Kitchen Rap With Louis S luzzo, Sr.

Jacques Pépin & Carmella Catena, one you know, one I wish you could have...

2013-03-26T14:23:00.001-04:00

L'Ecole w/ Jacques Pepin

Great and iconic people inspire us. Some are famous some are not. Yet, the impact they leave on our lives is indelible and forever. Such is the case with Chef Jacques Pépin. You see, me and many of the chefs you now know as household names, all have our culinary careers due to the inspiration received from chefs like Julia Child, Alaine Ducasse, Paul Bocuse and of course, current king and culinary emperor, Chef Jacques Pépin.

I had a quiet lunch with him at L'Ecole recently but before we sat down, we toured the ICC in New York City, where Pépin is a dean. I watched with amusement as we walked the halls, stopping in various classes being taught. This was a rare treat for me, a lay person in this world of mis en place and strict French culinary tradition, to watch the students, instructors and fellow deans react to just his presence in the room. He stopped to check the bread, seeming the most content I'd remember seeing him as he took a loaf, turned it over and tapped it, listening to the sound to check its doneness. Then, we popped in on a cake decorating class, wishing some well, catching up with others. This was his element.

Each time we would enter a classroom, the students, and yes even the chef/instructors, would light up as the Master Chef entered, explaining to him in this brief moment in time, how they had seen this or that he had done, or that the reason they were attending was because of the inspiration they received as their mom, or dad, or in my case, my Grandma, introduced them to the culinary world through him and his endeavors. A moment, they explained, that was shared with one of his 'many' moments, where the two worlds collided and theirs was changed forever. The awakening in them of this culinary dream, the setting of their course or impact it had their future, leading them to this adventure.

Such is the case with me. In meeting Chef Pépin, I realized that my current path had been set long ago by he and someone very dear and personal in my life. My grandmother, Carmella Catena. After a recent meeting and subsequent lunch with this legendary chef, I recently realized why I am now doing what I'm doing. Seems I grew up a foodie. My childhood years were centered around the table, a meal. The kitchen. Now, I had no idea I was a foodie until the word actually hit the lexicon of our everyday lives, but when it did, it described me perfectly.

As a child, my mom worked and I came home from school each day to my grandmother. We had a very special relationship. She was faithfully there each day, from the time I was six, until I was 14-15. Each day when I walked through that door it was her face I saw. Some of the most formative years of my life. It is only now I understand that when my grandmother watched me after school every day, I had actually been her sous chef. "Okay now add the egg, Louis, slowly," as she mixed the dough when we were making her 'knots.'

She was famous for those cookies....Grandma's Knots... I remember, I always begged her to let me lick the bowl of homemade icing after she would dip all the cookies. She always seemed to have just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. Such a simple recipe too. Food coloring, confectioners sugars, orange juice and love. You can't forget the love or it just doesn't taste the same.

Each week, my family had a traditional meal together one night a week. Thursday. Macaroni night. My mom, my grams and my Aunt would take turns hosting the meal at there respective houses. Two weeks, then it would move to the next house. When it was at gram's or my mom's, gram would do the cooking of the sauce, or gravy as it's referred to in my house. In my family there was gravy. Three kinds: Marinara and Meat for the reds, and Brown. When we said 'gravy' most times we were referring to what you all call spaghetti sauce. That's just the way it was. It was here also that I was sous chef before I knew what a sous chef was.

She would add the ingredients to the bowl for meatballs, and tell me, "Get in there and mix it with your hands, they are the best tool in the kitchen" or, "Turn the meatballs gently," followed by, "and stop eating them before we get them into the gravy!" She would always laughingly scold me as we would sear the meatballs to par cook them before dropping them into the sauce. Now, folks, I love fried meatballs! She would let me turn them in the pan and I would sneak eat all the little ones and she would scold me, but not really mad. I later found out as an adult that she would make extra, counting on the fact that I was going to eat some while we were cooking. I also, as an adult, realized I was taught the difference between searing and sauteing, how to braise, to make stock, to bake. I just didn't realize what was happening then. But she did and she had so much love. She taught me love was as important ingredient as than anything else you were putting into your dish. Maybe more so.

She was a quiet, affable woman, who was quick with a smile and never seemed to have a bad word to say about anyone. Just a gentle soul whom everyone loved. She was a hard working mother of 4 who worked most of her life in a sewing factory, with long hours and sacrifice. I also remember she had a helluva right arm. No, not throwing. Whacking me on the arm with a wooden spoon. I was, let's say.....feisty. At seven, I backed the car into the side of the house while moving it so I could play basketball with my friends. It's safe to say, she had her hands full and I deserved every whack I got. She broke a lot of wooden spoons on me.

Now that said, we spent a lot of time together and had an excellent and special relationship. I remember, as if yesterday, sitting in the living room after school each day, watching Jacques and Julia and the The Galloping Gourmet with Graham Kerr with her. Well, at least on the days I did not have baseball, or football practice. I was 7-8 yrs old. When I think about it now, it was my grandmother who truly turned me into a foodie. She was the one who introduced me to all those cooking shows.

I grew and as a young adult, I was into music, sales, finances, travel. I liked eating, but one would not have called me a gourmet by any stretch. When life's curves and unexpected twists sidelined my previous career choice, a great friend, Elaine, awoke in me the 'foodie' gene and I seemed to fall into this culinary lifestyle as if putting on an old comfortable sweater. I never gave it much thought, but after years of watching my mom and grandmother in the kitchen, I guess the culinary world and a love for the kitchen is ingrained in me.

I recently chatted with Chef Pépin at an event in Cleveland and during that conversation, it hit me. The reason the foodie sweater fit so well is because it had been crocheted by my grandmother years ago. We made plans to have lunch that day at the famed French Culinary Institute (now called The International Culinary Center). I was thrilled. You know folks, there is a reason he is now, as he put it, 'a rock star.' It is through him and, the influences and inspiration of Julia, Kerr and those early acclaimed chefs, that many of the chefs and food personalities you now know today, pursued their culinary careers.

He smiled at me and explained, "Years ago we were just cooks, trying to simply make good food, but today, I have to laugh. With the popularity of the foodnetwork, with all the great chefs, like Bobby and Mario and Michael, I am now 'touring.'" He smiled, "Back when I started the show, we didn't even know if anyone was watching," he continued, "now, with the food shows, we chefs are all the rage. I travel all over sometimes alone, sometimes with Claudine and I am having fun. And I have been put in the archives in Boston University, it's nice if a bit strange."

He had mentioned this twice now in our conversations, pointing out that many people were not aware that he has taught at Boston University for almost 31 years. I asked him what he meant by 'if a bit strange' and he expounded, "I was alone in my house, you know and they had asked me to put together these things, mementos, writings, tapes, things to go into a box to bring to the school and it was weird, I, thought, 'You know, I'm not dead yet,' and he laughed, adding, 'who knows I may need these things. To put your life in a box..."

The Jacques Pépin Collection spans an entire career in kitchens around the world, from his earliest Certificats d'Emploi as an apprentice in post World War II France, to teaching career at Boston University. The collection includes extensive manuscript drafts of Pépin articles, essays and books, including The Apprentice, and The Art of Cooking. Correspondence and photographs, both personal and professional, are plentiful and feature the likes of Julia Child, Craig Claiborne, Laura Bush, The collection also includes vast holdings of Pépin's recipe books, printed materials featuring Pépin, interviews, datebooks, menus and artwork by Pépin, awards, and memorabilia.

Also included is a large number of personal and professional videos featuring Jacques Pépin's Kitchen: Cooking with Claudine, Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, Today's Gourmet with Jacques Pépin, and Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way. He winked at me, "But of course, it is a great honour, I am in with such people as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alistair Cooke, Dan Rather, many others and me, just a cook."

I found during my recent conversations with him, in Cleveland and New York, he is always humble, a bit self deprecating and even a bit mischievous in his thoughts and remarks about himself. For instance, when talking with me about he and his fellow deans at the ICC, famed in their own right, Chefs Alain Sailhac and André Soltner, he referred to himself and the two of them as "the dinosaurs, and 'the three stooges of culinary." Quite a description of three master chefs who are among the greatest French chefs alive on the planet today, with a combined total of two hundred years culinary expertise.

We talked about his thoughts on cookery today and the sudden explosion in the popularity of cooking shows. He explained "Well on one hand, it has really made the chefs the star with all the shows and competitions. Back then, when we started out, Julia and I, it was about just showing people how too cook. I'll tell you a secret not many people know," he smiled, "we had no script or recipes...we would just wing it! Sometimes those were the best shows. At the same time, the public's awareness of culinary and the influx of new students and chefs is a good thing, so overall I believe we are headed in the right direction."

I asked if he thought about slowing down, and he answered immediately, "Well, who knows how long this will last, you know. I love the live shows, the interaction. It is nice to know that there were people out there buying the books and watching the shows," he winked, "and it's an honour to greet them one on one." I have seen that effect; folks looking up on stage with a big grin, re-living some memory or moment when Chef Jacques made them cook better, or feel better, or hungry. I was there myself when asked to lunch with him.

For me folks, this was true foodie dream come true. As a child watching Chef Pépin with my Grams, and through all the years of watching his shows as an adult, following his career, to now, being 'in' the food entertainment business, the thought that one day I would be sitting with him sharing an intimate one on one lunch was childish fantasy, a dream to not even dare dream. But here I was. We talked pure food, sharing thoughts on life, his wife and daughter, life as a chef, teaching, Julia, my life, etc.. When this moment finally came, I chose to be in it, as opposed to attend it for the sake of publication. And, I was rewarded with a great moment in my life, bringing together the real reasons I do what I do; the pure passion for the food, and most importantly, the simple acts of cooking together and sharing a meal that can help create the human bonds that shape us. Food in the right hands and with the right motive and presentation can be a unifier. For me, I now know that not only my Grams, but through her, Chef Pépin, were very influential in the career path I have finally chosen, the passion I have for all things culinary and the person that I have become, both personally and professionally.

I thought about giving you an elaborate piece here, possible video, long interview, but then as the afternoon wore on and Jacques and I talked about things it dawned on me that while I should share the moment and it's impact on me with you, this one I would keep close to the vest. A little treasure that I could take out once in a while and feel all those good feelings and re-live all those great memories of cooking in the kitchen with Carmella. The love, the laughs, yes even the scolds and broken wooden spoons.

Thanks Grams, I miss you. And thanks Chef, for taking the time to remind me what's important. Told ya, iconic people will do that. They will make you lift your game, make you think and hopefully impact your life for the better. I really am a pretty lucky guy.

Bon Appetit

Lou

These two sweet treats will have your Valentine eating out of the palm of your hand....hmmm....this could get interesting!

2013-02-04T10:11:00.004-05:00

I thought I'd post a special treat for Valentines day and because this, February, is the month of amore. The challenge for these GGM chefs, Pastry Chef Paw Mikkelsen and Chocolatier Ingo Wullert was to use an imported blood orange juice imported from Sicily. Well, the phrase great minds think alike has never been more true. Paw and Ingo have brought two wonderful variations of a blood orange mousse that will have your lover literally eating out of the palm of your hand. Hmmm.....this could get interesting. And, the great thing about them is that while they may look intimidating, that's just due the presentation. With a just a little time, patience and practice, you too can get fancy in the kitchen. The recipes are easy to follow and the home cook will have no problem.

What could be more romantic? The one you love, luxurious sweets, succulent fresh berries, combined with a glass of champagne........soft lights........ ahhh love!

From Chef Paw Mikkelsen:

Blood Orange Mousse

Ingredients
7 sheets gelatin
1 quart heavy cream
2 1/2 cups puree or juice of blood orange
2 oz lemon juice
2 cups egg whites
1 lb 2 oz sugar

Method
Dissolve gelatin in cold water. Remove gelatin sheets and squeeze squeeze out excess water. Melt the gelatin down in the blood orange juice over a double boiler and add the lemon juice.
Whip the egg whites with half of the sugar. Add the rest of the sugar before whites become a meringue. Whip to a soft peak. Add juice and gelatin in to the meringue. Fold this entire mix in to the cream.

Put in heart shaped molds or in a pan. (If using a pan, cut shapes out after freezing). Freeze and unmold mousse. Serve with anglais sauce or a fruit sauce.

From Master Chocolatier Ingo Wullaert

Dark Chocolate Blood Orange Mousse

Ingredients
16 oz heavy whipping cream
12 oz dark chocolate (drops)
5 oz whole milk
2 oz blood orange juice
1 oz orange liqueur
½ oz lime juice

Method
Combine in microwave safe bowl, milk and chocolate drops. Heat in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes. Take out and stir the mixture until smooth. Add the blood orange, liqueur and lime juice. Stir until blended.
Whip the heavy cream into soft peaks. Fold the heavy cream into the chocolate mixture. Pour in heart shaped cups, if available.
Refrigerate mousse to firm texture. Decorate with cocoa powder, chocolate or fruit.

I hope you have a wonderful Valentines day and please let me know if you makethese as I would love to know how they came out.

As always, Bon Appetit,

Lou

Anise...

2013-01-25T12:27:00.000-05:00

This month I was intrigued by an old tradition I have been witnessing since I was a little boy. At the end of every family meal, my dad, uncles and grandfathers would partake in a ritual. The serving of the espresso or Demitasse. It was a very serious moment each week, as all attention turned to the bubbling, silver, two tiered pot on the stove. Always, as if by magic, along with the coffee and desserts, appeared the bottles of Anisette and Sambuca. I remember thinking they always looked the same, never empty, never full, as if once returned to their place in the cupboards, the 'anise' gods would come and replenish the vessels, ensuring my family a never ending supply of licorice flavored goodness.

Each of my family members had their favorite, my dad preferring Anisette, while my uncle chose the more pungent Sambuca. To a small boy, the aroma was mesmerizing, evoking images of long curly black strands of licorice that danced in my head. (Sugarplums...what sugarplums?) Sometimes, we were lucky enough to get a taste, or watch one of my uncles fill a shot glass, float a coffee bean on top and light the liquor with a match, creating that cool blue flame. I used to love that part. I've even seen my aunts or grandmother dip their finger in it and rub the gums of teething infants. Looking back now I understand why all the new babies in the family were so well behaved....!

So what is anise, or aniseed? (Not to be confused with star anise, a spice that closely resembles anise in flavor that is obtained from the star-shaped pericarp of a small native evergreen tree of southwest China.) It is related to caraway, dill, cumin and fennel, the latter sharing its licorice flavor characteristics.

Native to the Middle East.....I will digress here a second. As I take this exploration and discovery of all things culinary with you, I marvel at how many times I have started a feature on an ingredient, food, method or staple of our everyday lives that I have begun with that phrase, 'native to the Middle East'. That and 'according to Pliny the Elder.' This guy was a 1000 years ahead of Savarin and Escoffier, and he knew his food. Sorry..back to the topic...In the Middle East anise has been used as a medicine, a flavor for medicine, in soups and stews, its licorice like flavor popular in candies and its oil used in liqueurs. We are going to talk about some of the liqueurs here today but as you have come to expect, origins of a particular product are of the utmost interest and import to us here at GGM.

Ancient Romans hung Anise plants near their pillows to prevent bad dreams. They also used Anise to aid digestion and ward off epileptic attacks. Europeans use Anise in cakes, cookies and sweet breads. Colonists in the New World used it as a medicinal crop too. Here comes my Pliny reference..."According to Pliny the Elder," anise was used to help you sleep, chewed with alexanders, left, (tasting similar to celery) and a little honey in the morning to make you approachable by getting rid of your bad breath. They also used to mix it with wine as a remedy for scorpion stings, but I'm pretty sure scorpion incidents are on the decline and most of us can stick to drinking and cooking with it.

In Indian cuisine, no distinction is made between anise and fennel, and I was at first confused and mistakenly thought them one and the same for this very reason. Therefore, the same name (saunf) is usually given to both of them. Some use the term patli (thin) saunf or velayati (foreign) saunf to distinguish anise from fennel.

In the UK, anise has been in use since the fourteenth century, and has been cultivated in English gardens from the middle of the sixteenth century, but it is grown on a commercial scale in southern Russia, Bulgaria, Germany, Malta, Spain, Italy, North Africa and Greece which produce large quantities. It has also been introduced into India and South America. The cultivated plant being considerably larger than the wild one.

In Virgil's time, anise was used as a spice. Mustacae, a spiced cake of the Romans introduced at the end of a rich meal to prevent indigestion, consisted of meal with anise, cummin and other aromatics. Such a cake was sometimes brought in at the end of a marriage feast and is, perhaps, the origin of the UK's spiced wedding cake.

In Germany, many cakes have an aniseed flavoring, and anise is also used as a flavoring for soups. It is largely employed in France, Spain, Italy and South America in the preparation of cordial liqueurs. The liqueur Anisette added to cold water on a hot summer's day is very common and a refreshing drink. It is also one of the herbs that was supposed to avert the 'Evil Eye.'

Anise Based Liqueurs

Arak
Clear in appearance, it is produced and consumed in the Eastern Mediterranean and Northern African countries, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Iraq, Jordan, and Egypt. Arak is usually not drunk straight, but is mixed in approximately 1/3 arak to 2/3 water, and ice is then added. Arak is usually served with mezza, which could include dozens of small dishes, which many arak drinkers prefer as accompaniment rather than main courses.

Anisette
A sweet liqueur made by macerating 16 different seeds and plants and blending the maceration with a neutral spirit and sugar syrup. Anisette should not be confused with pastis, which is made using star anise (the fruit of the evergreen, Chinese star anise tree) rather than aniseed (the seed of the Mediterranean anise plant, a member of the parsley family). Anisette diluted with water is generally clear, while undiluted pastis is transparent yellow. It should be served in the manner you like it. Room temperature is preferred by some, others like it chilled.

Their exclusive recipe, handed down from generation to generation, uses green anise from the high plains of the Mediterranean and more than 10 other plants, fruits and spices, to create a blend of natural aromas and flavors of the South and the Orient. Green anise is the basic ingredient of Anisette; it comes from the sunny and windy Mediterranean basin, where the climate and soil are particularly well suited to its cultivation. Ten other rigorously selected aromatic plants give this 100% natural liqueur a subtle, delicate and smooth flavor.

Absinthe
Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It achieved great popularity as an alcoholic drink in late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers.Although it is sometimes mistakenly called a liqueur, absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a spirit. New Orleans also has a historical connection to absinthe consumption. The city has a prominent landmark called the Old Absinthe House, located on Bourbon Street. Originally called the Absinthe Room, opened in 1874 by a Catalan Cayetano Ferrer.

The Absinthe Fountain

Traditionally, absinthe is prepared by placing a sugar cube on top of a specially designed slotted spoon and then placing the spoon on the glass which has been filled with a shot of absinthe. Ice-cold water is then poured or dripped over the sugar cube so that the water is slowly and evenly displaced into the absinthe, typically 1 part absinthe and 3 to 5 parts water. During this process, components not soluble in water (mainly those from anise, fennel, and star anise) come out of solution and cloud the drink. The resulting milky opalescence is called the louche (Fr. opaque or shady.) Releasing these components allows herbal aromas and flavors to "blossom" or "bloom" and brings out subtleties originally over-powered by the anise. This is often referred to as "The French Method."

Ouzo
Some claim it may date back in one form or another to ancient times. Its precursor possibly is tsipouro, a drink distilled throughout the Byzantine Empire and continued throughout Ottoman times.
Traditionally, Tsipouro is said to have been the pet project of a group of 14th century monks living in a monastery on holy Mount Athos. One version of it is flavored with Anise. It is this version that eventually came to be called Ouzo.

Interestingly, all the beverages here, while sharing the licocrice like characteristics of anise, are quite unique in and of themselves. Regardless of your personal preference, if you are a lover of licorice, then these are the cordials and aperitifs for you. Enjoy!

Bon Appetit,

Lou
Sourceswww.turismomadrid.es, www.wildflowersofireland.net, www.arabicliquor.com, www.wikipedia.org

Eggnog Crepe Ravioli

2012-12-06T14:49:00.001-05:00

This recipe comes from former GGM Chocolatier Ingo Wullert. While it may take a bit of time, it's worth all the prep, as your guests will be thrilled with these little pockets of deliciousness.
Serves 5 (3 crepes per serving)

Ingredients
For the eggnog:
10 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean
25 oz sweetened condensed milk
7 oz pear liqueur (Poire William)

For the ravioli filling:
1 cup of milk chocolate drops
½ cup of heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon instant coffee

For the crepes:*
1 ½ cups of milk
½ cup soda water
3 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
9 oz self rising flour
A pinch of salt
Butter
* You can buy ready made crepes at your local gourmet store, but making your own is so much better.

For the garnish:
Dark chocolate shavings
Some melted dark chocolate

Method
Eggnog
Make the eggnog one day ahead. In a kitchen blender combine the egg yolk and scraped vanilla bean. Blend well at medium speed. While blending, add the sweetened condensed milk. Add the liqueur and blend at high speed for another minute. Poor the eggnog in a jar and let it rest overnight without putting the lid on.

Crepes
Make to crepes one day ahead. Combine the sifted flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Make some room in the center of the flour and add the 3 eggs. Gently mix the flour with the egg with a wooden spoon. When the batter starts to thicken add some of the milk. Keep mixing the batter by adding the rest of the milk little by little. When everything is mixed add the soda water the same way you added the milk. Chill the batter in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before using. Make the crepes in a crepe pan, being sure to use a generous amount of butter. When all crepes are made (about 15), cover them with foil wrap and place in the refrigerator.

Ravioli Filling
Heat up the heavy whipping cream and add the instant coffee. Add the milk chocolate drops ad stir until all is smooth. Cover and set aside till next day.

To Serve
Before serving, prepare the dessert plate by adding a thin layer of the eggnog. Take two crepes at a time and reheat in the microwave for about 1 minute. Cut the hot crepes in 2 inch ravioli squares. With a teaspoon, fill the center of the square with a little filling and add another square on top. Place the ravioli on the plates with eggnog and garnish with chocolate shavings and thin stripes of chocolate.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!

Bon Appetit!

Lou

Bolo Preto (Caribbean Black Cake) No ordinary fruitcake!

2012-12-06T13:44:00.002-05:00

Traditional Fruitcake

All my life, I have cringed at the taste and smell of candied, dried fruits and chopped nuts baked into a sometimes moist (most times not) pound cake-like bread. Fruitcake! Yuk. I call them doorstops. I am a believer in the theory that there is actually only one actual fruitcake and it is re-gifted over and over and over again, year after year. But, I could be wrong.

The earliest recipe from ancient Rome lists pomegranate seeds, pine nuts and raisins, mixed into barley mash. In the Middle Ages, honey, spices, and preserved fruits were added and the name fruitcake was first used.

I was turned off even by the thought of fruitcake, that is until a few years ago, when my friend and muse, Elaine, the original Gourmet Girl, shared with me the most amazing, traditional Caribbean fruitcake recipe from her Aruban mom. While I was skeptical at first, after watching bottle after bottle of liquor added over a months time, I started to think, "Ok, this one may be different." This is Elaine's version and she calls it "Black Cake" and folks, it is truly amazing. Delicious, moist and unlike any traditional fruitcake I had ever tasted. But beware, unless you have a strong constitution, more than one piece will leave you a bit tipsy!

For those that do not like fruitcake, this recipe is such a completely opposite version of what the term fruitcake conjures up in our mind. Moist, delicious, with marinated fruit that is soft, chewy and definitely not candied hard little bits of yuk. And, with all that liquor, this is definitely NOT a version to share with the kids. Unless of course you'd like a little piece and quiet. One piece ought to have even the most active child sleeping like a baby within the hour. (Okay you crazies, I see you sitting there thinking about that. That was just a joke! I am not advocating sharing a liquor infused fruitcake with children!)

The recipe is as follows and you should start now if you want to be on time for Christmas, as it takes up to a MONTH to soak the fruit properly!

Elaine Giammetta's Bolo Preto
Makes 1 large loaf or 8 individual loafs (Individual loaf shown here)

Elaine Giammetta's Caribbean Black Cake

Ingredients
1/2 cup chopped prunes
1 /2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup chopped dried dates
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dried peaches
1/4 cup chopped candied pineapple
1/4 cup chopped candied oranges
1/4 cup chopped candied lemons
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup cake flour (no need to add baking powder)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 stick sweet unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 large eggs
1 Bottle of Amaretto (can also use brandy or cognac)
1 Bottle of Frangelico

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Put fruits and nuts into a very large plastic container (DO NOT USE METAL) Completely cover all the chopped fruits and nuts with the Frangelico and Amaretto. Cover tightly and put into a cool, dry spot. Let it soak for a minimum of one month, checking weekly to be sure that fruit remains completely covered with liquid. Add additional liquor as necessary as the liquor, even in a sealed container will evaporate. (We added at least 1 more bottle of each liquor) Told you this is NOT for kids!

After 30 days drain the excess liquid from the marinated fruit, reserving the liquid to use later. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat eggs for 3 minutes on low. Add the sugar/butter mixture to the eggs. Add salt to the flour, slowly incorporate flour into the fruit/nut mixture. Gradually add egg and butter mixture to the fruit until you have the consistency of a cake batter. If necessary, add additional flour, being careful not to add too much, as the fruit mixture will be very ‘wet.’

Elaine Giammetta's Caribbean Black Cake

Lightly butter and flour baking pans. (I like to use the small individual loaf pans.) Pour batter into pans ¾ full. Cook until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be sure to check on cakes periodically, if top begins to darken, cover with aluminum foil to prevent burning. Depending on the size of your pan, cooking time can take up to an hour (Bundt pan). Cool cakes completely. Using toothpick, prick the top of the cakes and drizzle reserved liquor over cakes. Repeat until all liquor has been absorbed.

WOW does that sound amazing or what? I have learned my lesson; always stay open minded and never count a recipe out until you’ve tried every imaginable version. I am now a believer! Viva La Fruitcake!

Happy Holidays and as always,

Bon Appetit!

Lou
Image source fruitcake; educationviews.org

Christmas Around the World

2012-11-26T13:04:00.002-05:00

Well, turkeys and leftovers have been consumed, the 'big parade' is over, the man in the Red Suit and his gigantic balloons having traversed the Great White Way in NYC and Black Friday has been survived. That means we are now in the full swing of the Christmas Holiday Season. I hope that you and yours are planning something special to celebrate the holidays. With that in mind, and owing to the fact that Kitchen Rap is visited by many visitors from countries around the world, I thought it only appropriate to give you all a taste of the what and how of Christmas as it is celebrated in some places around the globe.

Australia
Starting with Australia, (yes, I'm going alphabetically), Australians truly are a fun group; full of merriment, mirth and always with mischievous twinkle in their eye. They love life, live it with gusto and work hard to enjoy it. Christmas is special to the majority of Australians for it is their Summer Holiday season and students especially, are 'wrapping' up their school year. For the majority of Australian students this means Sun, Surf and Shopping!

