viva Italia for 8-11 from 9a-12n, Iron Chef Extended Camp for 12-17 from 1-5p
July 22-26, Bake-A-Rama Super Camp for 8-11, Viva Italia for 12-17 from 3-6p
July 29-August 2, Global Gourmet Super Camp for 12-17 from 9a-2p
August 5-9, Bake-A-Rama Super Camp for 12-17 from 9a-2p

Each camp participant will receive a personalized binder full of recipes to take home at the end of the week. We're even offering a multi-camp discount for families this year too! Register for two camps (within the same family please) and save 5% off your total. Register for 3 or more camps and save 10% off your total -- woo hoo!!!

Camps post on Friday morning on The Kitchen Studio Cooking School web site. Last year we sold out a camp in ONE DAY, so don't delay!

FREE Pasta Class: And the Winner Is...

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:28:00 +0000

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment with all of your fab answers on your favorite pasta. You folks are creative!! You made me laugh, you made me tear up a little, and really, I just loved the sharing.

I read all of your answers, and a few folks who commented through Facebook and truthfully, I couldn't pick one. I know...I'm a coward. So I turned to the folks at Random.org, popped in the numbers, and...we have a winner!

Nicole Truscello said...
I am a pasta fanatic!! I especially love angel hair pasta with olive oi, fresh herbs and shrimp. Yum! What a great idea for a giveaway...I've never made my own pasta before!

Ta dah! Nicole - shoot me an email at christine_at_kitchenstudiofrederick_dot_com (y'know, the regular way and all), and I'll give you any info you need for you and a friend to attend tomorrow night's Handmade Pasta class at TKS.

And I have MORE good news! This was so much fun, we're going to do it again for two spots in our Gnocchi class next week. Hang tight and we'll post that one in a few days. And thank you!!

Win a FREE Pasta Class at The Kitchen Studio!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:22:00 +0000

You love pasta, right? I mean seriously, who doesn't love pasta. I could live on pasta. In fact, I may already live on pasta. Hmmmmmm...that explains a lot.

But I digress...

One of our most popular classes at TKS is our handmade pasta workshop. This is Carla.

Carla teaches our Italian classes. Because she is awesome. And makes great pasta.

In fact, Carla is teaching a handmade pasta class this Thursday, February 21 at 6:30. Don't Lemony Pasta with Asparagus and Fresh Fettuccine Carbonara sound amazing? Totes.

To celebrate Carla's sheer awesomeness, and well, your sheer amazingness, we're giving away two spots in the class. For you and a friend. As in totally free. Noodleishisness...on us. And y'know what? We're making it easy too.

Simply comment on this post and tell me your favorite pasta. That's it. Points awarded for creativeness. Contest ends Tuesday, 2/19 at midnight. Winner will be chosen on awesomeness of answer.

The fine print: There is no cash value for this prize. Zero. You must be able to attend the Handmade Pasta class at The Kitchen Studio Cooking School on Thursday, February 21 from 6:30-9:30p. You may bring one friend. Not 8. You cannot transfer this as a credit to another class, or summer camp, or MTB session. K?

Win Two Spots in Sushi 101 at TKS!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:46:00 +0000

You read that right -- we're working with the lovely folks over at Find It Frederick to give away two spots in our Sushi 101 class at The Kitchen Studio here in Frederick.

It's super easy to enter. Just take a look at this video:

Now visit the Find It Frederick blog right HERE and answer the question. That's it! If you win (and I sure hope you do), you'll be joining us for our super-fun, hope you're hungry, Sushi 101 class on March 22 from 6:30-9:30.

How easy is that? What are you waiting for? Get viewing and question-answering. We'd love to roll with you!

Food Informants on Huff Post

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:40:00 +0000

If you've ever had even the teeniest, tiniest interest in running a food business (you know who you are), you should be taking a look the the weekly Food Informants feature on Huffington Post. Liberal media aside, this column features a week in the life of a wide variety of food business across the country, from cider makers to restaurant owners (even one post-Sandy...fascinating!) to food buyers for high-end gourmet stores.