Up until about 30 years ago, Australian Christmas celebrations were heavily influenced by their original Anglo-Celtic influences. The English style of Christmas served as the model for celebrating Christmas, right down to the traditional roast turkey and steamed pudding . Today with the huge influx of overseas migrants, Christmas celebrations are heavily influenced by the ethnicity of the families involved. Common sense is prevailing today, in terms of weather and the season. Traditional dinners have been replaced with family gatherings in back yards, (another shrimp on the Barbie?) picnics in parks, gardens and on the beach. For many, it is the occasion to be with friends and relatives, to share love and friendship and last but not least, the exchange of gifts in the traditional manner. It is also, of course, a time to enjoy and consume massive quantities of food. A typical Christmas menu could include seafood, glazed ham, cold chicken, duck or turkey, cold deli meats, pasta, salads galore, desserts of all types, fruit salad, pavlovas, ice-cream plus Christmas edibles of all varieties such as mince pies, fruitcake, shortbread, chocolates, etc.

There has been a suggestion that 'Swag Man' take over Santa's franchise Down Under!!! There is a lot of concern about Santa Claus perhaps suffering heat stroke whilst traversing the Outback. Swag Man, wears a brown Akubra, a blue singlet and long baggy shorts. He spends all winter under Uluru with his merry dingoes and then at Christmas-time, he gets in his huge four-wheel drive and sets off through the red dust to deliver his presents. At least that's how the legend is told. The first official Christmas Down Under was celebrated in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Reverend Johnson. After the service, Governor Arthur Phillips and his officers dined heartily, toasting the King of England and his family. They have yet to follow the American ritual of getting "real" Christmas trees, though some do use gum tree branches. Children are learning Christmas Carols so that they may be sung at festive occasions such as public "Carols by Candlelight" and school concerts. Christmas stockings are being hung in homes, though fireplaces are in short supply. It must also be mentioned that with all the glitter, tinsel and razzamatazz, Australians consider Christmas a time for remembering the true spiritual meaning. For most, Christmas will begin with families attending a midnight mass. After the midnight Mass, a little sleep is attempted. Usually,children in various households, wake up the family at dawn. Gifts are unwrapped and the joy of Christmas begins.

British Isles
Many of our current American ideals about the way Christmas ought to be celebrated derive from the English Victorian Christmas, such as that described in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Caroling, gifts, the feast and the wishing of good cheer to all, these are ingredients that came together to create that special Christmas atmosphere. The custom of gift giving on Christmas dates only to Victorian times. Before then it was more common to exchange gifts on New Year's Day or Twelfth Night. Santa Claus is known by British children as Father Christmas. Father Christmas, these days, is quite similar to the American Santa, but his direct ancestor is a certain pagan spirit who regularly appeared in medieval Mummer's plays. The old-fashioned Father Christmas was depicted wearing long robes with sprigs of holly in his long white hair. Children write letters to Father Christmas detailing their requests, but instead of dropping them in the mailbox, the letters are tossed into the fireplace. The draft carries the letters up the chimney, and theoretically, Father Christmas reads the smoke. Gifts are opened Christmas afternoon.

From the English we get a story to explain the custom of hanging stockings from the mantelpiece; Father Christmas once dropped some gold coins while coming down the chimney. The coins would have fallen through the ash grate and been lost if they hadn't landed in a stocking that had been hung out to dry. Since that time children have continued to hang out stockings in hopes of finding them filled with gifts. The custom of singing carols at Christmas is also of English origin. During the middle ages, groups of serenaders called waits, would travel around from house to house singing ancient carols and spreading the holiday spirit. The word carol means: song of joy. Most of the popular old carols we sing today were written in the nineteenth century. The hanging of greens, such as holly and ivy, is a British winter tradition with origins far before the Christian era. Greenery was probably used to lift sagging winter spirits and remind the people that spring was not far away. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is descended from ancient Druid rites. The decorating of Christmas trees, though primarily a German custom, has been widely popular in England since 1841 when Prince Albert had a Christmas tree set up in Windsor Castle for his wife ,Queen Victoria, and their children.

Canada
In Canada, from 1875 onwards, Christmas lost its essentially religious character, at least for Anglophones and the upper middle class. Little by little it became a community festival which gave rise to much family merry-making. New customs began to take root. Henceforth, the decorated Christmas tree, gifts and the Christmas reveillon (waking up) became part of family tradition.

Canadians decorate a pine tree with ornaments representing Christmas, buy or make each other presents that get wrapped in wrapping paper to be put under the tree so they can be opened on Christmas Day. Santa Claus is the person who brings the presents. On Christmas Eve, December 24th, there is usually a turkey dinner and in the middle of the night, Santa Claus is said to come down the chimney and place the presents under the tree. Then he goes back up the chimney (he is magic after all) and flies to the next house in his sleigh with nine reindeer pulling it through the air. On Christmas Day, all the presents are opened.

Noël à Québec

Francophones, however, incorporated these new practices into their culture much later. After the First World War, increasing commercial advertising drew Francophones into the festive activities. During the 1930s, the working classes also joined this happy Christmas rush. In Quebec, which is the French-speaking part of Canada, Christmas is celebrated by putting up a big Christmas tree, sometime before Christmas. Many people also put a Christmas tree outside with colored lights. Most people eat turkey for their Christmas dinner, but in the old days, people used to eat Tourtire, a sort of stew made of a layer of meat, a layer of potatoes, a layer of onions, another layer of meat, potatoes, onions and so on. A layer of pastry goes on top to cover and then you cook it for a long time. Christmas dinner is called Reveillon and it is eaten when people come back from midnight mass, maybe at two o'clock in the morning. In Quebec the end of Christmas is called La fete du Roi (on the 6th of January). For this you make a cake which has a bean inside it. The person who gets the bean is the king (or queen).

Denmark

The Christmas feast, in Denmark, is celebrated at midnight Christmas Eve. Everyone looks forward to dessert when a special rice pudding is served in which a single almond is hidden. Whoever finds the almond will have good luck for the coming year.

The jolly bringer of gifts is known as Julemanden and arrives in a sleigh drawn by reindeer, a sack over his back.

He is assisted with his Yuletide chores by elves called Juul Nisse, who are said to live in attics. Children leave out saucers of milk or rice pudding for them and are delighted to find the food gone on Christmas morning.

France

Nearly every French home at Christmas-time displays a Nativity scene or creche, which serves as the focus for the Christmas celebration. The creche is often peopled with little clay figures called santons or 'little saints.' An extensive tradition has evolved around these little figures, which are made by craftsmen in the south of France throughout the year. In addition to the usual Holy Family, Shepherds and Magi, the craftsmen also produce figures in the form of local dignitaries and characters. The craftsmanship involved in creating the gaily colored santons is quite astounding and the molds have been passed from generation to generation since the seventeenth century. Throughout December the figures are sold at annual Christmas fairs in Marseille and Aix.

The Christmas tree has never been particularly popular in France and though the use of the Yule log has faded, the French make a traditional Yule log-shaped cake called the Buche de Noel, which means 'Christmas Log.' The cake, among other food in great abundance, is served at the grand feast of the season, which is called le reveillion. Le reveillon is a very late supper held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. The menu for the meal varies according to regional culinary tradition. In Alsace, goose is the main course, in Burgundy it is turkey with chestnuts, and the Parisians feast upon oysters and pate de foie gras.

French children receive gifts from Pere Noel who travels with his stern disciplinarian companion Pere Fouettard. Pere Fouettard reminds Pere Noel of just how each child has behaved during the past year. In some parts of France Pere Noel brings small gifts on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and visits again on Christmas. In other places it is le petit Jesus who brings the gifts. Generally adults wait until New Year's Day to exchange gifts.

India

Christians in India decorate mango or banana trees at Christmas-time. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves. In some parts of India, small clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations; they are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls. Churches are decorated with poinsettias and lit with candles for the Christmas evening service.

Ireland

Nollaig Shona Duit ('Happy Christmas' in Gaelic) St. Stephen's Day is celebrated in Ireland in a different way, but is similar to Boxing Day (England) in that it also has to do with the solicitation of money. Young men is extravagant dress, sometimes wearing masks, parade noisily through the streets in the Wren Boys' Procession.
They carry long pole on top of which is attached a holly bush. The bush supposedly contains a captured wren, and for whose sake the young men beg for money. The lighting of candles in Ireland also has a religious significance. Some people would light candles (or one large candle) to signify symbolic hospitality for Mary and Joseph. The candle was a way of saying there was room for Jesus' parents in these homes even if there was none in Bethlehem. Some people even set extra places at their tables as a preparation for unexpected visitors. Irish women bake a seed cake for each person in the house. They also make three puddings, one for each day of the Epiphany such as Christmas, New Year's Day and Twelfth Night.

Italy

The popularity of the Nativity scene, one of the most beloved and enduring symbols of the holiday season, originated in Italy. St. Francis of Assisi asked a man named Giovanni Vellita of the village of Greccio to create a manger scene. St. Francis performed mass in front of this early Nativity scene. The creation of the figures or pastori became an entire genre of folk art.

In Rome, cannons are fired from Castel St. Angelo on Christmas Eve to announce the beginning of the holiday season. A 24-hour fast ends with an elaborate Christmas feast. The main exchange of gifts takes place on January 6, the feast of the Epiphany, the celebration in remembrance of the Magi's visit to the Christ Child. Children anxiously await a visit from La Befana who brings gifts for the good and punishment for the bad. According to legend, the three wise men stopped during their journey and asked an old woman for food and shelter. She refused them and they continued on their way. Within a few hours the woman had a change of heart but the Magi were long gone. La Befana, which means Epiphany, still wonders the earth searching for the Christ child. She is depicted in various ways: as a fairy queen, a crone, or a witch.

Japan
Christmas was introduced in Japan by the Christian missionaries and for many years, the only people who celebrated it were those who had turned to the Christian faith. But now the Christmas season in Japan is full of meaning and is almost universally observed. The idea of exchanging gifts seems to appeal strongly to the Japanese people.The tradesmen have commercialized Christmas just as our western shops have done. For several weeks before the day, the stores shout Christmas. There are decorations and wonderful displays of appropriate gifts for men, women, and children, especially children. Many western customs in observing Christmas have been adopted by the Japanese as well. Besides exchanging gifts, they eat turkey on Christmas Day and in some places, there are even community Christmas trees. They decorate their houses with evergreens and mistletoe and in some homes, Christmas carols are sung. In Japan, there is a god or priest known as Hoteiosho, who closely resembles our Santa Claus. He is always pictured as a kind old man carrying a huge pack. He is thought to have eyes in the back of his head. It is well for the children to be good when this all-seeing gentleman is about.

An editors aside: New Year's Day is the most important day of the whole calendar in Japan. On New Year's Eve the houses are cleaned thoroughly from top to bottom and are decorated for the morrow. When everything has been made clean and neat, the people of the house dress themselves in their finest clothes. Then the father of the household marches through the house, followed by all the family and drives the evil spirits out by throwing dried beans into every corner, bidding the evil spirits to withdraw and good luck to enter.

Norway

Like the other Scandinavian countries, Norway has its gift-bearing little gnome or elf. Known as Julebukk or 'Christmas Buck,' he appears as a goat-like creature. Julebukk harkens back to Viking times when pagans worshiped Thor and his goat. During pagan celebrations, a person dressed in a goatskin, carrying a goat head, would burst in upon the party and during the course of evening would 'die,' then return to life. During the early Christian era, the goat began to take the form of the devil and would appear during times of wild merry-making and jubilation. By the end of the Middle Ages, the game was forbidden by the Church and the state. In more recent times the goat has emerged in the tamer form of Julebukk. In Norway, most everyone has either a spruce or a pine tree in their living room, decorated with white lights, tinsel, Norwegian flags and other ornaments for Christmas. The children make paper baskets of shiny, colored paper and the baskets can be filled with candy or nuts. Chains made of colored paper are also very popular. Colored lighting is becoming popular, but the white lights are still the norm, as they are more like the candles they are supposed to represent. Christmas trees became common in Norway from around 1900. Norwegians are very close to the North Pole, and they strongly hope for the magic of snow for the holidays! Christmas in Norway begins with the Saint Lucia ceremony on December 13th. At the crack of dawn, the youngest daughter from each family puts on a white robe with a sash, a crown with evergreens and tall-lighted candles and accompanied by the other children, the boys dressed as star boys in long white shirts and pointed hats. They wake their parents and serve them coffee and Lucia buns, lussekatter. The custom goes back to a Christian virgin, Lucia, martyred for her beliefs at Syracuse in the fourth century. The Saint Lucia ceremony is fairly recent, but it represents the traditional thanksgiving for the return of the sun.

Russia

St. Nicholas is especially popular in Russia. The legend is that the 11th-century Prince Vladimir traveled to Constantinople to be baptized, and returned with stories of miracles performed by St. Nicholas of Myra. Since then, many Eastern Orthodox Churches have been named for the saint and to this day, Nicholas is one of the most common names for Russian boys. The feast of St. Nicholas, December 6th was observed for many centuries, but after the Communist Revolution, the celebration of the feast was suppressed. During the communist years, St. Nicholas was transformed into Grandfather Frost. Other religious traditions were suppressed during the communist era as well. Before the revolution, a figure called Babouschka would bring gifts for the children. Like Italy's La Befana, the story is that Babouschka failed to give food and shelter to the three wise men during their journey to visit the Christ Child. According to tradition, she still roams the countryside searching for the Christ Child and visiting the homes of children during the Christmas season. Babouschka never completely disappeared, and now in the post-communist era, has returned openly. Christmas trees were also banned by the Communist regime, but people continued to trim their "New Year's" trees.

Most Christian Russians belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church, and it is customary to fast until after the first church service on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve dinner is meatless but festive. The most important ingredient is a special porridge called kutya. It is made of wheat berries or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality, honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness, success, and untroubled rest. A ceremony involving the blessing of the home is frequently observed. A priest visits the home accompanied by boys carrying vessels of holy water, and a little water is sprinkled in each room. The kutya is eaten from a common dish to symbolize unity.

Spain

Christmas is a deeply religious holiday in Spain. The country's patron saint is the Virgin Mary and the Christmas season officially begins December 8th, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. It is celebrated each year in front of the great Gothic cathedral in Seville with a ceremony called los Seises or the 'dance of six.' Oddly, the elaborate ritual dance is now performed by not six, but ten elaborately costumed boys. It is a series of precise movements and gestures and is said to be quite moving and beautiful. Christmas Eve is known as Nochebuena or 'the Good Night.' It is a time for family members to gather together to rejoice and feast around the Nativity scenes that are present in nearly every home. A traditional Christmas treat is turron, a kind of almond candy. December 28th is the feast of the Holy Innocents. Young boys of a town or village light bonfires and one of them acts as the mayor who orders townspeople to perform civic chores such as sweeping the streets. Refusal to comply results in fines which are used to pay for the celebration. As in many European countries, the children of Spain receive gifts on the feast of the Epiphany. The Magi are particularly revered in Spain. It is believed that they travel through the countryside reenacting their journey to Bethlehem every year at this time. Children leave their shoes on the windowsills and fill them with straw, carrots and barley for the horses of the Wise Men. Their favorite is Balthazar, who rides a donkey and is the one believed to leave the gifts.

Switzerland

A tinkling of a silver bell heralds the arrival of Christkindli, a white clad angel, with a face veil held in place by a jeweled crown. The tree candles are lit as she enters each house and hands out presents from the basket held by her child helpers. The week before Christmas, children dress up and visit homes with small gifts. Bell ringing has become a tradition, and each village competes with the next when calling people to midnight mass. After the service, families gather to share huge homemade doughnuts called ringli and hot chocolate.

The Chlausjagen Festival or Feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated at dusk on December 6th with a procession of 'lifeltrager,' wearing gigantic illuminated lanterns in the shape of a Bishop's mitre on their heads. All throughout the holiday season, the Star Singers or Sternsingers dressed as the Three Kings parade through the streets of cities and towns singingChristmas songs. In Zurich, Santa visits in a special fairytale tram and gives the children a ride through the city, singing songs with them and sharing a basket full of sweets. The Swiss wait for the Christ child called Christkindli, to arrive with gifts for all in his reindeer-drawn sleigh.

While I could not bring you every country around the globe, I hope that you enjoyed this tour of "Christmas Around the World". My wish for you, whatever your specific holiday traditions, or wherever this celebratory time of year may find you, is that you be healthy, happy and surrounded by those you love.

Bon Appetit and Happy Holiday's

Lou

The At Home Cook Series, #16 "Making The Perfect Holiday Turkey"

2012-11-01T17:31:00.001-04:00

Roasting a turkey during the Holidays can either make or break a successful meal. Like many at home cooks, I have a few horror stories of the days before I became the self proclaimed, "Gourmet Guy." I have also heard stories from others, both friends and family, about such things as leaving the plastic 'chitlins' bag' in the bird, raw and underdone turkeys, to piles of charcoal on a plate. In this installment, I am going to give you some fool proof rules-of-thumb and methods to insure that your Thanksgiving meal comes off as a complete success that will wow your guests. From the Menu Planning, to Proper Seasoning , to how to pick the right turkey, we'll take a look at all the basics.

How big of a turkey should I roast?
Most importantly, we need to count the amount of guests we will be serving. A good rule of thumb to go by would be:

One (1) pound of raw turkey per person which includes a moderate amount for leftovers.
1 1/2 pounds per person, if you have hearty eaters or want ample leftovers.
3/4 pound of whole turkey per person for no leftovers.

To properly thaw the turkey (if frozen), I recommend leaving it in a refrigerator for 4-5 days to slow thaw under a cool temperature. If you are pressed for time, you may place it in a sink or a container in the sink and run cold water over it for a few hours. Once the bird is thawed, you are ready to prepare it for cooking.

Brining (optional)
Not every home cook will go the extra mile at home, but I’ve found that brining your turkey can incorporate a great level of flavor and make your turkey extremely moist. I typically brine most poultry and pork before cooking, and have made several different types of flavored brines. A brine by definition is; a strong solution of water and salt used for pickling or preserving foods. A sweetener such as sugar or molasses is sometimes added. I really enjoy molasses and brown sugar and balance it out with some savory herbs, bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic. Depending on the size of the bird, you can brine a turkey for a few hours, or even let it go overnight. But, it is very important to remember that the brining solution is high in salt and you must adjust and lessen the amount of salt you use in your seasoning when you prepare your turkey for roasting.

Seasoning & Prepping the Bird
The next step can be a lot of fun, as you get to be very creative with seasoning and preparing your turkey. Seasonings offer a great deal of flavor and can be as simple as salt and black pepper, or as elaborate as Cajun spice or a rub consisting of garlic, chilies and dried herbs. Be sure to rub the entire cavity with your seasoning blend of choice, and always lubricate the outside of the skin with oil or butter so the seasonings will adhere and cook into the bird.

*Tip For Crispier Skin
Crisp skin and a moist center is what we all desire when roasting the perfect turkey and I have learned a little trick to enhance the outer skin. Carefully lift the skin up around the bird and slide a few pats of softened butter underneath. Generously rub the outer skin with butter and your seasonings, and let them sink in for about an hour before roasting. Many family recipes include stuffing the bird with all kinds of aromatics or even a traditional bread stuffing. It is totally up to you to decide which way you want to go, but stuffing a turkey's cavity can really enhance the flavor of the meat.

Stuffing
There are two schools of thought when it comes to stuffing; In the Bird (stuffing) and & Out of the Bird (dressing). In my house we make both, or sometimes do a cornbread Oyster dressing (recipe below) as well. In some households, the turkey is stuffed with other birds; a boned chicken is stuffed into a boned duck, which is then stuffed into the turkey. Called a Tur-duck-en, this is actually not a new concept. In ancient Rome, as well as in medieval times, cooks stuffed animals with other animals.

Ten Bird Roast, but there's 12?

A 13th century Andalusian cookbook. includes a recipe for a ram stuffed with small birds. A similar recipe for a camel stuffed with sheep stuffed with bustards stuffed with carp stuffed with eggs is also mentioned in T.C. Boyle's book Water Music. British celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall makes an incredible ten-bird roast, calling it "one of the most spectacular and delicious roasts you can lay before your loved ones." A large turkey is stuffed with a goose, duck, mallard, guinea fowl, chicken, pheasant, partridge, pigeon and woodcock. The roast feeds around 30 people and also includes stuffing made from two pounds of sausage meat and half a pound of streaky bacon along with sage, port and red wine. Wow, now that truly is a mouthful!

Turkey stuffing usually consists of bread crumbs or cubes, dried bread, with onion, celery, salt, pepper, and other spices and herbs such as sage, or a mixture like poultry seasoning. In some cases, sausage or oysters are added as well. The term stuffing usually applies to the mixture when it is placed into the bird, while dressing is usually used when cooked outside. If you want to add a little sweetness to the turkey, stuff the cavity with some apples and raisins. If you are looking for something more savory and herbaceous, try adding rosemary and thyme with a little garlic and onion. For our purposes here, and since I am the Gourmet Guy, we'll just stick to a traditional Oyster Stuffing.

Recipe
Makes 14 cups
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup salted butter
5 cups crumbled cornbread
1 pound bulk pork sausage, rendered and drained of fat (optional)
Turkey giblets, cooked and chopped (optional)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 stalks celery, diced (if you do not like cooked celery, as I do not, you can substitute a teaspoon of celery salt, but adjust your salt amount accordingly)
2 eggs
1 pint shucked oysters, drained, or more if desired (reserve the oyster liquor, should be about a 1/4 of a cup)
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon paprika
Ground black pepper to taste

Method
In a skillet, saute the celery & onions in butter until translucent. Remove. In the same pan, saute the sausage until just about done, but don't overcook. Drain.

In a large bowl combine the crumbled cornbread, cooked celery, cooked onions, cooked giblets, cooked sausage, oysters, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, dried sage. Mix well.
Beat the 2 eggs. Add the eggs and chicken stock and oyster liquor to the stuffing mixture and thoroughly incorporate.
In the bird:
Stuff the bird's cavity. Remove stuffing promptly once bird is cooked.
Out of the bird:
Bake the stuffing in a large casserole dish in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Roasting Your Turkey
So, now that we are ready to roast, how do I know how long it should cook for, and how high the temperature should be? USDA says that a turkey should not roast under 325 degrees Fahrenheit, so that’s a fair starting point. Approximate cooking times for an unstuffed turkey are as follows: (it is around 20 to 30 minutes per pound)

10 - 18 lb bird 3 to 3 ½ hrs
15 – 22 lb bird 3 ½ to 4 hrs
22 – 24 lb bird 4 to 4 ½ hrs
24 – 29 lb bird 4 ½ to 5 hrs

One helpful hint to achieving a nice golden skin, is to start the "searing" process by cooking it in a 400 - 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on the size) to start the browning process (sugars begin to caramelize), then lower the temperature to 325 degrees and slow roast for the appropriate time. Basting is another way to impart even browning and to distribute some of those great flavorful juices. You may baste with the juices found in the bottom of the pan, or use some type of fat. Also popular, is to baste with another flavorful liquid, for example a brown stock fortified with apple cider vinegar and herbs. If the bird begins to brown too much, you may cover it with aluminum foil until it has reached doneness, and then finish for the last few minutes uncovered. Be careful not to cover the bird entirely, as you don’t want to steam the turkey.

How do I know if my bird is done? The USDA recommends that the turkey be cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees as measured in the innermost part of the thigh. If the thigh is 165 degrees, the breast meat is likely to be 10 degrees hotter. Many cooks would tell you that a turkey roasted to those temperatures is overdone and would taste unacceptably dry. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness, try not to rely on those "pop up timers" that come with most turkeys. You can also prick the leg joint with a fork, and if the juices run just slightly pink or clear, the turkey is done.

To test the accuracy of your instant read thermometer, insert the tip about 2 inches deep into boiling water. At sea level it should register 212 degrees F. If it does not, replace it; or if it has a calibration device, reset it for accuracy. Nobody wants an overcooked bird, so start checking your bird about 3/4's of the way through the total recommended cooking time.

Gravy
Time to make the gravy! On the stove top, use the same pan that you roasted this delicious turkey in. The drippings and leftover fat and liquid are going to make this gravy a very tasty one. I like to use a ratio of 1 Tablespoon of fat to 1 Tablespoon of flour to create a "roux" that will thicken my gravy. You can use chicken or turkey stock, or even just deglaze with sherry or white wine and add water. Just be sure to cook out the flour so it doesn’t leave a raw taste to the gravy. Season with salt pepper to taste.

Lou's Traditional Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients
12 oz Cranberries, Fresh Frozen
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Light Brown Sugar
2 Cup Orange Juice
1 Tbl Orange Zest, Chopped
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 Cinnamon Stick

Method:
Place all ingredients in a sauce-pot, except the cranberries and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, add the cranberries to the liquid. reduce heat to medium. Cook for approximately 5 minutes until all of the cranberries have "popped". Remove the cinnamon stick, and cool. The liquid will be loose and will thicken once it cools.

Turkey is done, gravy is ready and now it's time to roll out all the fix-ins. Cranberry sauce, sweet potato pie, cornbread stuffing, yams, green beans, creamed onions, apple and pecan pie are just some of my favorites! Try something new this year and let me know how it comes out! We all have a lot to be thankful for and I am very blessed with such wonderful family and friends. God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving. Don’t forget to save me some leftovers!

Bon Appetit,

Lou
Sources: http://www.originalcookware.co.uk/ mccormick.com, usda.gov

The At Home Cook Series #15: Easy Southern Fried Chicken

2012-10-26T11:47:00.000-04:00

Down south, fried chicken is a religion, and people swear by their own recipes and family traditions. I am no authority in Southern hospitality, but will help you look deeper into the world of the amazing comfort food… Southern Fried Chicken!

History
The Scots, and later Scottish immigrants to the southern United States, had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat as far back as the middle ages, unlike their English counterparts who baked or boiled chicken. When it was introduced to the American South, fried chicken became a common staple. Later, Africans brought over on the slave trade, became cooks in many southern households and incorporated seasonings and spices that were absent in traditional Scottish cuisine, enriching the flavor. Since fried chicken traveled well in hot weather before refrigeration was commonplace, it gained further favor. In the south, Fried chicken continues to be among this region's top choices for "Sunday dinner." Holidays such as Independence Day and other gatherings often feature this dish as well.

In Asia, they have their own version of this dish, called Crispy fried chicken, a standard dish in the Cantonese cuisine of southern China and Hong Kong. The chicken is fried in such a way that the skin is extremely crunchy, but the white meat is relatively soft. The dish often served with two side dishes, a pepper salt and prawn crackers The pepper salt, colored dark white to gray, is dry-fried separately in a wok. Traditionally, it is to be eaten at night. It is also one of the traditional chicken dishes used in Chinese weddings and other Asian weddings.

Korean fried chicken or seasoned chicken is traditionally eaten as fast food, at bars, or as an after meal snack in Korea. It is not often consumed as a meal. It is prepared in a way that removes the fat from the skin, resulting in a crust described by Julia Moskin of The New York Times as a "thin, crackly and almost transparent". The chickens are usually seasoned with spices after being fried. In South Korea, chickens are relatively small, so Korean fried chicken restaurants fry whole chickens before hacking it into bits. In the United States, chickens tend to be larger and Korean restaurants find it more difficult to deal with large breasts and thighs. As a result, many Korean fried chicken restaurants in the United States usually serve wings and small drumsticks. Pickled radishes, beer, and soju are often served with Korean fried chicken.

So lets get to the how to's. Making fried chicken is a LOT of work (at least according to today’s 30 minute meal prep orientation). The preparation of the chicken, the breading of the chicken, the temperature regulation, the actual cooking, the cleanup of the cooker, the kitchen and you, but the work is worth it in the delight of biting into a fresh, warm, crunchy, piece of perfectly golden, home-fried chicken. It's a food of love thing.

There are three main techniques for frying chickens: pan frying, deep frying and broasting;

Pan frying (or shallow frying) requires a frying pan of sturdy construction (cast iron works best) and a source of fat that does not fully immerse the chicken. The chicken pieces are prepared as above, then fried. Generally the fat is heated to a temperature hot enough to seal (without browning, at this point) the outside of the chicken pieces. Once the pieces have been added to the hot fat and sealed, the temperature is reduced. There is debate as to how often to turn the chicken pieces, with one camp arguing for often turning and even browning, and the other camp pushing for letting the pieces render skin side down and only turning when absolutely necessary. Once the chicken pieces are close to being done the temperature is raised and the pieces are browned to the desired color (some cooks add small amounts of butter at this point to enhance browning). The moisture from the chicken that sticks and browns on the bottom of the pan become the fonds required to make gravy. Chicken Maryland is made when the pan of chicken pieces, and fat, is placed in the oven to cook, for a majority of the overall cooking time, basically "fried in the oven."

Deep frying requires a deep fryer or other device in which the chicken pieces can be completely submerged in hot fat. The pieces are floured as above or battered using a batter of flour and liquid (and seasonings) mixed together. The batter can/may contain ingredients like eggs, milk, and leavening. The fat is heated in the deep fryer to the desired temperature. The pieces are added to the fat and a constant temperature is maintained throughout the cooking process.

Broaster

Broasting uses a pressure cooker to accelerate the process. The moisture inside the chicken becomes steam and increases the pressure in the cooker, lowering the cooking temperature needed. The steam also cooks the chicken through, but still allows the pieces to be moist and tender while maintaining a crisp coating. Fat is heated in a pressure cooker. Chicken pieces are then floured or battered and then placed in the hot fat. The lid is placed on the pressure cooker, and the chicken pieces are thus fried under pressure

Selecting the best chicken

The best size chicken to fry is a 4-pound fryer. Never fry any chicken larger than 5 pounds as it will take the pieces too long to cook. Chickens smaller than 3 pounds are too small for good fried chicken.Traditional fried chicken HAS SKIN. Skinless fried chicken is a weird invention of those who think that it makes for a lower-fat chicken (and what are those people doing eating Fried Chicken in the first place!). The skin is necessary to provide the support for the breading, and to add that element of 'crisp' that is the goal of the great chicken fryer. I also think that the skin actually helps keep the chicken meat lower in fat as it serves to shield the meat from the fat.

Follow these steps below to help you along the way:

Marinating: Some say that marinating or soaking the chicken in a brine or buttermilk for 30 mins to a few hours can increase tenderness and develop great flavor profiles.

Coating: Apply different coatings and coating techniques. Try dipping the chicken in milk, then flour, then milk, and then the flour again. Some cast-iron cooks dip it in a milk-egg mixture and then dredge it in flour. Some don't use flour at all and cover it with cracker crumbs, potato flakes, or cornmeal.

Air Drying: After you coat your chicken, let it air-dry. Air-drying your chicken for 20 minutes to a half hour after it has been coated lets the coating firm up and produces a crispier crust.

Seasoning: Use plain old salt and pepper or create special seasoning mixes. You may want to season the flour that you dredge the chicken through; you can also season the chicken itself. Some people swear that paprika enhances the flavor; others claim it's just there for color.

Cooking: The real secret to the ultimate in comfort food, Southern Fried Chicken, isn't in the recipe; it's in the cooking. Properly pan-fried chicken is tender and moist (not greasy) on the inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Keep your oil very hot. To make sure that your chicken doesn't get greasy, you want the oil hot enough (375 degrees Fahrenheit) that the water in the chicken stays above the boiling point during frying. The force of the steam leaving the chicken keeps the oil from being absorbed. The hot oil also makes the outside wonderfully crispy.

Some tips for keeping the oil at the temperature you want are as follows:

Use peanut oil, which has a hotter smoking point than vegetable oils or shortenings.

Allow the chicken to come almost to room temperature before you cook it so that when you put it into the hot oil, it doesn't reduce the oil temperature as much as really cold chicken would.

Don't overcrowd the chicken in the pan. Putting too many pieces in the pan causes the temperature to drop and takes it longer to heat up again. It can also cause the chicken to steam as opposed to fry.

Use a deep-sided cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven and an iron cover. Cast iron is the cook's best friend when pan-frying. It absorbs heat evenly, eliminating hot spots and its ability to retain heat keeps the temperature of the oil as even as possible.

Brown the chicken quickly to seal in the juices. After the initial browning, reduce the heat to allow the chicken to cook through without drying. Then return the heat to medium-high to re-crisp it before you remove it from the pan.

Use tongs to turn and move the chicken. Tongs won't pierce the chicken and let the juice escape.

Drain fried chicken on a paper towel and then place it on a metal wire cooling rack in a warm oven. This simple step keeps your cooked chicken crisp and warm. After all, what good is a crispier crust if it just gets soggy and cold while sitting in a puddle of oil?

Serving: Make sure its crisp, hot, and you have a napkin handy! It's common to serve fried chicken with a creamy gravy, or a kicked up hot sauce.

Simple Southern Fried Chicken
Make 8 Pieces of Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients

For the marinade:
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp ground dried herbs, or poultry seasoning
2 cups buttermilk
3 1/2 pound chicken, cut in 8 pieces

For the seasoned flour:
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1-2 qt. Vegetable or Peanut oil (enough to fill a large cast iron pan 1/2 way)

Method
Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. Add the chicken parts and toss to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the chicken is submerged. Refrigerate for 6 hours or more.

Mix together the seasoned flour ingredients in a large baking dish. Drain the chicken pieces and toss into the flour. Toss the chicken and coat completely with the flour mixture. Shake off and place on a rack and let dry for at least 1/2 hour before frying.

Fill a cast iron skillet halfway up with oil and heat to about 375 degrees F. Carefully add the chicken, leaving at least 2 inches between pieces and fry for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, reaching and internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Allow to drain on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serve with smashed potatoes & brown gravy and some corn on the cob. And remember, be sure that the love and effort you put into the preparation carries through to the plate and whatever your cooking pleasure, be it baked or fried, I hope these simple steps help you wow your friends and family..

Bon Appetit

Lou
Sources: Daniel Greene/Flickr, cooks.tuckawaytv.com, wkipedia.org, norecipes.com,
whatsfordinner.net

A Foodie Look at Halloween...

2012-10-22T19:19:00.002-04:00

I like to think I look at things from a different perspective than most, at least when it comes to food. It is, I hope, one of the reasons you read me. I'm a why guy and with that question, usually comes information. I have found that when I know the why of something, or someone, I understand that person or thing a bit better. Sometimes for good... sometimes for bad. But hey, life's a crap shoot right? You don't gain if you don't risk right? What does this have to do with Halloween? Actually, not much, except to say that I'm going to take a completely different look at Halloween. When I was a kid, we would go trick or treating in neighborhoods we grew up in. Neighborhoods with the same neighbors, in the same houses for years upon end. People we trusted and in some cases loved. At Halloween, that meant, before the scares of razors and poison mania swept the country, we used to get home baked pies, fresh from the oven cookies. Real food items from neighbors, friends and family. That was always so cool. Well, at least it was to a foodie-in-training like me. Don't get me wrong, I loved all the candy as well, eating it until I was tooth-achingly nauseous. "What do you mean you can't eat dinner? Louis, did you hide candy under your bed again?"

Admittedly there are many beliefs, misconceptions and traditions which surround this Holiday. I say Holiday with an asterisk, like they use in the Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, when there is a disputed record. Halloween is that kind of day. It's Pagen, it's Christian, It's evil, it's innocent. It's harmless, it's Mischief Night...it's...well whatever! Trick or Treat! BOO!

Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en as we refer to it now, is also known as All Hallows' Eve, observed around the world on October 31 on the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows. Most scholars believe that All Hallows' Eve was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead, with pagan roots, particularly the Celtic Samhain. Many ancient and unconnected cultures (the Egyptians and pre-Spanish Mexicans, for example) celebrated this as a festival of the dead. Others maintain that it originated independently of Samhain. I was actually amazed when I started to do the research, that what I thought was a very American holiday, is in fact an ancient ritual dating back centuries. Now we have definitely made it a national pastime here in America, but I was more interested in a look at the traditions around the world.

The majority of our modern traditions can be traced to the British Isles. People took steps to allay or ward-off these harmful spirits/fairies, which is thought to have influenced today's Halloween customs. In parts of Ireland, Mann, the Scottish Highlands and Islands, and Wales, wearing costumes at Samhain was done before the 20th century originating as a means of disguising oneself from these harmful spirits/fairies. In Ireland, people went about before nightfall collecting for Samhain feasts and sometimes wore costumes while doing so.

In the 19th century on Ireland's southern coast, a man dressed as a white mare would lead youths door-to-door collecting food; by giving them food, the household could expect good fortune from the 'Muck Olla'. In Moray, during the 18th century, boys called at each house in their village asking for fuel for the Samhain bonfire. So it's easy to see where Trick-or-treating may have come from. But wait, it also may come from the Christian custom of souling; Groups of poor people, often children, would go door-to-door on All Saints/All Souls collecting soul cakes, originally as a means of praying for souls in purgatory. Making jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween came from Samhain and Celtic beliefs as well. Turnip lanterns, sometimes with faces carved into them are recorded in Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. One custom that persists in modern-day Ireland is the baking of a barmbrack (Irish: báirín breac), which is a light fruitcake, into which a plain ring, a coin and other charms are placed before baking. It is said that those who get a ring will find their true love in the ensuing year. Though the origin of the word Halloween is Christian, the holiday is commonly thought to have pagan roots.

North American almanacs of the late 18th and early 19th century give no indication that Halloween was recognized as a holiday there. The traditions and importance of the Halloween celebration vary significantly among countries that observe it. In Scotland and Ireland, traditional Halloween customs include children dressing up in costume going "guising", holding parties, while other practices in Ireland include lighting bonfires, and having firework displays. The influence of the American iconic and commercial components of the holiday now extended to places such as South America, Australia, New Zealand, (most) continental Europe, Japan, and other parts of East Asia.

Halloween Food around the World:
Barmbrack (Ireland)

Barmbrack is the center of an Irish Halloween custom. The Halloween Brack traditionally contained various objects baked into the bread and was used as a sort of fortune-telling game. In the barnbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin (originally a silver sixpence) and a ring. Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea, the person would not marry that year; the stick, would have an unhappy marriage or continually be in disputes; the cloth or rag, would have bad luck or be poor; the coin, would enjoy good fortune or be rich; and the ring, would be wed within the year. Other articles added to the brack include a medallion, usually of the Virgin Mary to symbolise going into the priesthood or to the Nuns, although this tradition is not widely continued in the present day

Bonfire toffee (Great Britain)

Bonfire toffee (also known as treacle toffee, cinder toffee, Plot toffee, or Tom Trot) is a hard, brittle toffee associated with Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night (also known as "Bonfire Night") in the United Kingdom. The toffee tastes very strongly of molasses (black treacle), and cheap versions can be quite bitter. In Scotland, the treat is known as claggum, with less sweet versions known as clack. In Wales, it is known as loshin du. The flavor is similar to that of butterscotch, although it is a toffee and never a viscous liquid.

Candy apples/toffee apples (Great Britain & Ireland)
Candy apples, also known as toffee apples outside of North America, are whole apples covered in a hard toffee or sugar candy coating, with a stick inserted as a handle. These are a common treat at autumn festivals in Western culture in the Northern Hemisphere, such as Halloween and Guy Fawkes Night because these festivals fall in the wake of the annual apple harvest. Although candy apples and caramel apples may seem similar, they are made using distinctly different processes.

William W. Kolb invented the red candy apple. Kolb, a veteran Newark candy-maker, produced his first batch of candied apples in 1908. While experimenting in his candy shop with red cinnamon candy for the Christmas trade, he dipped some apples into the mixture and put them in the windows for display. He sold the whole first batch for 5 cents each and later sold thousands yearly. Soon candied apples were being sold along the Jersey Shore, at the circus and in candy shops across the country, according to the Newark News in 1948.

Caramel Apples
Caramel apples or taffy apples (not to be confused with candy apples) are created by dipping or rolling apples-on-a-stick in hot caramel, sometimes then rolling them in nuts or other small savories or confections, and allowing them to cool. Generally, they are called caramel apples when only caramel is applied and taffy apples for when there are further ingredients such as peanuts applied.

Caramel Corn

An American confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup. This hot candy is then mixed with popped popcorn, and allowed to cool. Sometimes a candy thermometer is used, as making caramel is time-consuming and requires skill to make well without burning the sugar. The process creates a sweet flavored, crunchy snack food or treat. Some varieties, after coating with the candy syrup, are baked in an oven to crisp the mixture. Mixes of caramel corn sometimes contain nuts, such as peanuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews. The combination of caramel and corn dates back at least as far as the 1890s with the strong molasses flavor of Cracker Jack, an early version of which was introduced at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The lighter, sweet but un-caramelized kettle corn, may be a North American Colonial predecessor to caramel corn.

Candy Corn, (North America)

Candy corn is a confection in the United States and Canada, popular primarily in autumn around Halloween (though available year-round in most places). Candy corn was created in the 1880s by George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company; the three colors of the candy mimic the appearance of kernels of corn. Each piece is approximately three times the size of a whole kernel from a ripe or dried ear. Candy corn is made primarily from sugar, corn syrup, wax, artificial coloring and binders. A serving of Brach's Candy Corn is nineteen pieces, is 140 calories and has zero grams of fat. Candy corn pieces are traditionally cast in three colors: a broad yellow end, a tapered orange center, and a pointed white tip.

Colcannon (Ireland)

Colcannon is traditionally made from mashed potatoes and kale (or cabbage), with scallions, butter, salt and pepper added. It can contain other ingredients such as milk, cream, leeks, onions and chives. There are many regional variations of this dish. It is often eaten with boiled ham or Irish bacon. At one time it was a cheap, year-round staple food, though nowadays it is usually eaten in autumn/winter, when kale comes into season. An old Irish Halloween tradition is to serve colcannon with a ring and a thimble hidden in the fluffy green-flecked dish. Prizes of small coins such as threepenny or sixpenny bits were also concealed in it.

Soul Cakes

A soul cake is a small round cake which is traditionally made for All Saints Day or All Souls' Day to celebrate the dead. The cakes, often simply referred to as souls, were given out to soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) who would go from door to door on Halloween singing and saying prayers for the dead. Each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory. The practice of giving and eating soul cakes is often seen as the origin of modern trick-or-treating. In Lancashire and in the North-east of England they were also known as Harcakes.

The tradition of giving soul cakes was celebrated in Britain or Ireland during the Middle Ages, although similar practices for the souls of the dead were found as far south as Italy. The cakes were usually filled with allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger or other sweet spices, raisins or currants, and before baking were topped with the mark of a cross to signify that these were alms. They were traditionally set out with glasses of wine on All Hallows Eve as an offering for the dead, and on All Saints Day and All Soul's Day children would go "souling," or ritually begging for cakes door to door.

Soul Cakes
T. Susan Chang for NPR
Makes 12 to 15 2-inch soul cakes

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground fresh if possible
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground fresh if possible
1/2 teaspoon salt
Generous pinch of saffron
1/2 cup milk
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup currants
For the Glaze:
1 egg yolk, beaten
Preheat oven to 400 degree.

Method
Combine the flour, the nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Mix well with a fork. Crumble the saffron threads into a small saucepan and heat over low heat just until they become aromatic, taking care not to burn them. Add the milk and heat just until hot to the touch. The milk will have turned a bright yellow. Remove from heat. Cream the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon (or use an electric mixer with the paddle attachment). Add the egg yolks and blend in thoroughly with the back of the spoon. Add the spiced flour and combine as thoroughly as possible; the mixture will be dry and crumbly.

One tablespoon at a time, begin adding in the warm saffron milk, blending vigorously with the spoon. When you have a soft dough, stop adding milk; you probably won't need the entire half-cup.
Turn the dough out onto a floured counter and knead gently, with floured hands, until the dough is uniform. Roll out gently to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a floured 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out as many rounds as you can and set on an ungreased baking sheet. You can gather and re-roll the scraps, gently. Decorate the soul cakes with currants and then brush liberally with the beaten egg yolk. Bake for 15 minutes, until just golden and shiny.

Ok I've got my costume on, and I'm about to go bother my neighbors next door. They are Korean and I'm hoping to convince them that barbecue for the neighbors is a Halloween tradition.

Bon Appetit,

Lou
Sources: foodnetwork.com, http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

A Taste of Autumn: Butternut Squash & Apple Cider Bisque & Short Rib Bourguignonne

2012-10-17T12:32:00.000-04:00

Autumn, or Fall, is one of my favorite times of year. Great produce and bounty, unique and special to this harvest season abound and comfort is the goal of many chefs and recipes. One of my favorite foods from the fall harvest is Butternut Squash. It's versatile and can really lend itself to many applications and recipes. This bisque is rich, robust, hearty and will warm your insides. Autumn is also a great time for heart dishes stews and stocks. Following the bisque recipe. is another great recipe for Short Ribs using the braising technique.

Butternut Squash & Apple Cider Bisque
Servings: 16, Yield: 1gallon

Ingredients
1yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1 oz. garlic cloves, whole
3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 oz.brown sugar
12 fluid ounces Vermont apple cider
38 fluid ounces vegetable stock
10 fluid ounces heavy cream
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
2 oz. butter, melted
1 fluid ounce cider vinegar

Method
Saute onion and garlic in melted butter until onions are soft. Add butternut squash, brown sugar, apple cider, vegetable stock, cider vinegar and spices. Bring to a boil and cook until squash is tender. Puree with blender while adding heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Short Ribs Bourguignonne
Ingredients
**Preheat oven to 350 to 375 degrees F.

Rub:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 to 4 pounds beef short ribs, cut into thirds
3 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup bacon strips, diced
2 large white onions, sliced
4 shallots, quartered
1 pound mushrooms
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
2 cups red wine or half bottle
4 cups beef stock or to cover

Method
Combine flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper in a bowl. Add the short ribs, coating them lightly in the flour mixture.

In a large Dutch oven or deep oven-proof pot over medium heat, melt butter until golden. Add the ribs, shaking off any excess flour. Sear the meat until brown, moving the ribs around covering them with the butter. In the same pot, saute the bacon for 2 to 3 minutes then add the onions, shallots, mushrooms, celery and carrots and saute until golden. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, adding a little at a time.

Let reduce over high heat for 1 minute. Add the rest of the wine and beef stock, and bring to a simmer. Once the liquid has come to a simmer, cover, and cook in the oven for 2 to 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Bon Appetit

Lou

A Simple Guide to Understanding Champagne

2012-10-11T09:48:00.002-04:00

With the Holidays approaching, it's time for me cover my all time favorite result of the fermentation of grapes, champagne. I absolutely adore it in all its forms and will never, ever, turn down a glass of 'the bubbly'. While Champagne is quite popular throughout most of the year, I was not surprised to learn that a full quarter (25%) of all the champagne & sparkling wine sold in a given year, is done so during the final week of the year between Christmas and New Year's. I'm going to cover the ABC's of this wonderful sparkling beverage and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it. Let's start out by examining what makes champagne, well...champagne!

Champagne is produced exclusively in the Champagne region of France, the area from which it takes its name, and only wines made from this region are allowed and can properly be called champagne. While the term 'champagne' is used by some makers of sparkling wine in other parts of the world, most countries limit the use of the term to only those wines that come from the champagne appellation. In Europe, this is strictly adhered to due to its Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. Other countries, such as the United States, have some leeway with regard to the use of the term 'champagne' by use of a legal structure that allows those producers who have been making sparkling wine for a long period of time to continue to use the term 'champagne' under specific circumstances.

How It's Made
Champagne is a blend of, for the most part, three grape varieties; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. When making the base wine, grapes are pressed in a very careful method so as not to allow the color or bitter qualities from the skin to flow into the juice. This is especially true of the black grape types. This juice is then set aside and starts the first fermentation and aging process. Each batch of juice is set aside separately and blending is not done until after fermentation. Once this process is done, the juices are blended to make the base wine which is known as cuvée. In some cases, aged samples, as well as those from many different vineyards, are used. In very rare situations, it is possible that close to 100 different samples have been used to make this base wine.

Contrary to legend and popular belief, Dom Pérignon did not invent sparkling wine. Around 1700, sparkling champagne, as we know it today, was born in France. However, the English scientist and physician Christopher Merrett documented the addition of sugar to a finished wine to create a second fermentation six years before Dom Pérignon arrived in the Abbey of
Hautvillers and almost 40 years before it was claimed that the famed Benedictine monk 'invented' champagne. This is the process that gives champagne and sparkling wine its 'bubbles'.

Merrett

Méthode Champenoise is the traditional Dom Pérignon method by which champagne is produced. After primary and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs in the bottle. This second fermentation is induced by adding several grams of yeast and several grams of rock sugar. According to the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, a minimum of 1.5 years is required to completely develop all the flavor. In years where there is an exceptional harvest, a millesimé is declared. This means that the champagne will be very good and has to mature for at least 3 years. During this time the champagne bottle is sealed with a crown cap similar to that used on beer bottles.

As the yeast consumes the sugars, alcohol and carbon dioxide are produced. Since it is trapped in the bottle, it waits for you and I to 'pop' the cork and release it for all of us to enjoy, and yes, even to sometimes wear. A sediment is then formed that settles to the bottom of the bottle called lees. In the traditional labor intensive method of fermentation and aging, bottles are turned and rotated either manually or mechanically in a process called remuage for a period of up to three months to allow all the lees to settle into the necks of the bottles. After chilling the bottles, the neck is frozen, and the cap removed. The pressure in the bottle forces out the ice containing the lees, and the bottle is quickly corked to maintain the carbon dioxide in the wine. Some syrup is sometimes added to maintain the level within the bottle.

I should note here that when buying 'cheaper', less expensive champagnes, the reason they are less expensive is that they do not go through méthode champenoise, the long and traditional process described above. They get their carbonation in the same way soda does, through compressed carbon dioxide gas blasted into the wine. This is the reason that truly well made champagnes are so delicate. The méthode champenoise creates very small bubbles that last quite a long time, while the compressed air carbonation method creates very large bubbles that have a short life and can actually be quite aggressive.

History of Champagne
Although the French monk Dom Perignon did not invent champagne, it is true he developed many advances in the production of this beverage, including holding the cork in place with a wire collar to withstand the fermentation pressure. In France, the first sparkling champagne was created accidentally; its pressure led it to be called 'the devil's wine' (le vin du diable) as bottles exploded or the cork jolted away. Even when it was deliberately produced as a sparkling wine, champagne was for a very long time, made by the méthode rurale, where the wine was bottled before the only fermentation had finished. Champagne did not utilize the so-called méthode champenoise, the second fermentation of adding of the yeast and sugar, until the 19th century, 300 years after Christopher Merrett documented the process.

Although the first wine-producing vineyards in Champagne appeared between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, the events of the 17th century brought the beginning of champagne as we know it today. The vine-growers of Champagne had learned how to stabilize their wines and keep them fresh for several years. As a result of their hard work and the preciseness, the Champenois also obtained a white wine by combining both black and white grapes using grapes that had been grown in the Champagne region. By the last decades of that century, they mastered the mysteries of effervescence, which was their stroke of genius.

As with most great culinary discoveries, which seem to come from either Italy or France, champagne first gained world renown because of its association with the anointment of French kings. Royalty from throughout Europe spread the message of the unique sparkling wine from Champagne and its association with luxury and power. The leading manufacturers went well out of their way to make sure that they and the champagne they produced was associated with nobility and royalty. Through advertising and packaging, they sought to associate champagne with high luxury, festivities and rites of passage.

In 1866 the famous entertainer and star of his day, George Leybourne, began a career of making celebrity endorsements for champagne. The champagne maker Moët commissioned him to write and perform songs extolling the virtues of champagne, especially as a reflection of taste, affluence, and the good life. He agreed to drink nothing but champagne in public.

Types of Champagne

Vintage And Non-Vintage
Most of the champagne produced today is 'non-vintage,' meaning that is a blended product of grapes from multiple vintages. Most of the base will be from a single year vintage with producers blending anywhere from 10-15% (even as high as 40%) of wine from older vintages. A designated 'vintage' is usually up to the wine maker and specifically tied to conditions that are very favorable. 'Vintage' wine must be composed of at least 85% of the grapes from the vintage year. Under champagne wine regulations, houses that make both vintage and non-vintage wines are allowed to use no more than 80% of the total vintage's harvest for the production of vintage champagne. This allows at least 20% of the harvest from favorable vintages to be reserved for use in non-vintage champagne. In less than ideal vintages, some producers will produce a wine from only that single vintage and still label it as non-vintage rather than as 'vintage' since the wine will be of lesser quality and the producers have little desire to reserve the wine for future blending.

Blanc de blancs
Blanc de Blancs means 'white of whites' and is used to designate champagnes made only from Chardonnay grapes. The term is occasionally used in other sparkling wine-producing regions, usually to denote Chardonnay-only wines rather than any sparkling wine made from other white grape varieties.

Blanc de Noirs
Blanc de Noirs are white champagnes made only from the black grape varieties of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Typically, these sparkling wines are full-bodied and deeper yellow-gold in color. They are ideal for full-flavored foods, including meats and cheeses.

Pink or Rosé
Pink or Rosé champagnes are produced by one of two methods. The traditional method involves the addition of a small amount of Pinot Noir still wine to the base wine or cuvée prior to the second fermentation. The maceration method, or skin contact method, involves the pressing of the grape skins, allowing them to soak with the juice of the grapes prior to fermentation.

Prestige cuvée
A prestige cuvée, or cuvée de prestige, is a proprietary blended wine (usually a champagne) that is considered to be the elite of a producer's range. Famous examples include Louis Roederer's Cristal, Laurent-Perrier's Grand Siècle, Moët & Chandon's Dom Pérignon, and Pol Roger's Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill.

The original prestige cuvée was Moët & Chandon's Dom Pérignon, launched in 1936 with the 1921 vintage. Until then, champagne houses produced different cuvées of varying quality, but a top-of-the-line wine produced to the highest standards (and priced accordingly) was a new idea. In fact, Louis Roederer had been producing Cristal since 1876, but this was strictly for the private consumption of the Russian tsar.