This week the column takes a look at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, OR, a town known for slight irreverence and insanely awesome food scene. If you're a foodie or a wannabe, you should have this on your weekly reading to-do list. You can take a look at the Voodoo Doughnuts diary right here.

Have fun and go learn something!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner (almost)!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 14:13:00 +0000

Imagine my surprise, no, utter delight, to learn that I, little 'ole Frederick Foodie, has taken second place in Frederick Magazine's Annual "Best of Frederick" issue. The category of course is blogging, taking second to the lovely and talented folks over at Want2Dish. I didn't even know I was in the running!

The way this makes me feel, well, let me just say that if I ever won an academy award, I'd be one of those silly girls blubbering her way to the mic, thanking her dog, her family, and her auto mechanic. They would be playing me off baby! For second place!

So thank you. Really. I don't get tons of comments here (though I love 'em) that aren't trying to pitch Cialis or watches or who the heck knows what, and I'm not always sure that many folks are reading, but this makes me feel all warm and gooey and nice. And did I mention that it's for second place? I'm really grateful. Because I love to write. I'm not doing this blogging thing for ads, or revenue, or to win most awesome blogger in the world, or get a book contract (though I'm open ;). I just like to write and I like that someone reads my stuff and gets a laugh, or a hint, or, well, whatever. So I'll say it again, though no less heartfelt...thank you.

If there's anything you want me to write more about, just drop me a comment and I'll see what I can do. What do you like? Recipes? Stories about coconut cakes and artichokes? Updates on TKS? The only thing I really, really hate to do are restaurant reviews, so only expect those if I've found a place that I looooove and can't get enough of. (There are too many folks out there that think they can visit a restaurant once, eat a meal, then write a really good, solid review of the joint. That's not actually how it works.)

So for one last time...I don't know who you are, or why you took the time to send in a nomination for this blog, but thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU from the very bottom of my overflowing heart. Now...just imagine if I took first!

This Month's Gorilla: Divine Dining

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 02:37:00 +0000

I've mentioned before that I write for The Gorilla. It's a fun writing gig and I get to seek out cool and unusual people and food-tastic events here in Frederick County.

It's more than just finding someone who bakes great cookies or makes a mean milkshake (though if you know someone who can whip up the perfect coffee shake, please let me know asap--Frederick seems to have a serious lack of ice cream right now and I am just about freaking out). I get to find the cool and the fun, and this month's Epicuriosity column is all about that.

My buddy Josh clued me in on monthly gourmet dinners being held at All Saint's Episcopal Church on Church St., right across from city hall. The talented leader of the group, the charming and jovial Harry Lawrence and his sweet sweet sweetie of a wife Jeanne work with a dedicated and hard-working crew to pull off fancy-pants church dinners, minus the mac and cheese..

I'm certain that in another life, Harry would certainly be running his own four-star fine dining joint, sous-viding his way to culinary super-stardom with his sturdy and faithful crew by his side. But in this life, Harry works his day job and once a month tangoes his way through the kitchen fantastic to pull off dinners like absolutely perfectly-cooked red snapper with key lime sauce or lamb tagine with Israeli couscous, a far cry from the fried chicken & ham loaf dinners I've attended.

The dinners are held on the second Wednesday of each month in the church's fellowship hall. It's not a super religious gathering, but more an evening of camaraderie and fun, with a great dinner, all for just $15. Can you imagine?

Take a look at the full article HERE and you can find a few pics of Harry & Co. Here's one I totally lifted from the Gorilla site that the talented Casey Martin took at the December dinner:

Aren't they cutie-patooties? And talented too!

Check out the dinners and be sure to put one on your schedule. A word of warning though. February's dinner falls on the first day of Lent, so don't expect the usual fanfare and gourmet delights that are typically dished out. This will more be a recognition of the season and a relaxed soup affair, though I'm certain they'll be delightful, and hey--this one is just 10 bucks! Not your cup of tea? No worries. Join me in March and we'll have a heckuva good time. Register right here.

I'm going to ITALY!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 02:58:00 +0000

I know...right? 48 hours ago, a trip to Italy wasn't even on my radar, and now...BOOM! I'm headed to Italy in April for a culinary extravaganza in the Abruzzo region. Thanks to the good folks at Epitourean and the even discountier folks at Groupon, I'll be drinking wine, making pasta, truffle hunting, and drinking wine (ooops, did I already mention that?) in just a few short months. Guess I better get moving on that passport thing...

Lately, I've been feeling a wee bit stagnant. Work is good, home is good, Munchie the Wonder Puggle is good, but I've felt the need to get my creative juices flowing. And nothing has been cutting the mustard around here.

Lo and behold, this trip falls into my lap (or more so my email) thanks to a most excellent friend, a willing and way more than capable savvy traveler decides to join me and I'm off! A huge thank you to John for not saying "How are you paying for this?" or "Who will take care of the kids?" Nope. He said, "You should totally do this. It's a great idea! Just what you need." Thanks honey. :)

Want a taste of what I'm doing? Check this out:

Cooking classes: During a pasta-making class, you’ll learn to craft your own gnocchi, cavatelli, and chitarra. Later on, the Palazzo's sommelier will conduct a lesson on the art of pairing food and wine. Chefs will also demonstrate preparations for classic Italian sauces, and during a dessert-making class, you’ll enjoy sweet bites alongside regional liquors. Last but not least, you will also make authentic Abruzzo-style pizza and appetizers. In the peasant food and biscotti class students learn old-world recipes. In addition to a vegetarian dish you'll create an almond biscotti.

Truffle hunting and salami-plant tour: The group will learn how salami is made on a tour of the plant. Truffle-sniffing dogs assist in a morning truffle hunt.

Excursion to Vasto: On a day trip to Vasto, an ancient settlement on the Adriatic coast, the tour swings through the historical center of Vasto, stops at Piazza Rossetti for shopping, visits a unique Trabocco fishing house, and is topped off with a “Taste of the Adriatic” seafood lunch.

Cheese-making tour: During an afternoon excursion to the inland town of Agnone, you’ll observe the artisanal techniques used to make mozzarella, ricotta, and caciocavallo cheeses.

For a novice traveler, this looks to be the perfect way to dip my toe in the water of European travel, and man oh man, I cannot wait! This is not my usual M.O. I'm careful and thoughtful about where I go and what I do, but this, I don't think it's even real yet.

Want me to bring you back a treat?

Ciao!

The Coconut Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:50:00 +0000

When we moved from the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Frederick, I was thrown for a bit of a loop. I adored NYC, but had a middle-management job in one of the un-sexy departments at a mid-size ad agency (drone alert!) and my husband John was a high school teacher in the Bronx, thus, ample funds were not part of our life.

We had a super cute, but small duplex apartment near the Museum of Natural History that became infinitely smaller with the arrival of our son, the worst baby in the history of babies. Months of sleepless nights made me a little wackier than usual and I pleaded, begged even, to get the hell out of New York. I didn't see a future for us in the city, raising a kid (or kids) on our meager budget.

Knowing that our folks were getting older (and me at the ripe old age of 28), we debated where to move, with my thinking leading to midway between the two, putting us somewhere in Jersey or Philly. My brother-in-law Paul lived in Columbia, MD, and gave John an assist getting in touch with the county education departments across the state. Lo and behold, John received a letter from Frederick County Public Schools that seemed like they really liked teachers (though that fact is debatable now). A push for an interview, sitting and looking at so, so many cows, and before we knew it, John had relocated to Frederick and I was packing up the apartment and the baby, on my way to Maryland.

Frederick 16 years ago was very different from Frederick now, and I was bored. We quickly purchased a car, and some mornings, I would drive John to work so that I could have some wheels during the day. Most days though, I just stayed in our apartment, which seemed so very spacious and had a washer and dryer...score! It also had a miserable infant and a new mom struggling with the parameters of motherhood (not a big fan at that point).