Cristal was made publicly available with the 1945 vintage. Then came Taittinger's Comtes de Champagne (first vintage 1952), and Laurent-Perrier's Grand Siècle 'La Cuvée' in 1960, a blend of three vintages (1952, 1953, and 1955). In the last three decades of the twentieth century, most champagne houses followed these with their own prestige cuvées, often named after notable people with a link to that producer (Veuve Clicquot's La Grande Dame, thenickname of the widow of the house's founder's son; Pol Roger's Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, named for the British prime minister; and Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Alexandra Rosé, to name just three examples, and presented in non-standard bottle shapes (following Dom Pérignon's lead with its eighteenth-century revival design).

Champagnes also come in a variety of sweet to the extra dry. Here is a brief chart that will help you in picking the type that best suits your tastes:

Doux: Sweet
Demi-sec: Half-dry
Sec: Dry
Extra sec: Extra dry
Brut: Nearly completely dry
Extra Brut / Brut zero: No added sugar at all

Sparkling Shiraz
This is a relatively new sparkling wine experience from the Shiraz producers of Australia, and I felt it deserved a mention here. As a fan of Shiraz, I was intrigued and found the wine to have all the characteristics of the traditional Shiraz that I admire, blackcurrants, blackberries, chocolate, cherries, strawberries, hints of tobacco with a rich smoky oak flavor and that trademark peppery finish. Sparkling Shiraz wines should be served slightly chilled. If it's summer, place in the fridge for 30 to 40 minutes. However, if it's mid winter, then room temperature will do fine. The bottom line is you want it slightly cooler than you would serve traditional Shiraz, yet not quite as cold as a Chardonnay.

Opening a Champagne Bottle
The trick to opening a bottle of champagne while maintaining its integrity is to avoid 'popping' the cork. Also note that the better the champagne, the less 'pop' you will experience. Begin by scoring the foil around the base of the wire cage. Then, carefully untwist and loosen the bottom of the cage, but do not remove it. In one hand, enclose the cage and cork while holding the base of the champagne bottle with your other hand. Twist both ends in the opposite direction. As soon as you feel pressure forcing the cork out, try to push it back in while continuing to twist gently until the cork is released with a sigh.

The Drinking
This, of course, is my favorite part. Champagne should always be served chilled (43 to 48 F) and served in a champagne flute, a long stemmed glass with a tall, narrow bowl, thin sides and an etched bottom. You should hold the flute by the stem or base as opposed to the bowl and since 'clinking' seems to be the norm when consuming champagne, don't overdue it and be careful. I am a perfect example of what not to do when holding a delicate champagne flute, as one New Year's Eve, while trying to make a point rather over-zealously, I found myself holding a base and stem while my bowl sailed across the room, getting the attention of a rather large guy who was none to pleased as it hit his forehead, but that, my friends, is a story for another day. I have included below a simple guide as to which particular champagne goes with certain types of food so the next time you are hosting, you can wow all your friends with your acute knowledge of 'the bubbly.'

Blanc de Blanc Champagne: Oysters, crustaceans and gently flavored white fish.
Blanc de Noirs: Lighter meat dishes (pigeon breast, partridge, veal, pork). If it's an aged wine, it can stand up to a bit richer protein such as kidneys or venison.
Non-Vintage Champagnes: Especially young and fruity versions are recommended with cheeses such as Beaufort, Gruyère, Emmental. Older non-vintage champagnes can cope with dishes with darker, nuttier flavors. (Caviar for instance)
Vintage Champagnes: Great with black truffle,scented foods, cheeses such as Parmesan and lightly smoked foods. Younger vintage champagnes can provide a foil for a wide variety of dishes, from fish with rich sauces to poultry (especially duck), light meats (veal and pork) and many cheeses (Chaource and Lancashire). Japanese dishes are also suggested.
Non-Vintage Rosé: Prawns, lobster and other seafood work here.
Vintage Rosé: Aged vintage rosé champagnes have a rich, savoury character that can pair well with meat dishes, and have the power to stand up to high levels of herbs and spices, specifically basil, mint and coriander.
Demi Sec Champagnes: These go superbly with savory dishes, foie gras is an obvious example. If there is an edge of sweetness to the food (caramelizing, a fruit ingredient or sugar,) then this style can provide a better match than a dry selection. These also pair well with most desserts as long as they are not overly sweet.

The only hazard in drinking champagne tends to be that it is so delicate in body and flavor, it is very easy to find yourself a bit buzzed rather quickly. As always, do enjoy it, but don't overdo it. As we all know, anything in excess tends to not be a good thing. I hope that you have learned a bit more about champagne than you already knew, but the learning here is not in the reading, my fellow Champagne-ites, it's in the drinking, so go out and eat, drink and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Lou

Up Close & Personal with Chef Jason Roberts

2012-09-28T14:10:00.001-04:00

I first met Jason Roberts at a Key Private Bank event in Bonita Springs, Florida seven years ago. He was quiet, shy and polite. That is, of course until he burst onto the stage and rocked the house. Suddenly he brought the room alive, dancing, cooking and entertaining an audience who hung on his every word. Australian word that is, mate! Little did I know that delving into this amazingly talented chef's life and cooking, I would come to know a pure soul, with a huge heart, who was a truly unique and gifted individual, let alone that I would come to call him friend. With a wonderful smile and a glint in his eye that reveals a bit of mischief, a bit of wonder, a bit of all the places and things he has experienced, he can be a captivating presence, especially when there is an audience to be cajoled, entertained, or made laugh.

Since the very first, we clicked. As such, I have spent a good deal of time with him. I am always amazed to watch his transformation from the reserved, somewhat shy and polite New Zealand native I know, into the raucous and rowdy Jason Roberts live that you all see when the curtain goes up, the camera starts rolling, or a fan stops to have a chat with him. Revealed in those moments is an energy, humor, culinary excellence and ability to reach out to his audience, no matter how big or small. When you speak with him personally, you come to understand that he is genuinely interested in nothing else but your story, or conversation at that moment. On the stage, or in front of a camera, without warning, the visage before you explodes as if a super nova and you are at once captivated. With a stage presence that fills any venue or stage, Jason has the ability to draw an audience in and make them feel as if he is speaking to each and every one of them individually. And all with an awesome Australian accent and sense of humor. "G'Day, I'm Jason Roberts!"

We recently sat down for lunch in a small French bistro on the Jersey City, NJ waterfront for a quiet lunch and to catch up, away from the hustle and bustle of our extremely busy schedules and to do this long awaited interview. As my friend, I see him regularly, but we have a somewhat unique relationship. You see, we also have a professional relationship. With his hectic schedule, flying all over America as a correspondent and co-host for ABC's The Chew, and me with my own busy schedule, we talk about business more often than not, rarely really getting the time to relax and talk. Our informal lunch, (scheduled and rescheduled at least 3 times) was the first chance in some time that we really sat down to spend some time just talking; about life, career and about two subjects we both love best: food, and hospitality. I wanted to delve into his thoughts on his moving to America, his new found popularity and growing notoriety in the American Food-TV market and the changes and challenges of adapting to being away from family and friends back in Australia.

Jason & Nana

Jason grew up a New Zealand native, finding inspiration in his Nana's kitchen as a child. At age four he boldly declared, “Nana, I want to be a cook!” Nana and his grandfather made their living as caterers, while his other grandmother ran a restaurant, so culinary role models were in no short supply. “I have wanted to cook for as long as I can remember,” claims Jason, “It's something I do to indulge my imagination, be creative and feed my artistic passion. To me, cooking is the most consistent of life's joys and is immeasurably rewarding, both instantly and constantly.” He expounded on his child hood, "I was born in the southern part of New Zealand, the island in a very small place called Oamaru. When I was 3, my mum and I left there and went to Queensland. When we got to Australia, we jumped ship and up until the age of 12, I grew up on a dairy farm. When you grow up in that environment, you learn to become resourceful. Growing up on a farm is a totally different situation than growing up in the city as these days, kids think milk comes from a carton and chicken from a package. I love living off the land." I asked him about his grandparents and how it developed his relationship to food.

He answered, "First and foremost I guess one of the biggest reasons I got into cooking, were my grandparents, who were both cooks and secondly, growing up in that resourceful situation on a farm. Always, since I was four years old, I can remember being around food and my mum being a good cook. But sometimes when I talk about it, or I get asked that question I cringe, thinking, 'I don't want to be that guy.' It almost sounds like a made up story. People think 'How could you know at 4?' I just did. I did not want to be famous, I just wanted to cook. Mum, she was a housewife; my step-dad worked on the council. So I had 2 choices, I could be a housewife or work on the council," he laughed. 'I didn’t become a housewife, but I did get into cooking. I’ve always loved it. My grandmother certainly was one of my biggest inspirations." He recalled, "I look back and I remember some of the times walking through the kitchen that she ran. I remember these big burly chefs in white coats and, they were happy. There were these big blooming woman, saying, 'Oi, look at these cheeks,' always pinching me. They all loved me. There was just this energy in that kitchen and I think I’ve held onto that. Nan has passed now but I still feel her presence I think about her daily. If anything I feel enriched that she was such an important part of my life and to an extent still is." I understand and firmly believe that those who impact us make an impression on our hearts, if we let them, and we are better people for that impact. Clearly this is the embodiment of Jason's and his Nan's relationship.

I asked him to talk a bit about his culinary schooling. "When I was 12, I moved back to Auckland, New Zealand. I did my primary school when I was in Australia, high school and college in New Zealand. It was a school with 30 kids, very, very small," he laughs, "we were lucky if we got to cook. If you did all your homework, then you got to do the cooking the next day. It was a small town, so there wasn’t much opportunity. I got to make pancakes, maybe biscuits. It wasn’t anything big, but I just remember feeling that this was somewhat shaping my career path. In high school, I chose home economics which was sewing, cooking, etc. I was the only guy in a room full of girls. It was good," he laughed and winked, "I would get picked on by the other guys saying 'You’re doing cooking? I’d say 'Who’s the fool here, I’m in a room full of girls!' I got an opportunity to do the food for a staff meeting and I was passionate about it. I got a letter from the principle thanking me. Being 15-16, that was a big thing for me."

Young Chef Jason

"What was your first culinary job? " I asked. 'When I was 18, I got into an apprenticeship." Chuckling, he replied, "I looked like I was 11 years old. I was pint sized. No one wanted to give me a job back in New Zealand. It was hard to get a job in any kitchen. I couldn’t even get a job in bloody McDonald's! I went back to Australia to live with my Dad. He was a house painter. My first job actually was in Kentucky Fried Chicken. For a month. I stayed there, I enjoyed it, great people. It was my first opportunity in the kitchen, though I never found out what the 11 herbs and spices were," he laughed.

A love of surfing and cooking then led Jason to Australia’s famed Bondi Beach, where he apprenticed at some of the top Sydney restaurants, winning him the title of Apprentice of the Year from the East Sydney Technical Institute in 1993. "My dad got me my first real kitchen job on Bondi Beach, at a restaurant called Ravesis," he explained. "Southwestern food. This woman, Megan Brown, was eccentric. She was about 35-36 and was the head chef there. Big bright pink eyebrows. Her nickname was "Pink Eyes." She was a great, great chef. Very stern. She wouldn’t differ from the menu at all. For breakfast for instance, the only way she would serve eggs was scrambled. No poached eggs, no fried eggs. And if you ordered it another way, she would just agree, then send em out scrambled. You asked for it, but you never got it." he laughed.

Though surfing is his most well known activity, cycling has also become a big part of his life, with the chef sometimes riding 60-70 miles a day. I asked Jason to expand a bit on his lifestyle choices and his love of the outdoors, "You seem to live your life with gusto. Where does that come from?" He responded, "I started surfing when I was about 15. I can’t think of anything like it. There is nothing like when you are really relying on the elements. Nothing beats that adrenaline rush." When did you start?" I asked. He explained, "15/16, I was living back in New Zealand for 3 years. I had a group of friends that surfed. It took me a little while to get into it. But I was hooked. Besides cooking, I guess I’m all things outdoors. Whether it’s running outdoors, cycling or swimming, surfing, that's when I get to download. When I don’t get it, (the physical activity) I get pent up with frustration."

His achievements and acumen in the kitchen gained him the post of Executive Chef at the renowned Sydney restaurant, Bistro Moncur, where Jason and the restaurant earned 2 Hats of 3, Australia’s equivalent to America’s 3 Star*** system. While there, his accolades caught the attention of Australia's Channel 9, where he became the host of a new cooking program, Fresh, which aired 5 days a week in Australia and New Zealand. In January 2003, he was introduced to America on the ABC TV program Good Morning America. He also appeared The Wayne Brady Show, The Sharon Osbourne Show, E!, The Style Network’s You’re Invited, NYC's morning show Ali & Jack, Talk Soap with Lisa Rinna and he was the special Australian guest entertainment at the 2004 TV Soap Awards. In February 2004 Jason joined forces with the world-renowned US production company Mandalay Pictures to film a series of lifestyle programs titled ‘Jason Roberts Taste,' which eventually aired on the PAX network in the U.S., in October 2005, earning him 2 American Accolade Awards for Best Host and Best Health & Lifestyle program. Jason has authored 2 cookbooks; Graze: Lots of Little Meals Fast (MacMillan, 2003), which tapped into the growing trend towards eating smaller, more frequent meals, offering healthy small-portion recipes and alternative cooking methods to save time and effort, and 2006’s Elements. I asked him about his opportunity with TV.

"It was in the last two years I was at Moncur was when I hosted the TV show. It had become a little tougher, I was working 70-80 hours a week between the two. Jamie Oliver (The Naked Chef) had just hit the scene and Channel 9 was looking for the next Jamie Oliver. There was a show called 'What’s Cooking' and it got canned because the TV Station and host of the show didn’t get on. There was a piece in the paper called "Young Guns Celebrity Chefs Cook-Off Australia." It was myself, Darren Simpson, Ashly Hughes. The 3 of us did a piece at our own restaurants in front of the camera and I did salt crusted chicken. I was camping it up a little bit too! I loved the opportunity. I was still very green, but they offered me an opportunity. Some people said, 'Oh you look a bit like Jamie.' If anything, it was just my being young," He continued with a wink, "but I’m much fitter than him. It was being young, someone who can cook and speak in front of the camera. I was on my way to Fashion Week and I received a phone call from Channel 9. They said we really like you, we need you now. Are you available to come in now?" I jumped in a cab and went straight to Channel 9. I was 24-25. It was awesome. It was timing. I continued to do that show for 4 years.

As we waited for our first course, I asked him, "Now you come to America, you're on National TV with ABC's The Chew. Why is it that you cook? What drives you to entertain? What's your focus?" He replied, "I started this because I wanted to be loved. Not so much the recognition for the cooking, but the recognition for making people happy." He thought for a second before continuing, "Now I realize that I have come full circle and I do this now, not for the need to be loved, but to make the people I'm entertaining feel loved and important. And," he winked, "I love to make them laugh. That’s why I do what I do. I want to hear people laugh, get excited. People watch cooking shows, I think, not so much because they decide 'Oh, I think I can be a great chef.' I believe there is some Gene. You’ve either got it (the cooking Gene) or you don’t. I think people watch Food TV because there is something warming about it. I take my cooking seriously, but I don’t take myself seriously. That’s what makes it easy for me. That interaction between me and whoever is in front of me. It really comes alive when you hear them laugh. The biggest thing for me is to make sure I've got everyone’s attention."

He continued with an example of something I have seen him do time and time again as I have watched his live performances. "I was doing a show in Greensboro, North Carolina," he remembered, "I was in front of 30,000 people and we were throwing out tee-shirts. You can always attract people in the front rows with tee-shirts, but, with 30,000 people, you want to make sure you get those people way in the back. So I jumped off the stage, ran to the back and climbed this scaffolding and gave one to the farthest person in the room. I knew by doing that I would catch the whole back of the house. The camera was on me the whole time, watching me climb up and everything. I’m conscious of that, trying to bring everyone into my space."

I don’t take myself so seriously when I’m on stage. I like to get people to laugh. I think as a chef, once you’ve reached that point in your career, you can get over your ego. It’s about things I know people can go home and cook, things they can cook on a budget. Things that are accessible. I feel fulfilled as a person in front of these people, personally. This is my biggest thing, it’s exciting, I’m giving back. When it’s not so much about you, but what the customer wants, I think that’s when you reach the pinnacle of your career. When you drop your ego, when it’s not about you, when it’s about what the customer wants.

Video By Marvin Joseph. All rights reserved.

Damian Pignolet

Jason once told me a story a few years ago, while we were having dinner in Atlanta. It was about a special meal that was prepared especially for him by one of his mentors, Damian Pignolet, in Australia. While speaking about this he became somewhat emotional and the affection he feels for Damian was quite evident in his eyes. "Sitting in that space with Damian, sharing this meal as simple as it was, I could remember every mouthful of that meal and how important it was. It was moving," he admitted. "What a weird situation to sit there. You know it tasted incredible, but it wasn’t just the meal. If you think about every element that went into that dish, it was a sensual dish. It was the thought that he put into it for me and what it meant for him. It was an incredible experience. That time in my life was a turning point." I added, "He didn’t necessarily teach you how to cook, he taught you how to live." "For sure," he agreed, continuing, "I can remember, whenever he would come into the restaurant to eat, we had these paper sheets that we'd place on the tables. I would wait for it. I always could hear it, over all the din of the restaurant. The ripping of the paper." He smiled, 'I could hear it all the way in the kitchen. I guess I was attuned to it and waiting for it," he laughs. "As he ate, Damian would write down notes on the paper then tear off the corner, come back into the kitchen and say, 'Ok, we have to work on this and this and this.' I've been very fortunate to have a mentor on my case and such a perfectionist as well."

Photo By Marvin Joseph

I found his last statement interesting, especially because this is a subject we speak about frequently; apprenticeship and how important it is to a young chef. Jason is currently mentoring someone entering the hospitality industry, and I remarked about his coming full circle, in life as well as cheffing, he now being the mentor. He replied, "You know you really have to feel sorry sometimes for first year apprentices. They really get the shaft a little bit, until someone really embraces them. When I take on an apprentice, a first year, I really take them on, getting to know them, their family, encouraging sports and things outside of the work. I don't want them to burn out, or get involved with drugs." I interjected "This industry, hospitality can be a hard industry unless you are really called to it. With long hours, a physical toll, the stress of constant customer expectations and satisfaction, it can take it's toll on those new to the industry unless they have the guidance to manage it." He agreed, adding, "I think it can be a hard industry for those that take it half-assed."

I asked him what he thought a good mentor offered a so called protege, now that he found himself in that position. He thought for a moment as our Duck Confit was delivered to the table. We both tasted and savored the deep flavor pausing for a moment to enjoy our wine and the moment.

After we both devoured a few bites, he answered, " Damien was a mentor to me in not just food but music, life, lots of different stuff. To be a mentor to young individuals, there are two different levels. In the industry it's about food and getting them through those first couple of years. Giving them 100% of myself when they need it. In life it's about personal development. A good mentor gives you the why of life not just the how of life."

Photo by Marvin Joseph

We changed up our discussion to that of our recent hectic schedules and of a talk we had had about his missing the kitchen a bit due to traveling and TV demands. I asked him to expand a bit on that for this interview, as this is Up Close & Personal after all. We talked about his love of cooking and the rigors of his schedule and how he really rarely gets time to cook just for the sake of cooking. Now understand, friends, when talking with a chef about cooking, it's not the cooking you and I are thinking of, making our family meal or even, dinner for friends. When a true chef talks about missing the kitchen, it's about being on the line with his mates and fellow chefs putting out 250-300 covers (entrees) on a Friday night. Chefs are a unique breed. Quality classically trained TV Chefs without the ego, are also a unique breed. In a previous conversation, he had expressed to me that he hoped and he believed that he is part of a new breed of chefs; producing fun, affordable, accessible food, without the ego. I asked him to expound on that statement. "It's because I think cut my teeth young in the industry. I've done this. I stopped twisting food. Brought it back to simple basics. I get nothing out of having an ego. For me it truly is about the food"

Photo by Marvin Joseph

"As I have progressed and grown, as you get older you definitely hope you get wiser, my attitude has evolved. It's transcended. I have realized it's no longer about being loved, it's more about loving what I do. His eyes sparked a bit as he continued, "I think as we get through life, with all it's pressures, we are happy just being happy. Cooking is something that keeps me consistently happy. I find there are moments when I'm not in the kitchen and I'm not happy. There are times when I delve into a kitchen and it's like," he sighs, "it's like a pair of warm slippers, it's comfort, it's comfortable for me. That's my space. The clanging of the dishware. Those are my sounds, that's my kitchen jargon. There is a certain amount satisfaction to walking through the back end of a kitchen, even when it's not yours. At least there is for me." I asked him how that satisfaction it differs from being a "TV Chef," making the "quotes" sign with my fingers. He answered, "The impact you can make with a hundred million people. You can't do that from just one little kitchen. But with TV you can. I think that's what drives me on TV. Having a broad impact. But, you're public domain, so it's a bit overwhelming at times; travel, lawyers, PR, engagements, etc. In the kitchen, I just worry about what the patron wants. No pressures. It's more personal."

Photo by Marvin Joseph

As his friend, I have been a part of his current relocation to New Jersey here in the US, where he now makes his home. While I am thrilled to have him in my own backyard, where I get to spend time with him, I have also witnessed the effects of his transition to America and the difficulty of being away from the his family and friends back in Sydney. I asked him, "It must have been hard leaving all you knew and were comfortable with in Australia to start traveling and move to the U. S. What was the transition like and talk a bit about how you have balanced living in a completely different culture?"

"The transition of coming here and obviously re-establishing yourself is more about building credit, finding a place to live, getting a phone put in, stuff like that. Everything else is exactly the same. The reason people love my being here is because I'm Australian. So I embrace that for what it is. The Chew calls me 'The Wonder From Down Under.' If you look at my background, when I was 3, I moved to Queensland. When I was 12, I moved back to New Zealand. I’ve been nomadic my entire life. I don’t know if you’re into that spiritual stuff or not, but as an Aquarian, we have a tendency to be nomadic and like that," he snapped his fingers, "we can move straight away. That's not to say that I don't miss my family and friends back home. It's hard, but I have so many new friends here in the States that it's getting a bit easier. Plus, I try to get back to Sydney at least every couple of months, even if just for a few days."

Photo by Marvin Joseph

Changing direction a bit, I asked, "I know we've tossed this about a bit, but on the record, any thoughts of doing something food-restaurant wise now that you're here?" "The more I think about it, absolutely," He responded. "I think there are certain lengths of downtime where I can physically be teaching, training, making charcuterie. I would love to have a stable restaurant, Classical French Bistro cooking. Terrines, sausages, pates. Seasonal food. I prefer winter. Anything in winter is better. All the slow braised meats. It's the technique that I love I guess. The way the French have adopted a lot of Chinese cookery. If you take a firm grasp of French technique, you can cook anything."

As dessert and espresso was being served, I asked him "What's the biggest challenge of cooking on television, especially live. It all looks so easy from our 'viewers' perspective? He laughed, "Cooking a three course meal in 5 minutes." The he added more seriously, "Things have changed in the way I present cooking on TV. I make it less about the food and more about the moment because, the more memorable the moment, especially if you make them laugh, the more likely they are to rewind or Tivo it, etc." Sound, sage advice from a man who's enthusiasm and youthful appearance belie a wealth of experience first, a classically trained chef for the last 22 years, and second, in his home of Sydney, Australia, a mainstay on Australian Food TV.

We then discussed what is a very common theme to our friendship, the fact that we both feel the act of people eating together is not about the food, it is about the moment. With friends or family. Food is just the vehicle. Jason cooks it, I sometimes cook it, (not nearly as well), sometimes eat it and most times, write about it. Though different mediums, we both seek the same end result. A need to offer a special moment or capture a special moment using food and shared meals and interaction to evoke a positive emotion. "I think the food is just the vehicle for good conversation," he offered, 'I know folks who can remember every meal, what they ate. Not me. I remember the meals that had great conversation. Where the meal has transcended the conversation."

With Chef Jonathan Sawyer's Kids

He works closely with the OPAL program, a Federal, State, Local initiative in Australia that is about obesity prevention, with everyone in the community working together to support Marion Families, to learn basic cooking skills and cook delicious healthy fresh food. Throughout our relationship, I have watched Jason always drawn to the kids. They love him. He brings them out of their shell, engaging them directly, talking to them, not at them. I have watched him transform shy, insecure children into giggling bundles of joy. He is at once engaging, funny and I guess, a big kid himself, which is why children just seem to be drawn to his enthusiasm for life. I asked him about this and his work with charities. "Kids are so enigmatic and I'm drawn to them because, you know, we're all big kids at heart." He smiled, "They are so easily guided. Adults for the most part are set in their ways. Take cooking shows live, or on TV, for instance. Most people are what I'd call 'fire gazers.' They are never really going to cook what they watch, but they enjoy the show. When I have a young kid in front of me and I have an opportunity to mentor, or to excite a child about an opportunity or being in the kitchen, they lap it up and I think that I'm just drawn to that energy. And, as you have heard me say before, 'You get the kids, you get the parents for free.'"

Jason’s philosophy when it comes to food and cooking is healthy, quick and uncomplicated, believing that “the family that cooks together stays together,” and that cooking together and sharing of a meal is the perfect vehicle to foster connections and deeper relationships between family and friends. "Friends, family and good nutrition, those 3 things. One of the biggest things I talk about when I get on stage is good nutrition. I believe that prevention is better than a cure. So we eat well, we exercise. We maintain it. We can live a long healthy life, because I believe in quality not quantity."

I asked him if he's content with himself, comfortable in his own skin. He answered. "Are we ever really content? I am happy, but not complacent. I've got a lot of opportunity on the horizon, an eventual new cookbook, etc. I have a great team working with me. Everyone is invested in my success and that's a good thing. It's very important to have great people to work with that I can trust with my well being." As we wrapped up, over dessert I asked him, "So what's on the horizon for Jason Roberts?" He replied instantly,

Photo by Marvin Joseph

"More time with my family. Sometimes you can never really tell which way your sail is going to blow. I'm happy to go along with this wind for now. I've worked very hard to get these opportunities, first in the restaurants to become a head chef, then this TV thing. They are very much separate. You know, it's funny here in America as people are starting to discover me, they use the term overnight sensation. I have been a classically trained French chef for 22 years and on TV in some form or another for the last 15 or so. I'm happy with where I am and the path that I'm on. Am I satisfied? No." he answered his own question, "I'm always striving to be better, achieve that next goal and of course, looking for my next audience to make happy and laugh."

Jason recently got engaged and has a son Hunter. He shares his time between Sydney and New York City, where he is a Co-Host/Correspondent on ABC’s new hit, food related, daily talk show, The Chew. He is currently working on a new cookbook, tentatively scheduled for release sometime in early 2013.
To find out more about Jason visit his website, www.chefjasonroberts.com and follow him on twitter and facebook

It has been my distinct pleasure to bring you UP Close & Personal with Chef Jason Roberts. I am confident as his star rises and he becomes more and more known here in America, you'll all come to love and respect him as much as I do.

As Always Bon Appetit,

Lou

The Perfect Holiday Drink...Mulled Wine.

2012-09-26T11:32:00.000-04:00

The first time I ever heard the term mulled wine, Clarence, the angel in Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" ordered it while sitting in a bar with George Baily. I was about 7 or 8 years old. Mulled wine, hmmmm it's fall, winters coming, let's take a look see.

In medieval times, sanitation was poor and many believed it was far healthier to drink mulled wine than risk drinking water. There is some truth to the health benefits, as drinking wine in moderation has been linked to reducing the risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes and dementia. Lemon and orange both contain vitamin C which acts as an antioxidant.

Mulled simply means heated and spiced. So you can have mulled wine, mulled cider, mulled mead, etc. No one knows the true history of mulled wine, but there was medieval mention of Ypocras or Hipocris named after the physician Hippocrates. These drinks were thought to be healthy and served as tonics in the Roman Empire. Fast forward to around 1500 and British cookbooks speak of mulling Clarrey. This was Bordeaux wine infused with honey, cinnamon and cardamom. Those Victorian English enjoyed their mulled wine, and even served a version of it, called Negus, at children’s birthday parties. If you boil the wine when making it, you can burn off the alcohol and I’m sure that’s what the Victorian parents did before serving it.

Most likely, the drink got its origins from wine sellers who found themselves with some spoiled product. These innovative manufacturers heated their sour merchandise, flavored it with honey and spices and a new drink was born.

No matter what European country you find yourself in around the holidays; you are bound to come across a local version of their mulled wine. The Swedes serve glögg, while the Germans enjoy gluhwein. The French sip vin chaud and the Poles polish off grzane wino. The Hungarians brew up forralt bor and the Italians hand round vin brule. While the basis of mulled wine is nearly the same for everyone, regional differences give each one a special taste. The Swedes add raisins and almonds to theirs, as well as more sugar and usually a bit of extra alcohol like vodka or cognac than most. In Germany, you’ll find a lighter, less sweet version. Gluhwein has less sugar than glögg and more spices like nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.

Glögg

The Swedish word for mulled wine, Glögg, comes from the verb ‘to heat up.’ The term glödgat vin, literally meaning ‘heated wine,’ first appeared in Sweden in 1609. By that time, many European countries had stopped drinking spiced wine, but the tradition has survived in some places, including Sweden. In the 1890s mulled wine became a Swedish Christmas Tradition and spread more and more widely.

Glögg is the Nordic form of mulled wine, similar to Glühwein in German-speaking countries. Glühwein is usually prepared from red wine, heated and spiced with cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, cloves, citrus and sugar. Almonds and raisins are often added to the Scandinavian version, though not to the German. Fruit wines such as blueberry wine and cherry wine are sometimes used instead of grape wine in Germany. The oldest Glühwein tankard is documented in the high noble German and first Riesling grower of the world, Count John IV, of Katzenelnbogen around 1420. This gold-plated lockable silver tankard imitating the traditional wine woven wooden can is called Welcome. In Romania it is called vin fiert ("boiled wine"), and can be made using either red or white wine, sometimes adding peppercorn. In Moldova the izvar is made from red wine with black pepper and honey. In Italy, mulled wine is typical in the northern part of the country and is called vin brulè.

Glögg is a traditional drink of the Swedish & Finnish Advent season - Advent being the six weeks leading up to the Birth of Christ on the 25th of December. Glögg is traditionally made with red wine, and each small glass has a few almonds and raisins in it as well as the drink. December in this region is a dark, wintry time, and this hot drink helps keep the spirits cheered.

Glögg's origins are with mulled wine - wine heated with spices. Mulled wine was known to medieval Europeans and celebrated from at least 400AD. In the 1800s, a special mulled wine was popular in Europe known as "Glühwein," which began to incorporate the special Glögg ingredients - raisins and almonds. Glögg also tends to have more sugar as well as a heavier alcohol content. Given the frigid winters seen in Scandanavia, this can be quite necessary! Gingersnaps, Gingerbread, and cinnamon rolls are pairings associated with glogg.

Flaming Glögg
1 bottle red wine
1 bottle aquavit (like a flavored vodka)
10 whole cardamoms
5 whole cloves
2 sticks of cinnamon
4 figs
1 cup raisins
1 cup blanched almonds
1 orange skin, dried
1/2 lb sugar cubes

Put wine, aquavit, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, figs, raisins, almonds and orange into a pot. Simmer until almost boiling. Remove from heat. Put sugar in sieve, dip into liquid. Light with match and burn until gone. Cover to put out flame. Serve liquid warm, putting a few raisins and almonds into each glass.

Recipes
The spices usually used for mulled wine are cloves, grated nutmeg and cinnamon or mace. Any kind of wine may be mulled, but port and claret are those usually selected for the purpose and the latter requires a very large proportion of sugar.

It's a Wonderful Life Mulled Wine
2 bottles red wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 sticks cinnamon
5 whole cloves
1 orange
1 lemon

Zest the fruit, avoiding the white pith. Put this, the sugar, cinnamon and cloves into the water. Bring this to a slow boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Now add the wine. Add in the actual orange and lemon fruit part, sliced up. Warm this on low heat for 40 minutes (do NOT boil). Strain out the wine and serve!

1600s England
In medieval times, mulled wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris, named after the physician Hippocrates. This recipe is from The Accomplisht Cook, written in 1660 by Robert May. The recipe is for Ipocras with Red Wine.

1 gallon wine
3oz cinnamon
2oz ginger, sliced
1/4oz cloves
1oz mace
20 peppercorns
1oz nutmeg
3lb sugar
2qt cream

"Take a gallon of wine, three ounces of cinnamon, two ounces of slic't ginger, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, an ounce of mace, twenty corns of pepper, an ounce of nutmegs, three pound of sugar, and two quarts of cream."

In essence, mix all ingredients and heat slowly in a large pot. Serve warm. You can also let it 'settle' for a few days and serve it cool, depending on which way tastes better to you!

Brown Sugar Mulled Wine
2 bottles dry Cabernet Sauvignon
Peel of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
8 whole cloves
1 whole nutmeg
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Orange slices

Pour wine in slow cooker. Wrap orange peel, cinnamon stick halves, cloves, and nutmeg in cheesecloth. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 2 to 2.5 hours. Discard spice bag; ladle into glasses. Garnish with orange slices.

Clove and Nutmeg Mulled Wine
3 bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp powdered clove
2 Tbsp whole cloves
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Combine ingredients in a large saucepan over very low heat. Warm carefully, stirring frequently. Serve warm.

Bon Appetit!

Lou

The Bounty of Autumn...

2012-09-01T11:43:00.001-04:00

Growing up in the northeast, fall always had a special feeling to it. The cooling of the nights, the touch of color in the leaves and the anticipation of the coming holiday season always gave the air clarity, as if shaking off the haze of summer. For me, one thing that always stood out were my trips in mid October to Van Ripers, or Tice's Farms in northern New Jersey. Insert any name from any state and I'm sure you can fill in the name of the farm stand where you went as a child.

The smell of freshly made donuts, watching through the window while cider is being fresh pressed, and people starting to get that wistful look in their eyes as they start to glimpse the hint of Thanksgiving and Christmas just over the horizon. We would return home with arms full of fresh produce, apples, cider, fresh donuts, placing our pumpkins on the front stoop to await their fateful appointment with the carving knife that would soon transform them into the Jack-o-Lanterns for Halloween night.

Autumn has long been associated with the transition from warm to cold weather, the primary harvest has dominated its themes and popular images throughout the world. In western cultures, personifications of autumn are usuallypretty, well-fed females adorned with fruits, vegetables, grains and wheat that ripen at this time. Most ancient cultures featured autumnal celebrations of the harvest, often the most important on their calendars. Still extant echoes of these celebrations are found in the mid-autumn Thanksgiving holiday of the United States, and the Jewish Sukkot holiday, with its roots as a full moon harvest festival of "tabernacles", (huts wherein the harvest was processed and which later gained religious significance).

There are also the many North American Indian festivals tied to harvest of autumnally ripe foods gathered in the wild, the Chinese Mid-Autumn or Moon festival as well as many others. The predominant mood of these celebrations is a gladness for the fruits of the earth mixed with a certain melancholy linked to the imminent arrival of harsh weather.

Autumn Produce

Squash
The term "summer" and "winter" for squash are only based on current usage, not on actuality. "Summer" types are on the market all winter; and "winter" types are on the markets in the late summer and fall, as well as winter.

Acorn This winter squash is shaped like an acorn. Great for baking. A small acorn squash weighs from 1 to 3 pounds, and has sweet, slightly fibrous flesh. In addition to the dark green acorn, there are now golden and multi-colored varieties.

Ambercup A relative of the buttercup squash that resembles a small pumpkin. Bright orange flesh has a dry sweet taste. This can be stored for quite a long time.

Butternut Beige colored and shaped like a vase, this is a more watery squash and tastes somewhat similar to sweet potatoes. It has a bulbous end and pale, creamy skin, with a choice, fine-textured, deep-orange flesh with a sweet, nutty flavor. It weighs from 2 to 5 pounds. The more orange the color, the riper, drier and sweeter the squash.

Spaghetti A small, watermelon-shaped variety, ranges in size from 2 to 5 pounds or more. It has a golden-yellow, oval rind and a mild, nut-like flavor. When cooked, the flesh separates in strands that resemble spaghetti. The most yellow squash will be the ripest and best to eat. Those that are nearly white are not very ripe. Spaghetti squash also freezes well.

Chestnuts
In Europe, Asia and Africa, chestnuts are often used as an everyday potato substitute. Although they are wonderful straight from the oven or fireplace, you can make use of the winter chestnut crop in many ways, both sweet and savory. Before trying one of the many chestnut recipes, learn about chestnut history and how to store them.

Probably one of the first foods eaten by man, the chestnut dates back to prehistoric times. The majority of the chestnut trees currently found in America are of native European stock, but Native Americans feasted on America's own variety, Castanea dentata, long before European immigrants introduced their stock to America. Today, most of the chestnut food crop is imported from Japan, China, Spain, and Italy. Legend has it that the Greek army survived on their stores of chestnuts during their retreat from Asia Minor in 401-399 B.C. Chestnuts contain twice as much starch as potatoes. It is no wonder they are still an important food crop in China, Japan, and southern Europe where they are often ground into a meal for bread-making, thus giving rise to the nickname of "bread tree."

Pumpkins
As one of the most popular crops in the United States, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year. The top pumpkin producing states in the U.S. include Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. Pumpkins are a warm weather crop that are usually planted in early July.

When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted. Often, it is made into various kinds of pie which is a traditional staple of the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holiday. Pumpkins that are still small and green may be eaten in the same way as the vegetable marrow/zucchini. Pumpkins can also be eaten mashed or incorporated into soup. In the Middle East, pumpkin is used for sweet dishes; a well-known sweet delicacy is called halawa yaqtin. In South Asian countries like India, pumpkin is cooked with butter, sugar, and spices; this dish is called kadu ka halwa. In Guangxi province, China, the leaves of the pumpkin plant are consumed as a cooked vegetable or in soups. In Australia, pumpkin is often roasted in conjunction with other vegetables. In Japan, small pumpkins are served in savory dishes, including tempura. In Thailand, small pumpkins are steamed with custard inside and served as a dessert. In Italy it can be used, with cheeses, as a savory stuffing for ravioli. And also, pumpkin can be used to flavor both alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages.

An International Look at Autumn Cuisine

China
Mooncakes are the highlight of China's annual Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.

Mediterranean

Autumn is the beautiful time on the Mediterranean, olives and grapes are ripening, it's cooler and wonderful to just stay in the moment and eat some old-fashioned food.

Italy
Savor the best of the Piedmont at Alba's famous Truffle Festival. Plus, wonderful classic Piedmontese cuisine, rich and pairing perfectly with the region's famous sultry red wines.

Japan
There is lots of delicious food to eat in Japan when autumn comes, and that is the meaning behind the expression, shokuyoku no aki ("autumn, the season of hearty appetites"). A fish called samma (Pacific saury) is in prime condition during the fall, making it a delicious treat. The characters for samma are written "autumn-blade-fish, "implying that this fish is most delicious in autumn. Matsutake mushrooms is the tastiest and most sought-after autumn food in Japan.

Check back through the next two months as I will be bringing you
features and recipes for fall classics and treats.

As always, Bon Appetit,

Lou

Farmer Lee Jones of the Chef's Garden: International man of Mystery, Intrigue, Bow-ties & Squash Blossoms...

2012-08-20T09:03:00.006-04:00

Farmer Lee Jones

This story, for me, has been a long time coming. Six years to be exact. It was roughly 2006 when I was first made aware of the special little place out in Ohio producing these special ingredients. A chef's Garden of Eden, if you will. For one reason or another I just could not get out to see this place for myself. I had spoken to Farmer Lee, his team, yet the trip had never materialized until this year. This past July, I was able to finally accept their gracious offer of hospitality and visit during their Veggie U Food & Wine Celebration, as they celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Sometimes things happen for a reason, as Lee will agree, sometimes relationships and opportunities come when they are supposed to. I have learned that sometimes, when things fall into place naturally it's because they were always meant to; not as we would have them happen, but in their own season, picked fresh at their own most opportune time. Sound like a garden metaphor? Well it is...and that, my friends, was my experience this year at The Chef’s Garden in Ohio.

From the moment I stepped on the property, I felt different. The welcome I received was genuine and by the end of my weekend I had come to believe, somehow, that these folks had known me and I them, all of our lives. They treated me like family. While I was busy thinking very highly of myself, feeling special indeed, I witnessed them offer this same level of hospitality and pureness of human interaction to everyone, famous or not, chef or student, writer or blogger, or guest. This is just who these folks are and I realized how lucky we all were, in this place at this particular moment, to be invited and sharing this with Lee and his Chef's Garden family.

The specialness of this place goes beyond tilling the ground and working it with love to produce some of the most incredible produce you can imagine. This place seems to also till the souls of those that come in contact with it. It nourishes you, fertilizes your mind and spirit, inspiring you always be at your freshest, most flavorful peak. That is the real secret of this place. Lee explained this to me as we talked in the study, surrounded by his history, sitting in high back chairs high above the kitchens below, chefs bustling about readying their entrees for the competition. "The land is special," he began, "due to the glaciers. This had been a lake bed and it's nutrient rich. That's what makes this place special." In Huron, Ohio, the lake winds bring sweet, moist air; the soil, which was formerly lake bottom, is sandy and fertile. This combination offers the perfect micro-climate for "growing vegetables slowly and gently in full accord with nature."

I completely agree that the produce is special and even the land. I disagree, however, with what makes it so. Lake bed aside, someone had to love this land enough to fight for it and lovingly work it to help it produce its bounty. I have come to believe it is the people here at Chef's Garden who make this particular land special. With love, caring and devotion to each other first, with the land in common. And, they do it with people too. I think if you picked up this team and moved them anywhere, they would have the same result. It was my pleasure to sit and discuss with Lee, on this occasion of the celebration's 10 year anniversary, how it, this farm and this unique family came to be what it is today. He brought me back in time.

The Jones Boys: Bob Sr., Lee & Bob Jr.

"When this story began. some 40 years ago, not far from the shores of Lake Erie, my dad was working with our old John Deere tractor, designing modifications that would increase the efficiency of field production on the farm. Every week, Dad, Bobby and I harvested and packed produce, then took it to the Cleveland farmers' markets. We also had a daily stand in the front yard of the house." In 1980, a hailstorm devastated the family farm leaving them but 6 acres and the life Lee and his family family had worked incredibly hard for their whole lives, his mother's car, their acres of well-toiled land and their cozy family home, was gone in a day.

"My parents were nondrinkers, nonsmokers, and didn't miss a day of church in 25 years," Farmer explains proudly, "When they made money, they reinvested back in the farm. When interest rates hit 23 percent and the storm devastated our crops, we started over from almost nothing. I saw my dad very broken spirited," Lee remembers, "I left college, worked 10 years with no paycheck and helped put my brother and sister through college. I can't imagine doing anything else. Working with my dad is amazing."

Bob Jones, Sr.

In the farming business for more than 50 years, Bob Jones, Sr. has led The Chef's Garden to innovate how vegetables are grown, harvested, packaged and delivered to the kitchen door of top chefs around the world. It was Mr. Bob, as he's fondly referred to on the farm, who recognized the value in meeting the needs of chefs who were driving a return to sustainable agriculture, a reconnection with food producers and a focus on quality and flavor. Lee explains further, "Well the real story on how we came to be a chef's garden is a bit different than most think. All our literature says it was a family decision," winking he added, "but let me tell ya how it really happened. When that hail storm hit, we lost everything except for 6 acres. Out of 600. We were devastated," he recalled. "I had a met a French chef who had asked me about growing some vegetables, particularly, squash blossoms. The chef was looking for the same quality product available in France, so we took care of this chef and others as well. At this time we had a big decision to make, being down in acreage. Do we stick with the farmers markets or do we specialize in chefs and their needs? My dad put it to a vote. 5 hands around the table, including mine, all voted for the farmers markets. My dad looked around the table, slammed his hand on the table and shouted. "Then it's final...we're doing chefs!" That is the real story of how the 'family' decided to cater to chefs," he laughed.

To many chefs, Farmer Lee embodies The Chef's Garden. Perpetually clad in his trademark overalls and a red bow-tie, it is not uncommon to see Farmer Jones at the culinary industry's top shows and events. We spoke about his choice of attire just hours before the festival. "I've been everywhere in my overalls, Iron chef to The James Beard Awards, where everyone was in a tux and I had on my overalls," he paused, "a new pair of course but, they were still overalls." Lee has been featured in numerous national publications, including Bon Appétit, Cooking Light, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine and The Washington Post. The farm has been featured on The Martha Stewart Show, Food Network's Roker on the Road, CNN Business Unusual, and ABC World News. He was also the first farmer ever

Lee, Michelle Obama, Robert Irvine

to judge the popular Food Network TV program Iron Chef America. "It has become a trademark," he says with a gleam in his eye, "and I'm very protective of the image and how it affects the farm. I love it though and am happy to be the face of The Chef's Garden."

The Famous Red Bow-Ties

On this topic I could not help but to inquire about a rumor I had heard throughout our years knowing each other. I asked Lee if it were true that in his closet, he had nothing but white shirts, overalls and that he had all his ties lined up. He laughed and replied, "Yes that is actually true," and immediately invited me up to the house, a large spacious log cabin that serves as his and Mary's home and is located in the the back corner of the property that houses

It's True! Just overalls & white shirts.

the Culinary Vegetable Institute. Indeed, as you can see from these exclusive pictures, seen here first, Lee indeed has a closet full of overalls, white shirt and clearly his ties are all neatly lined up.

It is here, basically in Farmer Lee's front yard that the tents and trappings of the festival take place. It seems fitting, almost like it's just a big ol' barbecue with a few hundred of your closest friends and some world famous chefs and culinary personalities thrown in. This year's headliners were Restaurant Impossible's, Robert Irvine, Top Chef Just Desserts', Johnny Iuzzini, BBC America's Clair Robinson, Madison Cowen from No Kitchen Required and Amanda Freitag from Chopped to lend it some sizzle.

Johnny Iuzzini, me, Lee, Clair Robinson

From celebrities to chefs, to volunteers, to sous chefs and students, whomever you are, here, the hospitality of this team of people is palpable. I was fortunate on this their 10th Anniversary to be invited into their home and really get a behind the scenes look at the back bone that supports this farm: The Jones Family. On that topic, I must digress and tell a story which summed up my day with this family and team.

We have all heard the phrases, 'out of the mouths of babes' and 'everything has its start at the head and trickles down." Well, as I prepared for the day, Lee offered his home as my base of operations covering the festival, and as it was a hot day, with my physical limitations, a place to rest and take a break from the festivities. As I got myself situated, behind the island in the kitchen was a cherub faced little girl, about 8 yrs old, with red curly hair, wearing a chef's coat that said "Chef's Garden.' She introduced herself as Mary Grace, Lee's granddaughter. I introduced myself as well and she asked if I would care for something to drink. I replied, "That would be nice, yes please." She then turned her back to me, took something out of her pocket and stood hunched for a few seconds. Then she whirled around and handed me a hand written list, on a small message sized paper on which she had written five or six items to choose from, such as Water, Juice, Coke, etc. I placed my order, which she wrote down on a separate piece of paper and then she proceeded to get my drink and serve it to me, asking, "Would you like anything else?" I said no, thanked her and handed her a dollar, eliciting a big grin, and polite thank you. I later heard that she was telling everyone who would listen about the experience. I guess it was a special to her as it was to me. This, my friends, embodies the spirit of every person I met over the course of this celebration. Warm, engaging, real and well, downright hospitable.

The Chef' Garden

Chef's Garden Herbs

As the direct connection to the chef, Lee leads the passionate team members at The Chef's Garden to continually excel beyond their own high standards in quality and service, in order to deliver the finest quality vegetables direct from Earth to Table® to the world's greatest culinarians. The Chef's Garden grows and innovates as a partnership between chefs and farmers. They grow what chefs want, often what is otherwise impossible to find. And they host hundreds of chefs at their farm each year, where those chefs‚ "can do R & D or get R & R," Jones explained, " at the Culinary Vegetable Institute, a retreat with culinary library, private kitchen, and Jacuzzi." He continued, "This is a really special place. I have seen and been part of many special moments here at CVI. My dad envisioned it as a place where chefs and culinarians could come and reconnect with the land, the

Clair Robinson, Johnny Iuzzini, Madison Cowen

ingredients, with their passion for cooking and food again. So we built these kitchens and a chefs suite along with a suite downstairs for the chef's sous chefs and team and it's become almost like a retreat house for chefs. One experience I remember in particular," he smiled before continuing,"because it was so special to my Dad, was when we first opened. We were seeking help getting the word out, Charlie Trotter, who is a dear friend and has supported us from the beginning by telling other chefs about us, arranged a dinner with all of us here and Ferran Adria. My dad was just thrilled. We have had a lot of well known chefs come through here. For instance Grant Achatz came and spent quite a few days here, working on new menus and dishes with his team."

The Culinary Vegetable Institute
Sitting on approximately 100 acres, the Institute includes a 1,500 square foot state-of-the-art two story Kitchen designed by Mark Stech-Novak with full audio-visual capabilities for demonstrations; a 1426 square foot Dining Room with 22 foot ceilings (capable of seating 90); an Executive Chef Suite with luxury amenities; accommodations for visiting chefs’ teams; a Culinary Library; Root Cellar, Wine Cellar and it also includes an experimental vegetable, forest and herb gardens.

Chefs’ Haven:
Visiting chefs can utilize the CVI’s facilities and gardens for educational, team building and retreat purposes. With the farm nearby, chefs can experience The Chef’s Garden planting and harvesting methods, pick vegetables themselves and return to the CVI for relaxation or to experiment in the kitchen. Today, the CVI continues its commitment to its chefs, but they have also opened their doors to the community by sharing their facility with corporations, organizations and people who seek a unique venue for the finest in agri-culinary experiences. For more information, visit CVI's website here.

Veggie U

The sharp increase in childhood obesity and diabetes in our nation is nothing short of alarming. It's clear the majority of children today have little or no connection to the food they eat, where it comes from and how it impacts their health. This reality prompted Bob Jones and his wife Barb – along with chefs, nutritionists, doctors, educators and volunteers -- to create and launch the Veggie U program. Since 2003, Veggie U has been committed to changing these trends by reaching out to teachers and children across the country. Located in Milan, Ohio, Veggie U is a national not-for-profit organization that offers an Earth to Table™ science curriculum to fourth grade and special needs classrooms. Their goal is to place this exciting hands-on curriculum in all 93,000 fourth grade classrooms nationwide in an effort to decrease childhood disease and increase youth awareness of healthy food options and the importance of sustainable agriculture. Healthy kids also learn better and become more active contributing members to their families and communities.

Veggie U's Earth to Table™ curriculum recognizes that children would greatly benefit from understanding the connection between what they consume and how that food is grown. Educating children in an engaging, experiential way helps them to learn. Veggie U's science-based program offers a hands-on seed-to-planting-to-harvest experience. A complete grow kit is provided along with a comprehensive teacher's manual written to cover state and national 4th grade science standards. The benchmarks for these standards are included at the beginning of each lesson so that teachers can integrate them into existing curriculum.

Robert Irvine cooks with Veggie U kids

In addition to a hands-on, scientific approach to learning about plants and their components, the Veggie U curriculum incorporates extensive journal activities, mathematics, language arts and fine arts, providing an interactive and enjoyable way for students to study these core concepts. The classroom lessons include studies of soil, composting, planting, nutrition and plant anatomy. The students also care for a worm farm, raise a mini "crop", and celebrate the end of the program with a vegetable Feast Day. Veggie U has delivered more than 1800 classroom kits across 26 states. To learn more about Veggie U, visit the Veggie U website.

As we got ready for the start of the day's festivities, heading out of our cozy space high atop the CVI kitchens into the throngs waiting to greet Lee, he turned to me with an after thought, "Ya know," he smiled putting his arm around my shoulders as we walked, "it's a great place. We have a wonderful team that's dedicated and who keep me going. I can't let them and all the kids down. And, based upon the outpouring from chefs and the culinary establishment, we're blessed to have so many folks who understand our vision. The Farm and these Veggie U Celebrations, as well as our little piece of the earth out here has become world reknown. Pretty cool." I would have to agree, Lee, pretty cool indeed. This place and these people have a new fan and new member of the family and I am blessed and glad to be a part of it. I hope you enjoyed a look at this enigmatic man and his Chef's Garden family. It was my pleasure and I look forward to next year's event and bringing you more of the adventures of Farmer Lee Jones...international man of mystery, intrigue, bow-ties...and squash blossoms.

As always, bon appetit,

Lou

Sources; The Chef’s Garden, Farmer Lee Jones, The Jones Family, ulterior epicure

Mushrooms...Glorious Mushrooms...

2012-08-06T11:09:00.000-04:00

Did you ever wonder how and why certain foods became classified as edible? For instance, who was it that first decided they would try milking a cow after watching a newborn calf suckle, reaching under, squeezing out a bit of milk from an udder and then deciding to taste it? Now that's a 'foodie!' We have many brave pioneers to thank for paving the way for the plethora of culinary excursions and delights we now enjoy.

Well, I've always wondered the same about mushrooms. After all, it is a fungus, usually found growing on or under tree roots. And, only certain ones are edible, with some psilocybic types, or 'Shrooms,' sending anyone who eats them on a psychedelic trip into mind numbing hallucinations. It has long been held that Alice's trip through the looking glass started with a mushroom. "Go ask Alice....when she's ten feet tall."