Having finished culinary school just a year before our big move, I fell to cooking as stress relief. Cooking whatever we could afford and making much more food than the two of us could ever possibly eat. I shared easily with grateful neighbors and always looked for the approval that yes, I had indeed accomplished something other than keeping the baby alive that day.

One thing I love is coconut cake. I'm not iffy on the matter. I adore coconut in almost every form, from coconut curries to Almond Joys. But on this day of failed motherhood and doubt with the move I had forced, I decided to bake a coconut cake. No ordinary coconut cake, this masterpiece took hours upon hours to create. Six layers of perfect cake, with a tender crumb and a moistness lent to it by just a touch of coconut milk in the batter. The ethereal frosting was so ample, it took two rounds in the KitchenAid to make it all. Six layers. Three cakes perfectly, methodically sliced in half, then layer upon layer upon layer. The entire cake then coated with perfectly flaky coconut shreds. A true masterpiece. I set it on the counter and waited.

John came home, exhausted from teaching a long day at a middle school as far opposite to where he had been, dreading, I'm sure, the needy wife and the hysterical baby. I waited.

The coat came off, the papers laid down. I'm certain there was no supper -- all my energy had gone into the cake. The cake that represented my skill in the kitchen, my adoration of him, my failure as the mother of an infant, because I'd so much rather bake a cake than care for a screaming baby, sat there, like a beacon, waiting to be recognized, admired.

"That's a pretty big cake." Why yes. Yes it is. "Would you like a piece?" "What about dinner?" "Oh, let's just have a piece of cake instead." So he did. Because if you know nothing else, know that this man loves me. He forgot about his own struggles with a new school, and new kids, and a move, and an unhappy, bored wife, and a screaming baby (did I mention that he was the worst baby ever? He has since greatly improved).

But that coconut cake was huge. Easily enough to feed 16. So he had a piece, and I had a piece. And that was it. The rest of the cake sat for days until I admitted defeat and tossed it in the trash. I haven't made a coconut cake since. Frederick has changed, and so have I, no longer baking enormous cakes instead of just sitting there, waiting for something to happen.

Maybe it's time to make another. Four layers this time, and less self doubt. Until then, I'll hit up Angel Cakes on Church Street for one of their perfect coconut cupcakes. Because it's less stress and meaning and there, a coconut cake, or cupcake even, is just that.

It's Been A While

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Hey...you...out there...is this thing on?

I've slacked on the blog, no doubt. But that's because there's so much going on down at The Kitchen Studio...and beyond!

I'm a blogger. Ok, blogger-ish. I write every week for ChesapeakeFamily.com and write a monthly column for their print magazine that's distributed around Annapolis. That's where a bunch of my writing energy has been going. Take a look and check that out when you have a minute if you're dying to see what I'm writing.

I'm also writing for The Gorilla, a funky local magazine here in Fredrock. I've got an article in next month's issue on a really interesting dinner series I found here in town, but with a twist. You'll have to stay tuned for that one, but once it's out, I'll be sure to let you know.

We've also got what seems like a million new classes running at The Kitchen Studio. Last night we had a class that was all about the bacon. So much fun, and instructor Carla Lemons nailed it! Today it's birthday parties and a private Mystery Basket session for a group of 20 coming up from Potomac. It's going to be a crazy night, but we're ready.