Yet others are so toxic and deadly, they can kill you with just one nibble. How did they find the edible ones? For instance, back in Egypt, who drew the short straw when, upon finding this little darling growing on a tree stump, they all looked at each other and said, "Who, me? No way! Pharaoh schmaroh, I'm not putting that in my mouth!" Did they try them on 'subjects?' Was there a checklist, so that when Harry, the tester, dropped dead after eating this new variety brought in from the forest, we documented it? Talk about a position with no job security.

Whatever the reason for trying them, thank God someone had the courage to eat these little beauties, transforming them into the well loved staple of stews, soups, and the now many and diverse applications, from liqueurs to dusts, that we all enjoy today.

What I found amazing in my research was that, most people think of a mushroom as the fungi, when it actuality it is the 'fruit' of the fungi. The mycelium , the main body, is subterranean, or lives on dead trees and living tree roots and it can vary in size from a few inches to several miles wide! When they absorb a large amount of water, they can grow amazingly fast and their fruits sprout out of the ground overnight. Have you ever woken up, gone to get the paper and gazed out at your front lawn after a good soaking rain only to be confronted with an invasion of mushrooms that have miraculously appeared overnight? Well, they were there all along! You can put that mystery to bed...I know it's been bugging you....Now you know.

These little fruits, mushrooms, are the delicacies that we humans enjoy. There are over two thousand types of mushrooms, but only 2 ½ - 5 % are edible. The rest are highly poisonous and can masquerade as the edible ones, which is why if you are going to try your hand at foraging for wild mushrooms, make sure you do it with someone who is qualified in distinguishing the real deal from the pretenders. It's a risky and sometimes fatal

Amanitas

business. Who would of thought of mushroom foraging as a "Deadliest Job?"

Some 'shrooms' contain enough toxins to immediately kill the person who eats them, like the Amanitas strain. Historical records reveal that Claudius II and Pope Clement VII were both killed by enemies who poisoned them with this deadly variety. Buddha died, according to legend, from a mushroom that grew underground. Buddha was given the mushroom by a peasant who believed it to be a delicacy.

Mushroom Facts

Mycophagy is the act of consuming mushrooms and dates to ancient times.
Mushrooms have been an essential in Chinese medicine for centuries, containing vitamins B, C and D. They are known to lower both blood pressure and serum cholesterol.
City of Hope, a cancer research facility, has suggested that mushrooms may help prevent cancer.
The living body of the fungus is a mycelium made out of a web of tiny filaments called hyphae. The mycelium is usually hidden in the soil, in wood, or another food source.
A mycelium may be small enough to fill a single ant or large enough to cover many acres.
The branching hyphae can add over a half mile (1 kilometer) of total length to the mycelium each day!
These webs live unseen until they develop mushrooms, puffballs, truffles, brackets, cups, “bird’s nests,” “corals” or other fruiting bodies.
Mushrooms grow from spores, not seeds, and a single mature mushroom will drop as many as 16 billion spores!
Some of the oldest living mushroom colonies are fairy rings ---> growing around the famous Stonehenge ruins in England. The rings are so large that the best view of them is from a plane.

Mushrooms through the ages....

Dancing Shaman.

Man's use of mushrooms extends back to Paleolithic times and for the most part it seems that the first uses for this fungi was medicinal and spiritual. They played pivotal roles in ancient Greece, India and Mesoamerica. The oldest archaeological of mushroom use discovered so far is probably a Tassili image from a cave which dates back 3,500 years before the birth of Christ. The artist's intent is clear. Mushrooms with electrified auras are depicted outlining a dancing shaman.

In the winter of 1991, hikers in the Italian Alps came across the well preserved remains of a man who died over 5,300 years ago, approximately 200 years later than the Tassili cave artist. Dubbed the "Iceman" by the news media, he was well equipped with a knapsack, flint axe, a string of dried Birch Polypores (Piptoporus betulinus) and another yet unidentified mushroom. The polypores can be used as tinder for starting fires and as medicine for treating wounds. Further, a rich tea with immuno-enhancing properties can be prepared by boiling these mushrooms. Equipped for traversing the wilderness, this intrepid adventurer had discovered the value of the noble polypores. Even today, this knowledge can be life-saving for anyone astray in the wilderness.

Mushrooms, the plant of immortality? That’s what ancient Egyptians believed according to the Hieroglyphics of 4600 years ago. The delicious flavor of mushrooms intrigued the pharaohs of Egypt so much that they decreed that mushrooms were food for royalty and that no commoner could ever touch them. This assured themselves the entire supply of mushrooms. In various other civilizations throughout the world including Russia, China, Greece, Mexico and Latin America, mushroom rituals were practiced. Many believed that mushrooms had properties that could produce super-human strength, help in finding lost objects and lead the soul to the realm of the gods.

Mushroom Varieties

Black Trumpet
Color can vary from purply-gray to death-like black. Lily shaped, thin flesh, delicate taste. Available fresh fall through spring.

Button
Bland taste compared to other mushrooms. Available fresh year round.

Cepe/Porcini
Also called Polish, Porcini or King Bolete. Bulbous stem with brown, rounded cap. Rich, musty flavor and very perishable. Available fresh in fall, dried and frozen year round.

Chanterelle
Curved trumpet or vase shape, color varies from bright orange to apricot gold. Some say it imparts the smell of apricots. Available fresh during fall and winter, dried year round.

Cremini
Cremini, Button and Portabellas are related. Cremini looks like a button, but is a bit larger with a brown cap. When growth is unchecked, it becomes a Portabella with more complex flavor and texture.

Enoki
Dainty, Q-Tip shaped. Cultivated and available fresh year round.

Hedgehog
Squash colored and slightly bitter tasting. Substitute for Chanterelles. Trim stems. Hedgehogs have small “teeth” on gills and break off in other foods, leaving gold flecks.

Matsutake
Also called Pine mushroom. Spicy, woody flavor. Available fresh in fall.

Morel
Spongy looking but hollow. Color is tan to dark brown. Intense, earthy flavor. Available fresh in spring, dried year round.

Oyster
Cultivated, fan-shaped. Color varies from light tan to gray. Mild flavor. Available fresh year round.

Shitake
Also called Chinese, Black Forest or Oak mushrooms. Chocolate brown, fibrous, woody stems. Available fresh and dried year round.

Wood-ear
Rubbery texture, flat, woodsy aroma. Imported from China. Available dried year round.

Yellowfoot
Fragrant member of Chanterelle family. Gray-brown color with muted gold stem. High water content.

Earth's Largest living Organism...The Honey Mushroom
People have known about the "honey mushroom" for some time, but were not aware of how large and invasive this species of fungus could be. The fungus was investigated more closely by researchers when they realized that it was responsible for killing large groves of evergreen trees. When foresters cut into an infected tree they would find spreading white filaments, mycelia, which draw water and carbohydrates from the tree to feed the fungus.

Researchers collected samples of the fungus from a widespread area and analyzed the DNA. A large sample of the specimens they collected turned out to be from a single organism. Until August of 2000 it was thought that the largest living organism was a fungus of the same species (Armillaria ostoyae) that covered 1,500 acres (600 hectares) found living in the state of Washington.

Mycology experts surmised that if an Armillaria that large could be found in Washington, then perhaps one just as large could be responsible for the trees dying in the Malheur National Forest in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. Researchers were astonished at the sheer magnitude of the find. This most recent find was estimated to cover over 2,200 acres (890 hectares) and be at least 2,400 years old, possibly older.

To go into the forest where this giant makes its home you would not look at it and see a huge, looming mushroom. Armillaria grows and spreads primarily underground and the sheer bulk of this organism lies in the earth, out of sight. Occasionally, during the fall season, this specimen will send up golden-colored "honey mushrooms" that are the visible evidence of its hulking mass beneath. Scientists have not yet begun to attempt to estimate the weight of this specimen of Armillaria.

Well there you have it, musahrooms in all thier glorious forms. Hope you enjoyed it. After all. what's a little fungus among friends,?

Bon Appetit,

Lou
Sources: www.stayinpiedmont.com, www.chekyang.com, www.wikipedia.org, www.edupic.net,www.lifeinitaly.com, www.ehow.com, www.mushroom-appreciation.com, www.lemdell.com.au, www.groundtruthtrekking.org, www.foodists.ca,w ww.foodsnherbs.com, www.naturesbounty.com, http://tinyurl.com/c646hnd

Chef Michael Colletti: The Whitehouse, Wutang & Grilled Octopus...a recipe for success....

2012-08-01T12:31:00.004-04:00

Chef Michael Colletti began his culinary journey at a young age growing up watching his grandparents and father, who migrated from Sicily, preparing the family recipes with home grown ingredients. Delicacies, such as figs, cardoons and persimmons. He remembers, "I was always in the kitchen with my grandmother or my father, or in the garden with my grandfather. You know it's funny, we ate back then the way people are eating now, farm to table. Whatever my grandfather was growing, or whatever was in season, that's what we ate. At Easter, my grandfather would be in the basement butchering a goat to breakdown for Easter dinner. I always had a love for food and culture and of course, eating," he laughs.

Michael's first culinary job was into the family business. His father owned a bagel shop and he studied bagel-making at his father’s side, also doubling as a short order cook. He then learned more about the hospitality business at his cousin's pizzeria, Villa Borghese. The discovery of his natural palate and affinity for cooking led him to attend the Culinary Education Center in Asbury Park, NJ.

I asked him what led him to the Asbury Park school. He stated, "Well, I applied and was accepted at Johnston & Wales, but just before I started school my dad passed away and I just couldn't leave my mom all alone, "he remembered, "I transferred to the Education Center in Asbury Park so I could stay at home and be there for her. Once I got out in the work force, I realized, after having worked alongside those who attended so called 'more formal' culinary schools, we all learn the same basics, no matter the school. And truly, school only teaches you the basics, we chefs all learn by getting on the line at a busy restaurant and getting our asses kicked."

"My first real restaurant gig outside the pizzeria,' he explained, "was a restaurant called Aqua in Bound Brook. I was basically moving from station to station. I then moved myself up to Sous Chef. Brian Walter was the head chef, he had just come from Le Cirque, and we received 4 stars from the Star Ledger. We did great Italian food with French technique. All homemade pasta, super seasonal, super fresh." I asked him what was the biggest thing he learned from his first true commercial kitchen. He answered immediately, "Speed and organization." I then asked him what surprised him the most going from his cousin's pizzeria kitchen to Aqua. "Doing 200 covers and having to get the food out." he laughed, "You were responsible for your station and you needed to be on your game and get your food out. But, it prepared me for for my next gig, so it was a good first experience."

From Aqua, Colletti then moved on to work with New York restaurant icon Sirio Maccioni of the world renowned Le Cirque. Not bad for a young chef's second gig. He expounded on the experience of working in the high profile restaurant's kitchen. "At Le Cirque, it was a bit more slow paced, but much more exacting with regard to technique and presentation. I learned a lot about the science behind food and it made me more detailed. Sirio is old school, so I learned about the tried and true ways to prepare food. It was there that I met Spike Mendelsohn. We worked side by side and really got along well. Spike decided to move on to a new restaurant being opened by Drew Nieporent and Michael Bao, Mai House, also in NYC."

He explains, "I did not really know much about Vietnamese cuisine and I thought, you know, always thinking of building up my resume and experience as a chef, that this would be a great opportunity to expand my knowledge." During Chef Colletti’s tenure as Chef de Cuisine at Mai House, the restaurant was awarded two stars by Frank Bruni of The New York Times and named among the Top 10 Best Restaurants in New York City by The New York Times. He spent more than two years at Mai House; during which Colletti traveled throughout Vietnam for several months to study the local food and culture and was chosen to guest chef at the 5-Star Renaissance Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He talked about the experience.

Chef Colletti's Day Boat Scallops

"When you go to any place, to cook like the locals and learn the why of the food, once you come back, you have such a better understanding of the cuisine and the culture, it broadens your base. When you are there, you see them making rice paper, you're going to that stall and you're learning. I was there for three months and it was almost overwhelming. You eat so much," he laughs, "cause you don't want to miss a bite." I asked him what was the most memorable experience being there. He responded, "The freshness! You're at a stand, eating clams that just came out of the water, right there on the beach. It's a total immersion into the everyday lives of these people and it all revolves around the freshest ingredients, the freshest food. And simple, not complicated. The food speaks for itself."

After five years in New York, he decided to join Mendelsohn in Washington D.C. at the Sunnyside Group. There he would play a vital role in the conceptualization of Chef Mendelsohn's restaurant, Good Stuff Eatery, located in Capitol Hill. He explained, "Spike's parents opened up a spot in DC and Spike asked me to join him. I was really into the conceptualization of the place. The decor, the menu building." During this time Spike gained national acclaim with his being on TV. With the national success of Good Stuff Eatery, Chef Colletti was invited to participate in Food Network’s 2009 Food & Wine Festival's “Rachel Ray Burger Bash,” in both Miami and New York, where he earned back-to-back victories for his creation of the “Colletti Smokehouse Burger." Food Network then invited Chef Mendelssohn and Chef Colletti to compete in an episode of Iron Chef America, where they would “Battle Prosciutto” versus Chef Michael Symon. The episode that aired in March 2010.

Chef Colletti was then given responsibility for opening and overseeing operations at the second Spike Mendelsohn venture, We, The Pizza, also in Capitol Hill. It became an instant sensation and within three months of opening was voted one of the “Top 50 Best Pizzerias in America” by USA TODAY.

First Lady Michelle Obama, a frequent visitor and supporter of both restaurants, requested Chef Colletti participate in preparing several White House luncheons serving the President and staff members. Through this affiliation, he became part of the “Lets Move!” campaign created by Mrs. Obama to combat childhood obesity. In addition, while living in Washington, D.C., Chef Colletti was proud to be involved with Horton’s Kids Foundation and D.C. Central Kitchen. As a result of his supportive efforts, Chef Colletti was asked to attend the 2011 Capitol Food Fight, in which he was awarded second place by celebrity chefs Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, Tom Colicchio and José Andrés.

After three successful years in Washington, D.C., he decided to move back to his home state of New Jersey to pursue his own restaurant vision with his cousins. The resulting collaboration is VB3 Restaurant and Bar located in Jersey City in The Monaco, a luxury apartment building on Jersey City's waterfront. Carrying on the important garden to table tradition of his family, the restaurant features Chef Colletti’s creative, Modern Seasonal Italian cuisine, based on family recipes using locally-sourced ingredients. "From the moment I decided to do this it was a blast," he said excitedly. "My own concepts, my own menu, falling back on my roots and my heritage. Taking the old Italian classics and making them into this modern cuisine, using French techniques." He continued. "I was thrilled to be back in NJ. It's my home. Friends and family are here. My roots."

About the VB3 direction and concept he told me, "We spent a lot of time figuring out the concept," he continued, "what the area needed. We decided on serious food with serious nightlife. VB3 has 80 seats in the dining room and 30 at the bar. We're open till 3AM Monday through Sunday, so our philosophy is; 'Come for the Food...Stay for the Party.' It's a very relaxed atmosphere, not stuffy at all, but with incredible food coming out of the kitchen. Most patrons are quite surprised, but that's a good thing. The menu is seasonal and focused on local, fresh farm to table ingredients. It (the menu) speaks for my cooking style. At the same time it has to be accessible to the main stream dining public. We're flanked by two hotels, so while I'm doing fresh, exciting interpretations of classic dishes, it's still recognizable to what we all know as comfort food."

Actually friends, take my word for it, it's amazing.

Bon Appetit,

Lou

Dinner in the Garden...a special moment in time.

2012-07-28T13:05:00.004-04:00

There are moments when it truly dawns on me how lucky I am to do what I do. A while ago, I attended a 'Dinner in the Garden" and it was a smashing success. What a spectacular setting for a five star wine dinner. On tap for the evening was an intimate line up of some stellar chefs, who wowed us with fresh, hours, if not minutes before picked, produce and sustainable organic ingredients, delivering a meal that was an experience to remember.

With a backdrop of rows of fresh greens and herbs, it wasn't just the jazz trio sending out smooth cool vibes across the field, or the perfect weather the evening produced. It wasn't the sunset, bathing the greenhouse and guests with warm sunshine, or the guests dressed for an evening in the field, mingling, picking and tasting fresh herbs. It wasn't even the spectacular meal, served in fine style by a bow-tied waitstaff. Nor was it the seeing of friends and sharing a glass of bubbly. Now I realized as I stood in the midst of the garden, wine glass in hand, having stopped to take in the scene before me, that it was all those things combined together at this one place and time that had created what was almost a perfect experience. One of those unforgettable culinary moments that we foodies live for.

My gift on this evening, aside from spending quality time with good friends in such a wonderful setting, was that somehow fate had allowed me to glimpse the uniqueness of the moment and see it while I was in it. You know what I mean, one of those moments in time that we usually say to ourselves in hindsight, "I wish I was aware at the time how special that moment was." Too often we are so busy looking ahead to the next thing on our schedule that we forget to take the time to appreciate the 'moment' when it happens.

Friends, if you have been reading me for any length of time, you know that life has thrown me some curves, as I'm sure it has you as well. While I am no expert and can't tell you what to do, I can give my advice at what not to do. For all our planning, stressing and worrying about what the future may bring, I have learned one thing; no one is promised tomorrow. Don't miss the moment you are in. This very moment. You see, I'm sure all of you, like me. have too many times taken our adventures and our experiences for granted. Make sure you are cognizant of that special moment, in that special place, with someone, or a group of someones, sharing a meal and making memories.

I have concentrated my world around social cuisine because I am very fortunate to have a friend who opened my eyes to what a common denominator food truly is to human relationships. I believe it is the unifier that binds us all. Sharing a meal with friends is so much more than just eating great food and enjoying fine wine. Somehow, a shared meal is the perfect vehicle for a connection between friends, family, or even strangers. It is why I am so passionate and fortunate to share my culinary journeys with you. I'm sure all of us can remember times, when dining, that you've engaged perfect strangers in conversation. See, it seems no matter our ethnic or cultural differences, we all remember the dumplings our moms made. Or that special dessert. Or simply the act of sitting at a table with those you care about, sharing a meal. It is a truly powerful experience. Social, yet intimate all at once.

Throughout history, throughout cultures, the meal is the one constant that opens the discourse, bridges the gap, connecting rather than dividing us. The dinner table is where treaties were written, alliances made, scholarly discourse engaged in. Ideas that changed the world, in most cases, happened at a dinner table, or at a campfire, over a meal. For most now though, eating has become just a means of sustenance. Fuel. In the busy scurry of life, sometimes we forget what a meal with family and friends can do for us, both spiritually and emotionally.

Don't you love meeting a friend for coffee, or a bite for lunch, or dinner. We look forward to it. We text what time and where we are and we always feel better for it. We share pictures of our meals on twitter, facebook, and YouTube... food is the one thing we all share equally. Look around, see all those people on cell phones, trying to stay 'connected?' How connected do you feel when you share a meal with someone? For those of us that are fortunate enough to realize this, sitting at the dinner table with friends and loved ones has never been about the act of eating. Whether fine dining or casual, it is never about what we were eating. It was where and with whom. That is always first and foremost.

As a self titled gourmet, as my palette has become more sophisticated, I'll admit, I now care very much what I'm eating, especially with friends. However, I'm comfortable in the fact that my predilection for fine, or simple quality cuisine just makes the social act of sharing a meal more enjoyable and meaningful. So, the next time you want to connect, re-connect, apologize, congratulate, or just shoot the breeze, do it over a meal. Life becomes so much more civil with shared experiences. And make sure you don't miss the moment. Revel in the laughter, the camaraderie, the connection. Look around the table, realize and appreciate those you are sharing that moment with and know, this moment actually is special.

As always, Bon Appetit

Lou

How do you do? I'm fond of Fondue. How about you? Do you like fondue too? (props to Dr. Seuss!)

2012-07-23T13:03:00.001-04:00

Good friends, sitting around a table laughing, creating memories and enjoying the communal bond that comes with sharing a meal. It's special.

Though this was not the impetus for the creation of fondue, when introduced to America, that is indeed what happened. In the Sixties and Seventies, fondue parties were all the rage.In the Eighties and Nineties, we 'Boomers' became 'too cool' to do fondue.That was our mother's and father's generation. Beehive hairdos, polyester leisure suits, platform shoes.

Happily though, in recent years, in America, fondue is making a comeback. There is even a restaurant chain dedicated to the concept. In its country of origin, Switzerland, it remains a staple of Swiss cuisine and throughout the world there are many different forms and versions.. From traditional cheese fondue, to the chocolate decadence of dessert fondue, to the actual cooking of meats in a pot of oil or broth, fondue continues to be a fun way to share a meal with friends and family. Personally I am very fond of fondue. I have been known to make it just for myself. Come along with me as we take a look at fondue and its origins, then go out get yourself a fondue set and have a party. Just don't forget to invite me. I can never get enough!

History

This warm cheese dish originated in Switzerland and more specifically, in the Canton of Neuchatel. The dish consists of at least two varieties of cheeses that are melted with wine and a bit of flour and served communally out of pot called a "caquelon." Long forks are used by each guest to spear a cube of bread then the bread is dipped into the cheese and eaten.

Fondue dates back to the 18th century when both cheese and wine were important industries in Switzerland. This simple to prepare meal utilized ingredients that were found in most average homes. French gastronome Brillat-Savarin mentioned fondue in his 19th century writings. However, fondue really hit its heyday in 1952, when Chef Konrad Egli, of New York's Chalet Swiss Restaurant, introduced a fondue method of cooking meat cubes in hot oil.

Swiss communal fondue arose many centuries ago as a result of food preservation methods. The Swiss food staples bread and raclette-like cheese made in summer and fall were meant to last throughout the winter months. The bread aged, dried out and became so tough it was sometimes chopped with an axe. The stored cheese also became very hard, but when mixed with wine (You see! Everything is better with wine!) and heated, it softened into a thick sauce. During Switzerland's long, cold winters, some families and extended roups would gather about a large pot of cheese set over the fire and dip wood-hard bits of bread, which quickly became edible.

As Switzerland industrialized, wine and cheese producers encouraged the dish's popularity. By the 20th century, many Swiss cantons and even towns had their own local varieties and recipes based on locally available cheeses, wines and other ingredients. During the 1950s, a slowing cheese industry in Switzerland widely promoted fondue, since one person could easily eat half a pound of melted cheese in one sitting. In 1955 the first pre-mixed "instant" fondue was brought to market. Fondue became very popular in the United States during the mid-1960s after American tourists discovered it in Switzerland and through Chef Egli.

The Swiss Tradition
Each component of a traditional Swiss fondue plays an important role. "Traditional" Swiss style fondue is a combination of two cheeses, Gruyere and Emmenthaler. These two cheeses are combined because each cheese alone would produce a mixture that was either too sharp or too bland. The cheeses are most commonly melted in a dry white wine which helps to keep the cheese from the direct heat as it melts as well as to add flavor. Anyone from Switzerland will tell you, "Making fondue without wine is not actually fondue, it's just melted cheese." The Kirsch (a clear cherry brandy) was added if the cheese itself was too young to produce the desired tartness. The garlic was for additional flavoring, while the flour or cornstarch assists in keeping the cheese from separating.

The Traditional Pot (Caquelon)

The traditional fondue pot is called a "caquelon" or "câclon" and is made of a heavy earthenware. Other variations include glazed, ceramic or enameled iron. All variations are heavy, to help promote even heat distribution and heat retention. The fondue is heated on your cook-top in the caquelon over low to medium heat then transferred to the table and placed over an alcohol burner or a hot plate.

Etiquette

Given fondue is a "communal" meal, there are a few basic guidelines to follow. To eat cheese fondue, spear a piece of bread using a fondue fork and dip it into the pot. Twirl the bread cube gently in the cheese to coat it. You'll want to let the bread drip a bit before you put it in your mouth. This will allow the excess to drip back in the pot and also allow time for cooling. When you put the bread in your mouth try not to touch the fork with your lips or tongue because the fork does go back in the pot. We suggest always using a dining fork to slide the bread off the fondue fork then eating it with the dining fork. To eat meat fondue, spear a piece of meat and plunge it in the hot oil. Allow it to sit until the meat is cooked to your liking. Remove the fork and place it on your plate. Use your dining fork to slide the meat off the fondue fork. Also use your dining fork to dip the meat in the sauce as desired.

A "no double-dipping" rule also has sway: After a dipped morsel has been tasted it should never be returned to the pot or dipping sauce. In longstanding Swiss tradition, if a nugget of bread is lost in the cheese by a man, he buys a bottle of wine and if such a thing happens to befall a woman, she kisses the man on her left. Lately, rather more humorous twists on this have shown up in Switzerland such as young diners diving into the snow whilst clad only in underwear. Children will sometimes fight over the cracker-like la religieuse left at the bottom of the emptied caquelon.

The Bread
A baguette works very well although any crusty French or Italian style breads will do. When you slice the bread, make sure that each piece includes a bit of the crust. This crust helps keep the bread on the fork after it is placed in the cheese.

Recipes

Three-Cheese Fondue with Champagne
Yield: Makes 2 servings
Ingredients
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 7 ounces)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 cups dry (brut) Champagne
1 large shallot, chopped 1/3 cups grated Emmenthal cheese (about 5 ounces)
1/2 cup diced rind-less Brie or Camembert cheese (about 3 ounces)
Generous pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground white pepper
1 French-bread baguette, crust left on, bread cut into 1-inch cubes

Method
Stir cornstarch and lemon juice in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves; set aside. Combine Champagne and shallot in fondue pot or heavy medium saucepan; simmer over medium heat 2 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Add all cheeses and stir to combine. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Return fondue pot to medium heat and stir until cheeses are melted and smooth and fondue thickens and boils, about 12 minutes. Season fondue with nutmeg and white pepper. Place over candle or canned heat burner to keep warm. Serve with bread cubes.

Dessert Fondue
Dessert fondues became very popular in the 1970's. Chocolate fondue was a favorite used for dipping ripe fruits such as bananas, strawberries and tangerines. Some recipes suggest dipping some cubes of angel food cake as well. Other dessert fondues include caramel, coconut and marshmallow.

White Chocolate Fondue
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 packages (12 ounces each) premier white morsels,

Dippers
Fresh fruits - bananas, strawberries, grapes, tangerines, pears, apples, raspberries. Fresh fruit should be ripe but still firm enough to not dissolve while dipping.
Dried fruit - apricots, dates, figs
Cakes or cookies - Bite sized pieces of angel food cake, pound cake, lady fingers or crisp biscotti

Method
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine cream and butter. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add white morsels. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool slightly. Transfer to a fondue pot, chafing dish, or ceramic bowl. Serve with apples, bananas, strawberries, cookies, pretzels, and pound cake.

Other Fondue Styles

Broth or Bouillon
Shabu Shabu is the Japanese version of fondue using vegetable broth or boullion. This makes a lighter, less caloric meal than the cheese or hot oil versions. Potatoes as well as other vegetables or small bits of seafood are cooked in the simmering pot of broth.

Fonduta
Fonduta is an Italian dish similar to Fondue made with Fontina cheese and egg yolks.