We're also launching a brand new health initiative, Hearth to Health with RD Amanda Archibald. The kick-off is this Monday, 1/14, and here's what we're talking about:

Tired of daily sound bytes telling you what to eat? Fed up with one more “superfood” claim, or the daily “top ten” food list? One day something’s good for you and the next day it’s not. Perhaps we should all take some dining cues from our ancestors? Maybe glean a little knowledge from folks who live to be 100 or more? In this class, we’ll explore which foods, cooking practices and lifestyles are consistent with the living well around the world. Then we’ll link the underlying science to your health. 1.5 hours

Leave with:

7 strategies for organizing your food lifestyle in easy ways
What to put on your plate without reading labels or doing arithmetic
High octane strategies for getting the most nourishment per bite
A nutrition road-map for the rest of your life
Resources for reading and cooking
Membership in Private Facebook Group

We even make it a snap to take this class for FREE. Just register for the 4-class series (1/28, 2/4, 2/11, & 2/25) and use the code H2H at checkout to receive your discount.

You can also join us in class on Monday if you like and register from there if the program feels like the right fit to you. I'm super-excited about changing things up diet-wise so that it doesn't feel like some weird deprivation thing that you go on and off of.

That's the update here, and thanks for sticking around. Happy New Year!

Reminder: Frederick Food Photography Club Meeting 11/4!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:34:00 +0000

That's right, Sunday, November 4, 2012 at 2p is the inaugural meeting of the Frederick Food Photography Club here at The Kitchen Studio. Woo hoo!

We'll be getting together for the first time to discuss how we'd like the club to work, if there are any specific goals, and set future meeting dates. Doesn't that sound like fun? Well sure it does!

There's no cost (it's FREE baby!), and I think it will be terrific to have like-minded folks working together to improve their food photography skills. I'd love to meet you, so be sure the set your clocks back an hour tonight, then show up at TKS (5301 Buckeystown Pike, right beside The Hampton Inn) at 2p on Sunday. Best guess, the meeting should last somewhere between 60-90 minutes for our first gathering.

If you've already rsvp'd, I thank you. If not, no biggie. We'll see you tomorrow at 2.

cvb

Frederick Food Photography Club First Meeting: 11/4!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Finally! I am thrilled, pleased, and absolutely delighted to announce that it's finally happening.

The first meeting of the Frederick Food Photography Club will be held at The Kitchen Studio Cooking School on Sunday, November 4 at 2p.

The basic premise is this: Amateur photogs with an interest in food shots gather every other month or so to practice taking great shots of food and hopefully learn from each other in the process.

There is no cost involved, but you'll need to bring whatever props and set-ups you'd like to shoot for our first meeting. Let's keep it simple, shall we? We'll discuss how we should establish the club, whether we have food themes, if we want to look for speakers, and anything else we can think of. If you're looking for hardcore photo instruction, this isn't the place for you. I'm a rank amateur, though I'd like to develop my skills quite a bit, and I will NOT be providing instruction of any sort. Y'know, because I'd like your photos to look good. :) Oh yeah, you should own a camera too. Kind of a "duh", but best to clarify...oui?

Please, please, please comment to let me know if you'll be able to attend so that we can have an accurate headcount, just in case I'm feeling snacky. Can't wait to meet you!

Cider House Rules: Distillery Lane Ciderworks

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 01:34:00 +0000

In my quest for the new and interesting, I've been getting my booze on lately. And no, I'm not talking so much about drinking, but more the bottling and researching and even wee bit o' writing.

One of the stops on my local booze-o-rama tour is Distillery Lane Ciderworks in Burkittsville for an article in the current issue of The Gorilla, a fab magazine about town. Being a huge hard cider fan, it was particularly delightful to find a local orchard pressing and fermenting the good stuff right here in Frederick County. After tasting bunches of different ciders, I was surprised to find out that I actually need a little fizz with my apples for maximum enjoyment.

Want to take a look at the article? Just click on through right here for the full story. And while you're at it, plan a visit to Burkittsville, take 5 buckaroonies with you for a tasting, and a little more to purchase a few bottles of locally grown and magically produced hard cider.

Recipe: Panko-Parmesan Pork Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:04:00 +0000

I'm on fire! Not literal fire, but look at all these recipes coming your way. Hope you're finding a little time to give 'em a try. But before you get too far into this blog today...WARNING: This blog contains graphic photos of a pig. And its parts. So if that freaks you out, come on back another day or go here to skip the pics and go straight to the recipe.