Fondue Bourguignonne
Also referred to as Beef Fondue. A mixture of half butter and half cooking oil is combined and heated in a cast iron or enamel fondue pot. Small pieces of lean meat and vegetables are speared and cooked in the hot oil. It is particularly important to use a stable fondue pot for this type of fondue.

Bagna Cauda
This is a wonderful dish from the Piedmonte region of Italy. The name comes from bagno caldo which means "hot bath". It is made by combining butter, olive oil, garlic and anchovies. The mixture is heated and guests use wooden skewers or fondue forks to spear a variety of fresh vegetables, meats and seafood which are dipped and warmed.

KaasDoop

This is a Dutch dish (cheese dip) similar to the Italian style fonduta.

I've only one more suggestion: If you decide to have your own Fondue party....make sure I get an invite!!! Thanks for taking the dip into Fondue with me...

Bon Appetit,

Lou

Spanish Wines

2012-07-03T11:09:00.000-04:00

Most people are quite surprised to hear that Spain has the largest amount of wine producing acreage of any country in the world. I know I was. My guess as to why this fact might not be so well known is probably because, when we measure the total volume of actual wine produced per country, it ranks third on the list behind Italy and France. Most experts are inclined to agree that this is most likely due to the geography. As we discovered in another article here this month, Spain is the second most mountainous country in Europe behind Switzerland, another thing most might not know. Don't you just love it when you learn something at the same time you' re enjoying yourself?

The History

Because the culture of Spain is such that it has been influenced by centuries of invasion and the subsequent insertion of foreign customs, Txomin Etxaniz Vineyard in Getaria foods and beliefs, today's Spain is a vibrant and alive country with many diverse sides.

That said, I'd like to give you a brief glimpse into how Spain came to be the wine producer it is. Keep in mind though, that a good many things we understand about the culinary side of this nation are intertwined. For example, cheeses are developed specifically to go with age old wine traditions and the same can be said in in the opposite order.

First, let's talk grapes. Some were cultivated between 4000 and 3000 BC, long before the wine culture of the Phoenicians came to Cadiz around 1100 BC. After that it was the Carthaginians. When the Greeks came in 700 BC, they introduced the culture of extensive vineyards. A few centuries later the Romans developed viticulture in the country further and following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Visigoth invaded Spain and wine production went into decline. Later, the Arab conquerors tolerated wine production without actually encouraging it. That is eight, uniquely disparate countries and cultures over a 4000 year span, if you count the indigenous population. But wait... there's more..

The Moors were subsequently defeated and Christians took over. With colonization, Spain developed markets in its South American colonies, as well as, wine trade with England. The 17th and 18th centuries saw the growth of popularity with Sherry, Malaga and Rioja wine. The end of the 19th century saw the emergence of Spanish sparkling wines, with Cava in Cataloña. Then came the beginning of the Denominación de Origen system (D.O.) first developed in Rioja in 1926.

The Spanish Civil War in the 50s, saw many vineyards neglected or destroyed, but the final political stability created new export opportunities for bulk wine. This facilitated the creation of many cooperatives. Sherry was rediscovered in the 60s, while Rioja wines were again in demand from foreign markets. Gradually, Spain has moved from producing low quality bulk wines, to focusing on top shelf, quality wines.

The D.O. system was revised in 1970 and now has similarities with the French and Italian systems. In 2007, there were 67 D.O.'s. in Spain. The Spanish have also addeed a top class of D.O., the Denominación de Origen Calificada. This status is given only to D.O.'s that have a consistent track record of quality. There are two D.O.C.; Rioja and Priorat.

So as you can see, Spain's food, wines and attitude have all been shaped over the centuries into a melding of the culture you have today. It explains quite a bit as you start to delve into the nation, its culture and its cuisine. To really get an understanding of a country and its people, you have to think, eat and drink like they do. I wholeheartedly agree. To find out more about the regions and culinary history of Spain, check out Spain...A Culinary Day in the Life. Lastly, no discussion about wine in Spain would be complete without talking about the time honored tradition of drinking out of the Porron.

El Porron

From Wikpedia: "Porron (Catalan: porró) is a traditional glass wine pitcher, typical of Catalonia, but famous throughout Spain. It resembles a cross between a wine bottle and a watering can. The top of the bottle is narrow and can be sealed off with a cork. Stemming upwards from the bottom of the pitcher is a spout that gradually tapers off to a small opening. It is shaped such that the wine stored inside it will have minimal contact with the air, while being ready to be used at all times. The idea originated as a replacement to Bota bags. Porrons are most commonly filled with regular wines, either white or red, but are also used to drink Cava. A smaller version, filled with dessert sweet wine, is common in Catalan restaurants."

Now that we have covered a brief history of the country's wine making origins, rather than give you a huge list of wines, I have chosen three outstanding D.O.'s for you to try and enjoy.

Bodegas Bleda, Murcia
The Winery
Bodegas Bleda is a family owned bodega that was established in 1935. It was one of the very first bodegas to individually bottle wine in this region, where until the 1980's was primarily used to produce bulk table wines. It is also one of the most important and historic Bodegas. Its ever-increasing presence in various reference guides and awards in international competitions are Christopher Gilar of Bodegas Bleda testimony to the quality and focus of this bodega, and the success of their extensive regional grape varietals - primarily the Monastrell (or Mourvédre in French). Their wines are bottled and aged under the most modern and technologically advanced conditions in line with the new Jumilla, while maintaining the long traditions of the bodega.

The Wine
DIVUS
Current Vintage: 2005
Grapes: 95% Monastrell, 5% Merlot
PRODUCTION NOTES
The grapes come from 50 year-old vineyards of Monastrell 95% and Merlot 5%, hand selected and harvested during the first week of October 2005. There is a long maceration of the skin for 21 days. Crianza of the wine: in new French oak barrels (Allier) during nine months.
TASTING
Very intense and deep cherry red color. Nose of intense blackberry, blackcurrant and light anis, with a pleasant vanilla note of elegant Allier wood. In the mouth it is tasty, rich and with balsamic notes. Meaty, fresh and balanced structure, very powerful with good acidity and noble with well-joined tannins integrated with wood. Ample and persistent finish with tobacco & toasted notes and bright retro nasal aroma.

The Bodegas Berceo of Rioja
The Winery
Bodegas Gurpegui Muga was formed nearly one and a half centuries ago, where the first member of the Gurpegui family inspired the creation of what is today, one of the most important wine producing grupos in Spain. The respect for inherited tradition and a deep love of wine are still recognized as the prominent features of their identity.

Bodegas Berceo is the oldest and most historical bodega of the group located in Haro (Rioja Alavesa) on the historical street of Cuevas de Haro, and was established in 1872. One of two bodegas located within the actual municipality, they originally located the bodega on the side of town with the steepest incline, as it was one of the first to use the gravitation process advantage to produce wine, which at the time, was considered a revolutionary technology. It is still functional to this day (but not used for production). In the old cellars and ancient facilities of Bodegas Berceo, the traditions of old live side-by-side with the most innovative wine production systems, such as the new Luis Gurpegui Muga Bodega, a splendid 21st century building incorporating the latest wine-making technologies, located at the edge of the Navarra region which borders Rioja Alavesa. Today, they are part of a Riojan group called Grupo Gurpegui Muga, which utilize a wide variety of wine-producing estates in a number of areas. The Bodegas Berceo of Rioja and Luis Gurpegui Muga of Navarra wines are highly respected and well established in the Spanish and international markets, along with continuing international accolades and recognition.
The Wine
GONZALO de BERCEO RESERVA
Current Vintage: 2001
Grapes: Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo
PRODUCTION NOTES
The bunches were hand picked, whole, clean and leaf free. Vinification was carried out with the traditional fermentation method, not exceeding 28 °C during the first fermentation. After a very light sulphite process, skins were cleared from the must at a denisty of 995 gr/L, completing afterwards malolactic fermentation. Once completed, a further sulphite process was carried out at 2 fr/hl, after which the aging process began, keeping the wine in oak barrels (both French and American) for at least 1 year. The wine was then filtered and cold stabilized at -5 °C, prior to bottling.
TASTING
Clean and brilliant ruby red color.
Perfect balance between the vanilla and spices from the oak and plumy, red berry fruit aromas. Smooth, well rounded, good backbone and a long, persistent finish, with nice, well integrated acidity which will help keep the wine, improving for a further 3 to 4 years.

Adega Almirante, Rias Baixas
The Winery
The birth of Albariño and its relation to Portas dates historically back to the XII Century above the river Umia, which ends in Portas, about one-third of the way between Pontevedra and Santiago de Compostela. Adega Almirante in a very short time, has become one of the most important bodegas (Adegas) in Rias Baixas. Located in the borough of Portas within the province of Caldas de Reis, which is located in the northern portion of Val de Salnés. This is the closest Albariño region to the Atlantic west, allowing for a later harvest and increased grape maturity. The over 35 hectares of vines are owned by the five principal owners of Adegas Almirante. Therefore the quality of the grapes and reputation of the wines are controlled by the owners. This quality is evident as reflected in the new state of the art facility and growing techniques, which is resulting in the rapid success of their Albariños locally, and now, internationally. The late harvest maceration provides the wines with brilliant color, freshness, elegance, and intense flavors.
The Wine
MACCERATO
Current Vintage: 2006
Grape: 100% Albariño
NOSE
A nose that is surprisingly complex, elegant ripe fruit - apricot, banana, apple, giving way to delicate floral tones and a subtle herbal background.
VISUAL STAGE
Clear, brilliant, intense straw color with golden reflections.
TASTING STAGE
A flavorsome Albariño, which stands out for its body and complexity, due to the second, temperature controlled Maceration process. This elevates the fruity overtones, while at the same time, Maccerato is characterized by its finish, rounded quality and acidity. Through the retro-nasal passage, there is a balanced structure that makes this an especially unique Albariño.

Bon Appetit,

Lou

Spain...A Culinary Day In The Life...

2012-07-01T10:23:00.000-04:00

The inspiration for my wanting to write this article was a conversation I had with Grammy Award winning musician, Arturo Sandoval. Though he is from Cuba, like a good number of Latin Americans some of his ancestors are from Spain. He was explaining about his grandfather and mother, describing for us what is the the typical Spanish day, especially as it pertains to lifestyle and how the people of Spain incorporate food and the famed 'siesta' into their daily routine.

As Arturo spoke, it was a fascinating glimpse of this vibrant country's people, culture and lifestyle. Admittedly, the appeal and allure of this laid back pace, that 'smooth glide through life,' as I have come to refer to it, was just too good to pass up, so here we find ourselves whisking off to Spain for a look at 'a day in the life.'

For me, the observance of what is the Spanish dining ritual, if you will allow, is such a wonderful way to socialize and spend quality time with the ones you love, enjoying the varying nuances of every part of the day, from sunrise and breakfast, all the way through to churros and hot chocolate at 2 A.M. In Spain, every day is a celebration unto itself, deserving of your 100 % effort, an embracing of a lifestyle that is very much after my own heart; Squeezing every drop of life out of every minute of every day.... so as not to miss a moment. A pretty intense, and possibly quite exhausting way to live, hence... the Siesta! Spain is a country set in traditions, especially when it comes to the subject of food, so before we delve into the specifics, we need to a quick trip through the basics of Spain's cultural and culinary history, in order to give us a better understanding of the region and its people.

The Iberian Peninsula
South of France, in Western Europe on the Iberian Peninsula, Spain is surrounded on three sides by water – to the north is the Cantabric Sea, to the west is the Atlantic Ocean, on the east is the Mediterranean Sea. Just across the Straight of Gibraltar lie Morocco and Algeria. A surprise to most is that Spain is the second most mountainous country in Europe behind Switzerland, with a wide variety of climates, from the hot, dry region of Andalucía in the South, to the lush, green and humid zones of Galicia and Asturias in the North and Northwest. In Spain you can ski in Granada one day and go to the beach the next! Spain lies at approximately the same latitude as California, so it has similar weather.

Regional and Cultural Divisions
Spain has been invaded over the centuries by various peoples, including the Phoenicians, the Romans and the Moors. For centuries Spain was divided into small feudal kingdoms that had their own money, culture, languages and food. Although Spain is one country and two basic ingredients common to all regions are garlic and olive oil, there are large regional differences in cuisine. There are traditionally six culinary regions in Spain, however within those regions are areas of distinct cuisines as well:

Cuisine of Castilla Leon

Castilla-Leon, the largest area of Spain is known for its roast suckling lamb and pig, as well as hearty stews. Castillians also enjoy fish and seafood plates, and very traditional sweets with a religious past.

Cuisine of Valencia

Valencia is well-known for its rice dishes, in particular "paella." It is also the region where the Spanish almond candy "turron" originates.

Cuisine of Cataluña

Cataluña has some of the most sophisticated regional Spanish cuisine. Barcelona has been well known for its cuisine for centuries. Seafood, game, beef or lamb are mixed and cooked with rice and/or sausage. There are a wide variety of dishes in this region.

Cuisine of Castilla La Mancha
Land of windmills, stomping ground of Don Quixote, it produces delicious Manchego cheese, hearty stews, soups and about half of all Spanish wines.

Cuisine of Asturias

Asturias, a province in the northeastern corner of the Peninsula, with a natural beauty and exquisite cuisine. Regional cuisine from Asturias includes fresh salmon, hot and tasty "Fabada Asturiana" and rich "Cabrales" blue cheese.

Cuisine of Galicia

Galicia is located in the extreme northwest of Spain and is known for its fish and seafood, as well as sauces and stews, "empanadas" and fish dishes of Galician cuisine.

A Culinary Crossroads
Spanish cooking has popular roots. Over the centuries, Spanish cuisine has been influenced by many other cultures, both invaders and visitors, as well as from its colonies. From the Phoenicians, who arrived in the South, and established a colony called Gádir, the modern day Cádiz, to the Romans, who brought not only their government, culture and art, but their agricultural technology, too. Grape-growing and wine-making, olive cultivation and pressing techniques came to the Peninsula. Hispania (the Roman name for the Peninsula) was part of the Roman Empire for over 500 years. During this period, a blending of cuisines took place, with Hispania being an important producer of food for the Empire.

In 711 A.D., the Moors crossed the Straight of Gibraltar from Africa and invaded the Peninsula. They quickly established themselves in South and Central Spain and they flourished for many centuries. The Moors brought with them advanced agricultural technology, rich spices, new fruits and vegetables. In 1492, with the discovery of the New World came revolutionary changes to Spanish cuisine, as well as the rest of Europe. The Spanish explorers brought back many new and exotic foods, such as potatoes, tomatoes, corn, avocados, papayas, peppers and cacao for chocolate.

Spanish cuisine is down-to-earth, uncomplicated food, based on the ingredients available locally or the crops grown regionally. Many dishes are prepared today using the same cooking methods and ingredients as they were two or three hundred years ago.

The Traditional Foods of Spain

Olive Oil
Spanish recipes either call for olive oil or lard. Most Spaniards consider extra virgin olive oil to be worth the added expense. Spain is a leading producer of olive oil and olives are grown all over the south of Spain.

Ham
Jamón is a very prized food. Spaniards take their ham very seriously and will pay a high price for top-quality. There is even a denomination of origin for certain types of ham. So proud are Spaniards of their ham, that there are several museums of ham, or museo de jamon. You will see different types on menus or in supermarkets, but typically it will be jamón serrano or ham from the sierra or mountains.

Fish & Seafood
Because Spain is surrounded on three sides by water, fresh seafood is always plentiful in the markets and is eaten daily. Everything from halibut, shrimp, to octopus are common to most markets and menus.

Cheeses
Wonderful cheeses of every type can be eaten in Spain. Spanish cheeses are made from sheep, cow, goat milk and mixed. Types range from aged cheeses, such as the manchego variety from La Mancha, to the soft creamy cheeses, such as tetilla from Galicia and everything in between. There are even blue cheeses that mature in limestone caves, such as Cabrales. Cheese can be eaten as a tapa as well as during meals and for dessert.

Sausages
Spanish love sausage, in particular their chorizo, a pork sausage made with paprika. Again, there are many types of chorizo, from fresh and soft to smoked and aged. Every local market offers a variety and Spanish families often make their own in the winter and hang them in the cellar or the attic to dry.

Beef, Lamb and Pork
All three meats are common and can be roasted, grilled over the coals or sautéed in a sauce. Generally, Spanish prefer veal, suckling lamb and pig. Roasted meats are a popular dish for holidays and festive occasions.

Eggs
Eggs are eaten daily either fried, deviled, or in a Spanish omelet. They are an essential part of many recipes, including desserts.

Chicken
Chicken is very popular and is eaten regularly. It is prepared in every way, but mostly commonly is fried, roasted or stewed.

Fruits and Vegetables
Spanish eat lots of fresh fruit as snacks or as the last course to their meals. A fresh fruit bowl sits in every kitchen. Simple salads and sautéed vegetables are eaten every day. Popular dishes often include eggplant and zucchini.

Legumes
Beans of all types are eaten regularly. Beans and chickpeas (garbanzo beans) have been a staple of the Peninsula for centuries and rival bread as the most commonly eaten food.

Nuts
Spain is one of the top producers of almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts. Almond-based and milk-based desserts are very common. Turron, the almond nougat candy eaten at Christmas is probably the best-known of these sweets. Many recipes of Arabic origin contain crushed almonds. Hazelnuts, not almonds are the most popular nut to be mixed with chocolate.

Herbs and Spices
Onions and herbs such as oregano, rosemary and thyme are used, while garlic is predominant in most regions.

Cooking Methods
Cocido, olla, pote, guiso, estofado or escudella are the Spanish terms for stew. This is one dish that could be called characteristic of Spain, although each region has its own version. Spanish do not only stew, they roast, fry and saute many foods. It is not as common to bake or broil, although they do grill meats on a metal plate or on a charcoal grill.

A Day in the Life
The typical Spanish working day in any town or city involves a morning's work from about 8:30 or 9 until 1:30, followed by a three hour break in the middle of the day, during which many people go home, have lunch, sleep, watch television, etc., before returning to work at around 4:30. Most people finish work at about 8 P.M., which is about the time that shops close. Spaniards tend to live near their place of work, often in central apartment blocks, and after work, some stay on for a drink or for dinner.

Breakfast – El Desayuno The Smallest Meal of the Day

Continental Breakfast
A typical breakfast might include café con leche - strong coffee with hot, frothy milk, bollos (sweet rolls) with jam, or toast with jam or mild cheese.

Tapas - Little Spanish Meals

Tapas are eaten well after breakfast, but before lunch, the large mid-afternoon meal! Tapas-time includes bar-hopping to wine-taste and chat.

A Different Tapa at each stop

Spanish love tapas so much, they made a verb out of it. The phrase 'Vamos a tapear' means “Let’s go eat tapas!” A few of the most popular tapas are:

Tortilla Española - Spanish Omelet

Patatas Bravas - Potatoes with Spicey Brava Sauce

Gambas al Ajillo - Shrimp in Garlic

La Comida – Lunch

The midday meal, la comida as it is called in Spain is the largest meal of the day. It is definitely a large meal, usually with multiple courses. Traditionally, Spaniards have a 2-3 hour break from work or school in order to enjoy la comida and take a nap or siesta and the entire country closes up shop from about 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. The siesta is a tradition that goes back centuries. When most people worked in agriculture and air conditioning did not exist, it is easy to understand why folks needed a large meal and a rest from the hot Spanish sun before returning to work outside. Everyone in Spain enjoyed this afternoon break, from school kids to shop workers and government officials. Most Spanish still enjoy the break and large meal, but life is slowly changing. Many people spend over an hour commuting to and from their work, making it impossible to go home for a meal and siesta. Because of this, Spanish government employees in Madrid now work a standard eight-hour day with a one-hour lunch break. Many large supermarket and retail chains in large cities no longer close for lunch either. Still, in most of the country folks close up shop and enjoy their meal and break.

The Largest Meal of the Day

Eaten between 1:30 and 3:30 P.M.
Below is a sample meal that you might find on a menu at a restaurant or if you were invited to someone’s home for lunch:
Vegetable or Seafood Soup, Fresh Fish or Seafood, Roast Chicken or Lamb, Fried Potatoes, Rabbit Stew, etc. Green Salad or Vegetables Dessert - Flan, light pastry, fresh fruit or ice cream, Coffee, Brandy and a Cigar.

Bread is always on the Spanish table. It is plentiful and fresh and used to mop up sauces. Spanish lunches are always large! Courses come one at a time, so pace yourself! Since Spaniards love eggs and dairy foods, you will find that many desserts are made from fresh milk or cream. Fresh fruit is typical to see on the dessert menu, and may be served with a soft cheese. Don’t forget the coffee – You’ll probably need that after the big lunch!

La Merienda - Snack

The late-afternoon snack in Spain is called la merienda and is necessary since lunch is done by 3:30 P.M., but dinner isn't usually eaten for another five to six hours. La Merienda is especially important to children, who always seem to have lots of energy and play soccer in the streets, etc. La Merienda can be anything from a piece of French-style bread with a piece of chocolate on top, to bread with chorizo, ham or salami. La Merienda is eaten around 4:30 or 5:00 P.M..

La Cena – Dinner

Smaller than Lunch
Eaten between 9:00 P.M. and Midnight
A dinner might include fresh fish or seafood, roast chicken or lamb, fried potatoes or rice. A simple and quick dish, commonly eaten at dinner is arroz cubano, which is a mound of white rice, topped with tomato sauce and a fried egg. Green salad and/or a vegetable dish are standard at lunch and dinner. A lighter dessert of fresh fruit or flan (Spanish vanilla custard) may also be eaten.

After Dinner

Spaniards are night owls. The typical Spaniard does not eat dinner until at least 9 P.M. and probably does not get to bed until close to midnight. On the weekends, on holidays and during the summer months, it wouldn’t be unusual for a Spanish family to turn in round 3 or 4 am. So, after the late-night dinner, Spaniards continue their socializing in their neighborhood cafés and taverns or go out to a nightclub or disco-pub.

The last stop on the way home from an evening of fun might be to a churreria or a churro stand. After a night on the town, there is nothing better than fresh churros, bought from a street vendor or sidewalk café, served hot and sprinkled with sugar.They are delicious and very light.

To accompany your churros, hot chocolate is the drink of choice. Chocolate in Spain is your typical rich drinking chocolate that is common throughout Europe, although Spanish chocolate is hot and very thick, made with fresh, whole milk. It’s very sweet and sometimes so thick that you can stand a spoon in it.

So there you have a pretty comprehensive snapshot of Spain, its regions and its cuisines. The most fascinating aspect of all this for me, being a traditionalist at heart, is that even though we now find ourselves in 2012, many of the centuries old traditions and dishes are still popular among the younger Spanish generations, having been handed down within each family. This is certainly a culture that has embraced the overall integration of dining together as much more than just eating. To the Spaniard, it has always been, and continues to be, the center of social interaction. Ah...what a life! A little tapas, a nice nap. You know, I could get used to this...

Bon Appetit,

Lou

Image Sources allworld-vacation.com , wikipedia.org, a-t-s.net, viajejet.com, afectadosporbanif.ning.com, seelecttea.com, t3.gstatic.com, delariberanavarra.com, freecountry.bligoo.com, livespanish.com, robinyap.com

Florida Keys Cuisine

2012-06-25T10:47:00.001-04:00

I must say that since my youth, to me, the Florida Keys has always conjured images in my mind of laid back, artisan type lifestyles filled with tropical nights, drinks, men, women, music and food. And not necessarily in that particular order. Fresh seafood, beaches, diving and of course the rich, maritime history of Spanish Conquistadors and swashbuckling pirates. Stretching more than 100 miles into the open ocean, the Florida Keys can boast early settlers ranging from the aforementioned Spanish, to Bahamian fishermen, Cuban cigar makers as well as the merchants from France, England and New England. A rich melting pot of culture and influence, the indigenous cuisine came to incorporate diverse and delicious nuances, with a reliance on an abundant array of fish and seafood harvested from surrounding waters. For more about the Florida Keys, check out the History & Origins of The Keys.

Commercial fishing, in fact, is the second-largest industry in the Keys. The fresh fish that grace a restaurant table at night is more than likely unloaded at the docks that morning, and fish and seafood headline nearly every restaurant menu. Among the favorites are Key West Pink Shrimp, a delicacy generally considered sweeter than other crustaceans. Key West pinks rank among the most popular of the Keys' "natural resources."

The Mollusk Conch (pronounced konk) is served in many mouthwatering forms: lime-kissed salad, spicy Caribbean chowder and golden deep-fried fritters among them. Conch chowder can either be tomato-based or white, but don't expect to find any consistency of recipes from one restaurant to another. Keys' eateries pride themselves on creating unique interpretations of classic dishes.

As well as savoring the taste of conch, Keys' residents admired the mollusk's tough, hardy nature so much that they adopted its name for themselves. Today, Conch is no longer fished in the Keys, but the word Conch refers to someone born in this island chain, also affectionately known as the Conch Republic.

Stone Crabs, renowned for their sweet and succulent meat are also a popular delicacy and what most may find surprising, a sustainable and self renewable resource. Because nearly all of the crab's meat is contained within its grapnels (claws), these are the only portions of the crustacean that are harvested. Once the claws are removed, the crab is returned to the sea where, over the course of up to two years, the claws regenerate. It is for this reason that stone crabs are considered a renewable resource, and the Florida Keys are responsible for about 40 percent of the state's overall harvest. Florida's stone crab season runs from Oct. 15 to May 15.

Fish and Seafood Delights

Yellow-tail snapper, hog snapper, mutton snapper, grouper, dolphin or mahi-mahi, are just a few of the Keys' scale fish preferred by chefs. At restaurants throughout the island chain, diners can find sautéed yellow-tail or snapper with a variety of sauces and accompaniments, along with fried grouper or mahi-mahi sandwiches, broiled or blackened fish entrees and much more.

In addition to offerings from the sea, Keys cuisine reflects a multitude of cultural influences, particularly Cuban in Key West. Migrating across the water by the thousands in the late 1800s, Cuban aristocrats and cigar makers brought the flavors of their homeland with them. Ropa vieja, a name that literally means "old clothes," tastes like heavenly shredded beef. Other favorite dishes are picadillo and roast pork or pork chunks. Cuban entrees are most often served with traditional black beans and yellow rice, sweet plantains and Cuban bread. Surprisingly, some of the best Cuban sandwiches, Cuban bread stuffed with meat and cheese and warmed in a press, can be found at take-out stands attached to many island laundromats. And many savvy residents can't start the day without a breakfast of toasted Cuban bread and Cuban coffee, which packs a ferocious jolt. Gourmets visiting the Keys will find (among others) French, Italian, German, Chinese, Caribbean, Thai, Japanese and vegetarian restaurants, as well as steak houses and establishments featuring casual American fare and "comfort food."