Today, our recipe is Panko Parmesan Pork Chops. Let's start at the beginning. This is my friend Josh:

Josh is the meat manager at The Common Market, and he's pretty cool.

Josh and I decided that we should buy a pig and break it down together into all of its bits and bobs. We're hoping to offer a pig class during the winter at The Kitchen Studio for those folks interested in basic meat cutting, so Josh and I headed to Thurmont to pick-up our pig at a local butcher and give ourselves a little refresher. It was a little...odd.

We headed down to TKS and Josh unloaded the sucker (even cut into halves, it was pretty heavy) and got it prepped on a few cutting boards.

Truthfully, Josh did most of the work, which was awesome for me!

That's a lot of pig:

We shared our lovely porcine friend with friends and fellow pork lovers, and I tucked a few cuts in the freezer. In my attempt to dodge the grocery last week, I hit the freezer and snagged a loin. A few quick cuts and I had a few boneless chops, each about an 1 1/2" thick. A quick dredge in panko, freshly grated Parm, a few herbs, and a quick saute in a hot pan and voila!

If you look carefully, you'll see that our entire dinner that night was unintentionally devoted to the letter "P". Pork chops, potatoes, peas, and yup...popovers. Sure, there's a little arugula too, but come on...isn't that fun? It all felt slightly Sesame Street-esque.

For the recipe, you'll of course need to click here to my Chesapeake Family blog, but I promise, it's worth the click. It comes together super fast and you don't need to cook it forever. Don't forget that pork loins and chops only need to be cooked to 145 degrees. No need to make this like leather...'k?

My piggy friend was delicious, and truly, you can taste the difference between local pork and that mass-produced junk you're going to get elsewhere. It makes a difference and I'm looking forward to tasting more of this guy (or gal).

Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:52:00 +0000

Doesn't that look pretty? And fall-ish?

All the rain last week put me in a soup frame of mind. Fall is here, so we all know that it was inevitable. Rain, cold, soup. It's how I roll. And I roll butternut squash soup. Maybe it's because I resemble one right now...

I love butternut squash, but I do hate to peel and chop them. I'm totally lazy. Like, for real. So I did what any lazy cook would do and I headed to Wegmans. They have already peeled and chopped butternut squash, which I know you think is lazy and expensive, but really, not so much on the expensive part. Of course it's a tiny bit more than buying the whole squash, but really, we all have our vices. Don't judge. ;)

Just like last week, this is a recipe I wrote for the lovely folks over at Chesapeake Family Magazine. You'll need to click through here (yes, I know it's annoying, but come on...one click) for the recipe, but it's simple, and easy, and dare I say....healthy. Plus, it's way better than my pic above would let you think. Want to make it more awesome? Peel and chop a sweet apple (like a Gala) and toss it in the pot with the squash. Yum!

Next week...Panko-Parmesan Pork Chops.

Recipe: Perfectly Perfect Pumpkin Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 22:37:00 +0000

It's starting to get a bit chilly, which turns my menus from bruschetta and gazpacho to pumpkin (anything) and chili. Last week, I decided to work through a new recipe for pumpkin bread for the weekly recipe blog I write for Chesapeake Family magazine. Here...take a look at this beauty:

Now, doesn't that look spectacular? Indeed, the family ripped through an entire loaf in just an afternoon.

Now, I hate to do this to you, but since the lovely folks at Chesapeake Family actually pay me to put fab recipes up on their blog each week, I'm going to direct you here for the recipe. Please forgive me, but I do promise it's worth the click. Not trying to toot my own horn too much, but this quick bread is a snap to put together, makes 2 loaves at a time, and is quite deliciously wonderful.

Make it, love it, share it, and let me know what you think. :)

TKS Help Wanted: Saturday Kitchen Assistant

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:40:00 +0000

Love food? Awesome! Big fan of kids? Even better! Looking to make a little extra cashola on the weekends? PERFECT!

We're looking for a kitchen assistant at The Kitchen Studio to lend a hand with our super popular kid's and teen birthday parties on Saturdays and possibly a Sunday or two down the road. You'll have the opportunity to work with great instructors, terrific kids, and wonderful families too. And don't forget about all that pizza!

We're looking for a hard-working part-timer to work 2-3 Saturdays a month, mostly from 9:15-4. You've got to be at least 16, have your own reliable transportation, sport a most excellent attitude, and not be afraid of washing dishes. Lots of dishes. ;)

We're looking to make a hire immediately, so feel free to pass this on to your super fun next-door neighbor, that really cool teen you know from your kid's soccer team, or anyone that wants in with an amazingly fun group of talented cooks and helpers. You can reach me directly at christine_at_KitchenStudioFrederick.com. Look forward to hearing from you!

Gotta Break Some Eggs in Today's News-Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:03:00 +0000

Woot! Gotta Break Some Eggs, my teen & tween-centric cooking site, is featured in today's Frederick News Post.

Here's a bit from the article by the lovely Katie Crowe:

"Each summer, The Kitchen Studio is at its busiest, offering eight weeks of summer-camp classes for tweens and teens. The summer classes scheduled for this year are already about 95 percent filled, Van Bloem said. This often results in many teens and tweens being left out from participating in classes held at The Kitchen Studio either due to availability, their location to the studio, finances, or other factors, Van Bloem added.

Knowing this, Van Bloem wanted to provide a vast cooking resource to those tweens and teens not able to enroll in classes. In 2009, with the launch of her interactive website, GottaBreakSomeEggs.com, she began to expand her teachings beyond the classroom. The website targets youths in grades 5 through 10 and is video and recipe driven.

Something new is added to the site nearly every day. On Mondays, a two- to three-minute cooking instruction video is posted, featuring Van Bloem making a specific tween-and-teen-friendly recipe. The next day, Van Bloem posts the recipe she demonstrated the day before on the site. Midweek, Van Bloem will often post a recipe geared toward Mom and Dad, she said."

Want to read the entire thing? Of course you do! You can read the complete article here. And while you're at it, bop on over to Gotta Break Some Eggs, or better yet, send your favorite teens & tweens in that direction.

And yup, we actually broke all those eggs in the pic featured in the paper. It was SUPER FUN!

Check it Out: The North Market Pop Shop

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 02:26:00 +0000

I've just started writing for The Frederick Gorilla-- yippee! Maybe you've heard of them? This saucy mag is available all over Frederick with splashy articles on topics relevant to those in Fred Co. There's also this fantastic new column, Epicuriosity, written by...ME!

This issue, I'm taking a visit to the super-fun North Market Pop Shop on Market St. between 2nd and 3rd. Here's an excerpt from the article:

"This snazzy, soda-lovin’ shop caters to the thirsty and sugar-deprived alike with a fantastic assortment of glass bottle sodas. The shop carries dozens of different brands and flavors of pop, from colas and cream sodas to bubblegum-flavored soda and fruit flavors.

We all know the supposed cachet of forgoing the can and going straight for the glass bottle. The weight in your hand, the way it stays cool for just a bit longer, really, nothing beats those sassy bottles, and we all know it."

You can read the full article here. You'll need to go to pages 20-21 for the story. Let me know what you think, and be sure to check out the North Market Pop shop in downtown Frederick.

On the Radio: Foodie & The Beast This Sunday!

noreply@blogger.com (Chef Christine) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:16:00 +0000

This Sunday, June 3rd, I'm going to be a guest on Foodie & the Beast on AM1500 at 11am. How awesomely cool is that? Super cool!

The hosts, Nycci & David Nellis seem like they're super fun (you can watch taped versions of the show on YouTube) and I'm so excited to talk about The Kitchen Studio and Gotta Break Some Eggs!

If you want to follow the show on Twitter, Nycci's handle is @NycciNellis, and they'll be using the hastag #foodieandthebeast.

We'll be having a great time, so be sure to tune in!