Key Lime Pie
When it comes to desserts, it's almost impossible to spend time in the Keys without sampling Key Lime pie. Just as New Orleans is famed for its gumbo and Chicago for its Deep Dish pizza, the island chain is known for its signature dessert. There are no commercial Key Lime groves in the Florida Keys today, but Key Largo boasted a large Key Lime industry until about the mid 1930s. Restaurants throughout the Florida Keys and Key West continue to use Key Limes and their juice to enhance seafood dishes and sauces, as well as in pies. According to the owner of Key West's Curry Mansion Inn, a woman named Aunt Sally, the cook for estate owner William Curry, made the first Key Lime Pie. Key West historian Tom Hambright, on the other hand, surmises that Aunt Sally likely perfected a delicacy created by area fishermen. Today, each restaurant places its individual hallmark on this special dessert, but its primary ingredients are condensed milk and tiny yellow Key Limes. Often nestled in a graham cracker crust and smothered in whipped cream, Key Lime pie is a sinfully indulgent finale for any island meal.

As rich as Key lime pie is, however, it can't compare to the richness of experience awaiting visitors to the Florida Keys. Whether feasting at a water's-edge seafood shack or a gourmet emporium, visitors will find a warm welcome, an easygoing atmosphere and a unique and memorable dining experience. Described as 'Floribbean', Florida Keys' cuisine incorporates local seafood and tropical fruits alongside Caribbean and Cuban influences. The culinary tradition of Key West's near neighbor, Cuba, is saluted in Cuban dishes such as ropa vieja and picadillo, typically partnered with black beans and yellow rice.

The waters of the Keys are home to a wealth of fish such as Yellow-tail snapper, tuna and mahi-mahi - all staples on local restaurant menus. For instance, the Yellow-tail Largo is a fresh catch of snapper sautéed with shrimp, artichoke hearts and capers in a lemon-white-wine sauce. Marinated conch ceviche, pan-seared tuna and seasonal items such as sweet Key West pink shrimp are just a few of the many other dishes that delight the palates of residents and visitors alike. Seafood enthusiasts can even enjoy the satisfying taste of their own catch in one of the many restaurants which offer a 'cook the catch' option. Many restaurants will allow you to bring in your bounty after a day of fishing, and offer to cook it for you in a variety of ways. Try doing that in New York

Keys' Spiny Lobster

Unlike stone crabs, lobsters found in the Keys, like those found throughout the Caribbean, are claw-less. Known as spiny lobster, they offer sweet and tender meat. Lobster season runs from Aug. 6 to March 31. It does not get any better than succulent Caribbean-Florida Lobster. The Keys' claw-less crustaceans are famous for their sweet, juicy and tender meat. Lobster is served steamed with clarified butter, paired with a seasoned stuffing, in a rich bisque, or cold in savory salads topped with creamy dressing.

Bon Appetit,

Lou

History & Origins of The Florida Keys & The Conch Republic

2012-06-25T10:46:00.002-04:00

For centuries, The Keys have been the crossroads for pirates, writers, artists and bon vivants from Cuba, France, England and the United States. The cuisine has become a melding of all of these influences and combined with the abundance of fresh fish, shellfish as well as tropical fruits and vegetables, has given the keys its distinctive Floribbean moniker. Check out this article about Keys Cuisine here. Say 'The Keys' and most people immediately envision turquoise waters, white sandy beaches and palm trees blowing in the trade-winds. The phrase tropical party comes to mind.

Taking it back a bit further, I'd like to explore the very origins of life on the Keys and that means going back to the year 1513 and Ponce de Leon. He named the Keys, Los Martirs, the martyrs, and Spain's influence, while using the keys as a landmark in ferrying gold and silver back to Sapin, is still felt today.

When the first Spanish explorers approached the Florida shores in the 16th century as they searched for rumored gold and eternal youth, a number of native Indian tribes had long resided throughout the peninsula and on its surrounding islands. The southernmost regions were dominated by the Tequestas and the Calusas, who thrived on the abundance provided by the sea and the rich coastal lands.

Like the other early Florida tribes, the Tequestas and Calusas eventually disappeared with the coming of Western civilization and its accompanying diseases and conquering spirit. Some of the void was filled by other natives, Creek Indians who slowly moved into the southern states. They were neither welcomed nor beloved by the European and American settlers. They came to be called "Seminoles", a name perhaps corrupted from the Spanish word cimarron, meaning wild or from the Creek words ishti semoli, meaning wildmen, outlanders or separatists.

One contemporary chronicler of explorer Ponce de Leon, observing the chain of islands on the horizon, said they appeared as men who were suffering; hence they were given the name Los Martires or "the martyrs." No one knows exactly when the first European set foot on one of the Keys, but as exploration and shipping increased, the islands became prominent on nautical maps. The nearby treacherous coral reefs claimed many actual seafaring "martyrs" from the time of early recorded history. The chain was eventually called "keys", also attributed to the Spanish, from cayos, meaning "small islands."

In 1763, the Spanish ceded Florida to the British in a trade for the port of Havana. The treaty was unclear as to the status of the Keys. An agent of the King of Spain claimed that the islands, rich in fish, turtles and mahogany for shipbuilding, were part of Cuba, fearing that the English might build fortresses and dominate the shipping lanes. The British also realized the treaty was ambiguous, but declared that the Keys should be occupied and defended as part of Florida. The British claim was never officially contested. Ironically, the British gave the islands back to Spain in 1783, to keep them out of the hands of the United States, but in 1821 all of Florida, including the necklace of islands, officially became American territory.

In the early 1900's, travel between many of these islands was only possible by boat. A modern pioneer, Henry Morrison Flagler, claims responsibility for providing the first civilized access to the Keys. He dreamed of extending the Florida East Coast Railway from Homestead to Key West. His dream was realized in 1912, after years of extreme physical hardship for the engineers and laborers who designed and built it.

After the 1935 Labor Day hurricane destroyed the railroad, it was replaced by the Overseas Highway in 1938. The highway has since been widened and modernized and now more than 40 bridges connect these islands, like a Caribbean necklace, for more than 126 miles.

Though most of the Florida Keys remained remote and inaccessible until well into the 20th century, their history glitters with romantic tales of pirates, fortunes gleaned from unfortunate shipwrecks, brief heydays for several island cities, struggling pioneer farmers and occasional military occupation. Huh? Military Occupation? Really? Read on...

The Conch Republic:

(excerpts are from the Brief History, on the official website of the Conch Republic):

"The Conch Republic was established by secession of the Florida Keys from the United States of America, on April 23rd, 1982 in response to a United States Border Patrol Blockade setup on highway U.S.1 at Florida City just to the north of the Florida Keys. This heinous act effectively isolated Keys Citizens from the U.S. mainland since the blockade was on our only land artery to and from the mainland. This roadblock portrayed Keys residents as non-U.S. citizens who had to prove their citizenship in order to drive onto the Florida mainland! Hardly an American thing to do!

We protested! A totally American thing to do! Key West Mayor Dennis Wardlow along with a few other 'key' Conchs, went to Federal court in Miami to seek an injunction to stop the federal blockade, but to no avail. Upon leaving the Federal Court House , on the court house steps , Mayor Wardlow announced to the world, by way of the assembled TV crews and reporters, that ; "Tomorrow at noon the Florida Keys will secede from the Union!"

At noon, on the day of secession, at Mallory Square in Key West Florida, Mayor Wardlow read the proclamation of secession and proclaimed aloud that the Conch Republic was an independent nation separate from the U.S. and then symbolically began the Conch Republic's Civil Rebellion by breaking a loaf of stale Cuban bread over the head of a man dressed in a U.S. Navy uniform. After one minute of rebellion, the now, Prime Minister Wardlow turned to the Admiral in charge of the Navy Base at Key West, and surrendered to the Union Forces, and demanded 1 Billion dollars in foreign aid and War Relief to rebuild our nation after the long Federal siege!

Thus began the Conch Republic journey, which still continues today! We are both Conchs and we are Americans and we are proud to be both. By act of Congress we hold dual citizenship as Conchs and as Americans and will fight for the right to be both!

Contrary to recent reports, the name "Conch Republic" refers to "all"of the Florida Keys, or, that geographic apportionment of land that falls within the legally defined boundaries of Monroe County Florida, northward to "Skeeter's Last Chance Saloon" in Florida City, Dade County Florida, with Key West as the Nation's Capitol and all territories north of Key West being referred to as "The Northern Territories." Be it known that these boundaries were established by the U.S. Government when they set up "THE" Border Patrol blockade in front of "Skeeter's Last Chance Saloon", in April of 1982, thereby establishing a new United States border!

To enforce the validity of our secession, the Monroe County Commission, in 1994, by unanimous vote, did pass a County Resolution recognizing Mayor Wardlow's actions, on the 23rd of April in 1982, as by, of and for the people of the Florida Keys.

The Conch Republic's Official Position

The Conch Republic has it's own Passports, and has had citizens and Diplomats received by thirteen Caribbean countries, Mexico, Sweden, Russia, France, Spain, Ireland and Germany. The Conch Republic has Conch-sulates in Switzerland, Havana, Maine and New Orleans.

The Conch Republic has as its stated Foreign Policy, "The Mitigation of World Tension through the Exercise of Humor." As the world's first "Fifth World" country, we exist as a "State of Mind," and aspire only to bring more Warmth, Humor and Respect to a planet we find in sore need of all three.

The Conch Republic has conch-ceived several World Firsts. We are the first country in the world to require its citizens to obey local customs as well as laws. The Conch Republic is the world's first functioning Meritocracy whereby anyone that sees a job that needs doing can do it, and be recognized in that position. We are the first country to recognize the conch-cept of the "World Principle of Human Rights and Ambitions," because what are rights without the ability to realize ambitions?

We celebrate our Independence annually in a "public and notorious manner" during a ten day Conch Republic Independence Celebration which is held in April of every year."

For more information, conch-tact: The Honorable Sir Peter Anderson, at: Office of the Secretary General P.O. Box 658, Key West, FL/CR 33041 - 6583 Phone: 305-296-0213, FAX: 305-296-8803

Bon Appetit,

Lou

Sources: www.florida-keys.fl.us Florida-Keys.com, wikipedia.org, conchrepublic.com, conchrepublicrestaraurant.com

The At Home Cook Series, #14; Cooking with Woks

2012-06-22T11:06:00.000-04:00

The Wok

One of my favorite methods of cooking is in a wok. They are simple, yet very versatile, require little oil, making them an economical way to cook. A woks unique shape allows it to distribute heat evenly through the pan and get very hot, making them perfect for stir-fry cooking. While they may not be necessary for every kitchen, for true food enthusiasts eager to recreate their favorite Asian recipes and flavors in their own kitchens, a wok and steamer are musts in their kitchens. I was fortunate in that growing up, my mom's love of Chinese cooking led her to take Chinese cooking courses and for years my sister and I enjoyed the fruits of her practice at home. At an early age, I was exposed to the cultures, cuisines and cooking utensils of the East.

Thousands of years ago, Chinese cooks figured out how to prepare healthy food quickly using a simple piece of equipment - the Chinese wok. Once you've decided to add a wok to your supply of kitchen equipment, you'll want to shop around to choose the best model. Originally, all woks were round bottomed and made of iron - designed to be used with the traditional Chinese wood stove. Gradually, the iron was replaced with carbon steel. Today, there are all types of woks on the market: aluminum, copper, stainless steel.Traditionally, the wok came with two metal handles, making it easy to lift in and out of the stove. I prefer the modern woks that have one long wooden handle, like a skillet, they are easier to handle in my opinion.

The wok's most distinguishing feature is its shape. Classic woks have a rounded bottom.Hand-hammered woks are sometimes flipped inside out after being shaped, giving the wok a gentle flare to the edge that makes it easier to push food up onto the sides of the wok. Woks sold in western countries are sometimes found with flat bottoms — this makes them more similar to a deep frying pan. The flat bottom allows the wok to be used on an electric stove, where a rounded wok would not be able to fully contact the stove's heating element. A round bottom wok enables the traditional round spatula or ladle to pick all the food up at the bottom of the wok and toss it around easily; this is difficult with a flat bottom. With a gas hob, or traditional pit stove, the bottom of a round wok can get hotter than a flat wok and so is better for stir frying.

Seasoning your wok:
You may have heard that it is very important to season (carbonize) the cooking surface your wok before trying it out for the first time. This is a the most important step, if you are to get years of fabulous food from your wok. This only applies to carbon-steel or cast-iron woks. If you have purchased an electric or non-stick coated wok, be very careful as the pan can get to hot ans catch fire. See your instruction manual for specifics on seasoning if you have one of these types. Seasoning removes the preservative oil manufacturers place on the wok to prevent it from rusting, replacing it with a light coating of cooking oil. It is also important to properly clean your wok after each use.

Wash the wok in hot water with a small amount of liquid detergent and a scrubber (such as a stainless steel sponge or pad).
If needed, scrub the exterior of the wok with the scrubber and an abrasive cleanser. Do not use the abrasive cleanser on the inside of the wok.
Rinse the wok and dry thoroughly.
Place the wok on high heat.
Move the wok, turning it and tilting it up to the rim and back, until the metal turns a blueish-yellowish color.
Remove the wok from the stove element. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
Add a thin film of oil (about 1½ teaspoons) over the entire inside surface of the wok. There are several ways to do this. One is to use a paper towel to rub the oil over the surface. You may want to use tongs to hold the paper towels. Another way is to use a basting brush for barbecues or any other heat-proof brush to brush on the oil.
Heat the wok on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
Wipe off the oil with another paper towel. There will be black residue on the towel.
Repeat steps 7 through 9 until no black residue comes up on the paper (about 3 times). The wok is now ready to use.

If your wok becomes gunky and sticky or gets rusted you can clean the wok with salt. Simply put half a cup of salt in the wok and heat on high, reduce the heat if it gets too hot. Using your spatula send the salt up to the edges very carefully. Hot salt is dangerous. Do this for 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Allow the salt to cool to warm. Using a cloth rub the spots where the salt has stuck to in order to get rid of the gunk or rust. Discard the salt and wash the wok in hot water with a soft sponge. Re-season the wok.

Cooking with your wok:

Cooking in a wok is very simple. Many things can be cooked in a wok. Remember that woks are meant to cook very quickly so it will be necessary to have everything prepared. (Mise en place)) When preparing food to be cooked, remember that small uniform pieces will cook the most evenly. After adding a tablespoon or so of oil, heat your wok on medium to high heat. Cook meat first and when it all seems done on the outside, add any vegetables and sauces. In only a few minutes, the meat will be completely done and the vegetables will be tender yet crisp. You may also fry, braise, or poach in a wok. Gauging the temperature for each of these cooking techniques is very important. Keep in mind that oil and water do not mix, so if you decide to poach in a wok, be sure to dry and season the pan thoroughly after you've finished.

Recognized as the cleaning whisk or the bamboo wok cleaning brush, this small broom-like brush is made of bamboo bristles. Bundled jointly and tied at the top with strings, this easy device is the answer to removing stubborn food remains while not damaging the wok. Just use the bamboo wok cleaning brush in a swirling motion below running water. The bamboo whisk is tough and functional and it can be used for mainly stainless steel cookware. This bamboo wok cleaning brush may be ordinary in appearance but it is a well-organized and simple way to clean your wok. After using the brush to remove the food bits, scrub your wok with dish detergent and hot water. Dry the wok and rub a bit of oil around the inside of the pan. This will make sure your wok lasts a long time and that it gives your food a great flavor.

Bon Appetit,

Lou

The Cheeses of Italy

2012-06-21T06:38:00.001-04:00

Almost every region of Italy has its own distinct cheese and the sheer number of different types is astounding. Cheese is a part of everyday life in Italy, consumed at almost every meal. Each region boasts its own speciality and depending on which you choose, the subtleties and nuances that make up the particular soils, plants and grasses of a particular region the cows & sheep graze on are recognized in that they lend distinctive qualities to the milk that make up each cheese. As always, it is my goal to educate you as well as entertain, so that you can become a gourmet in your own right.

Asiago
Made in the region of Vicenza and Trento, this is a traditional, farmhouse cheese that is creamy, unpasteurized and hard. Originally made of ewe's milk, it is now made entirely of cow's milk. As we have covered in a previous feature of this cheese, there are two types of Asiago: A lightly pressed cheese made from whole milk, matured for 20-30 days and a second aged cheese made with skim milk. Long and slow maturation process creates fruity, slightly sharp cheese with a compact, granular interior full of small holes. Matured over 2 years, it becomes intensely flavored.

Bel Paese
From the Lombardy region of Italy, this is a modern, creamy, semi soft cheese and has a light, milky aroma. It is matured for 6-8 weeks. The pure Italian cheese is identified by its wrapping, which feature an image of a priest and the map of Italy. In the U.S. licensed versions show a map of the Americas. The name means "beautiful land" and was inspired by the title of a book by Stoppani. Bel Paese is very similar to French St. Paulin. It can also be used instead of mozzarella.

Bocconcini
This is a fresh mozzarella that comes in various sizes, packed in either water or brine. Other fresh mozzarella, such as Fiore di Latte Trecce, etc. are Bocconcini in different shapes.

Bra
Traditional, unpasteurized, hard cheese which has a round shape. The cheese is named after the place where it was originally sold. There exist two types of Bra. The traditional, hard version that ripens for three to six months. The color darkens and the flavor intensifies. The other type is sold young, at 45 days, when the paste is still soft. This version is made from pasteurized milk. Bra is used as a table cheese, but also for grating and melting.

Caciocavallo

This cheese originates from southern Italy. It's a traditional, stretched curd cheese made from cow's milk. It's gourd-shaped and tied at the thin end with a cord to hang. After a period of three months this cheese can be eaten as a table cheese and after a period of two years, it is used for grating. There are also smoked versions of this cheese. Cavallo means "horse" in Italian and it is said that this cheese was originally made from mare's milk. In the Italian language the expression "to end up like Caciocavallo" means to be hanged.

Canestrato

From a region of Foggia, this is a traditional, farmhouse, unpasteurized, semi-hard cheese. Milk with paste rennet is curdled at 95 degrees F. Once the curd is firm, it is cut scalded by heating it to 110 degrees F, salted and then peppercorns are added. There is no set ripening period for this cheese, therefore its taste and consistency varies.

Casciotta di Urbino

It is a traditional, unpasteurized, semi-soft cheese. It has a shape of a round-edged cylinder with a thin, polished, yellow to orange natural rind. The name of the cheese is used to describe the many small cheeses made all over central Italy. It can be made with cow's, goat's or sheep's milk. The flavor is sweet and moist, with the aroma of warm milk. It is a delicate, subtle cheese with flavors of fresh green grass, nuts and wild flowers. This cheese is produced only between April and September. It ripens in 15 - 30 days and has a fat content of 45 per cent. Casciotta di Urbino is used as a table cheese, in salads and for cooking.

Castelmagno

This cheese is made from partially skimmed cow's milk, with some goat's or sheep's milk added. The evening milk is left to ripen overnight. The next day, the morning milk is added, which contributes to its strong taste and unusual texture. The reddish-yellow, natural rind is crusty, with some gray molds and yeast. The cheeses are left to ripen in damp cellars and drying rooms, occasionally being turned and washed to encourage the development of the natural micro-flora that contribute to the pungent, yeasty aroma. Blue molds, present in the cellars, sometimes penetrate the rind to form fine, blue streaks that impart a more spicy flavor to the cheese. It is used as an after-dinner cheese and to make gnocchi.

Crescenza

White square or rectangular, this fresh cheese is made from cow's milk. This cheese belongs to Stracchino-style cheeses, but varies from the rest by its fat content. This cheese is sold after a few days wrapped in simple, white, greaseproof paper. Smooth and moist, it has a fresh, clean acidity. Other Crescenzas are more rubbery, jelly-like or mushy, with a sour taste. Low-fat varieties can be grainy. The cheese should be ripened for no longer than ten days and as such eaten as quickly as possible.

Dolcelatte

It is a wheel shaped, creamy, blue cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese has a sweet taste as the name suggests. Dolcelatte means "sweet milk." This cheese is very soft and melts in the mouth like ice-cream. It was created by the Galbani company, famous for cheese making. The method of production is very similar to Gorgonzola, except that Dolcelatte is made from the curd of only one milking. Similar cheeses include, for example, Dolceverde and Torta Gaudenzio.

Fiore Sardo

It is a cheese of cylindrical or wheel shaped. The rind is natural, golden-yellow to dark brown and has a sour, damp smell. The cheese is hard and grainy and has a wonderfully rich flavor, with caramel sweetness, salty tang and a hint of fruit. Rennet from lamb is used to coagulate milk. When drained, the curds are scalded in hot water to seal the rind. Then, they are stored on a woven reed shelf absorbing the sweet smoke as they dry. Ripening continues in another room, or the attic and the cheeses are periodically rubbed with olive oil and sheep fat to keep them moist. This cheese ripens in three to six months.

Fontal

Originally started as the French version of Fontina, Fontal has developed into a distinct cheese of its own. It is generally made commercially on a large scale. It is tender and buttery with a bland taste and a yellow paste with tiny holes.

Genuine Fontina

This is the original cheese and it comes from the Val d'Aosta region of Italy in the Alps near the French and Swiss borders. Fontina is dense, smooth and slightly elastic. The straw-colored interior, with its small round holes, has a delicate nuttiness with a hint of mild honey. When melted, as it frequently is, the flavor is earthy with a taste of mushrooms and a fresh acidity. Fontina is the primary ingredient of Italian fonduta, which we covered in our feature about fondue, and is a pristine table or dessert cheese.

Fresh Mozzarella

The cheese that is best known around the world as 'pizza cheese,' it is a must in every Italian's kitchen. It is a fresh cheese that is always mild, high in moisture and low in fat. For most traditional Italians, the best version of this cheese is made from buffalo milk, though most American mozzarella is made with cow's milk. It has a slightly acidic or lactic taste. It is mostly used for cooking, but if you can get it freshly made from your local Italian grocer, it is best served topped with basil leaves, drizzled with olive oil atop a slice of fresh tomato, dusted with paprika, charcoal or fresh herbs, such as oregano.

Fresh Ricotta

Light, delicate and moist, this is made from whey, so it's low in fats and calories and contains a lot of vitamins. It is believed that this is the cheese that Miss Muffet was consuming when she sat on her tuffet and had her infamous encounter with the spider. It is another of the most well known types of fresh Italian cheeses. You will find it combined with mozzarella when used as the filling for stuffed shells, manicotti, ravioli's. As a child growing up, when my mom made this fresh, it was all she could do to keep me out of the bowl, eating it just after it was combined with the fresh herbs and spices. This is actually my favorite way to eat ricotta. Another staple in Italian households, especially around Christmas and Easter is ricotta pie, and ricotta cheesecake, which is a bit lighter and fluffier than its cream cheese counterpart, and has become quite popular.

Fresh Truffles

There is a wide range of this kind of Italian cheese like Italian White Truffles, French Summer Truffles, French Winter Truffles, etc. These cheeses taste delicious with condiments, for example Truffle and Porto Sauce, Black Truffle Mustard, Black Truffle Sherry Vinegar and many others.

Gorgonzola

This is a traditional, creamy and co-operative, blue cheese. The greenish-blue penicillin mold imparts a sharp, spicy flavor and provides an excellent contrast to the rich, creamy cheese. Gorgonzola is made in the northern Italian village of Gorgonzola, from which it gets its name, either from unpasteurized or pasteurized milk to which the mold is added. At about four weeks, the cheeses are pierced with thick needles to encourage the spread of the mold. Gorgonzola ripens in three to six months. The cheese is usually wrapped in foil to keep it moist. Its color ranges from white to straw-yellow with an unmistakable marbled green or bluish-green mold. The taste ranges from mild to sharp, depending on age.

Grana Padano

Grana is a traditional, co-operative, unpasteurized, hard cheese. The smooth, natural rind is extremely hard and thick. This cheese is known to many of us as simply "Parmesan." The cheese should taste fresh, fruity and sweet, with a hint of pineapple. The pale yellow interior should be hard, grainy and crumbly. Grana Padano freezes very well. It ripens in 12 -48 months.

Il Boschetto al Tartufo

The Il Boschetto al Tartufo is a mild semi-soft cheese, a blend of sheep and cow's milk, loaded with white truffle bits. If you ever have a chance to purchase this cheese, while a bit on the pricey side, it is well worth every tender morsel and mouthful. If you are a lover of truffles as I am, this will become one of your favorite cheeses for any occasion. I absolutely love this cheese.

Mascarpone

A soft, white, fresh, vegetarian, cream cheese from the Lombardy region of southern Italy. In fact, it is not cheese at all, but rather the result of a culture being added to the cream skimmed off the top of the milk used in the production of Parmesan. It is, however, described as a curd cheese, although it is made in much the same way as yogurt. To make mascarpone, cheese tartaric acid (natural vegetable acid derived from the seed of the tamarind tree) is needed. After the culture has been added, the cream is gently heated, then allowed to mature and thicken. This white to straw-yellow fresh cheese is creamy, mild and compact, while maintaining a buttery supple and spreadable texture and it is added to famous Italian desserts, sometimes accompanied by cognac. Frequently it is used for the preparation of certain dishes and sauces, and chefs are now using it in more and more creative ways.

Montasio

This creamy, unpasteurized, hard cheese is made from cow's milk. The yellow-brown rind is smooth and springy at first, later it becomes darker and harder. This cheese was developed in the thirteenth century in the monastery of Maggio. Originally, it was made only from sheep's milk. The cheese has the same shape as Fontina, but in texture, it resembles a young Asiago. The body is firm with small holes. It is creamy, rich and fruity, with a hint of pineapple. As it matures, the rind becomes very hard and the interior becomes granular and even brittle.

Pannerone

Panera means "cream" in Italian and Pannerone is one of the creamiest cheeses available. Milk is curdled at 89 degrees F and gently stirred as the curd forms. The stirring releases whey and also helps the mass to grow firm. The curd drains for 12 hours in cheese cloths, and placed in a heated environment of upwards of 80 degrees F for one week. The temperature is dropped to 50 degrees F for another week and the cheese is immediately ready for market. Pannerone has a smooth taste with a hint of bitter bite. Sometimes mistaken for Gorgonzola, due to its shape, however, it does not have veins.

Parmigiano-Reggiano

A traditional, unpasteurized, hard cheese made from cow's skim milk. It has a shape of a drum with sticky, hard, yellow to orange rind. Parmigiano Reggiano weighs 75 lbs. and must be cut by a saw. The aroma is sweet and fruity, the color, fresh yellow and the taste is fruity, like pineapple. Parmigiano Reggiano's flavor is unmistakably piquant. Primarily, a grating cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano is a great topping for soups, pasta dishes, veal chicken or salads. In Italy, this cheese is sold in large, grainy chunks, chiseled from the shiny drum that carries its name emblazoned on the rind.

Pecorino Romano

This is a sheep's milk cheese which is straw-white in color and has the sharpest flavor of all the other cheeses listed here. Although it is sometimes referred to as Locatelli, Locatelli is a brand name. Pecora in Italian means sheep and Pecorino Romano is one of Italy's oldest cheeses. Legend has it that a shepherd filled his flask with sheep's milk before a long trip and the motion during the trip caused the milk to naturally ferment. The idea for a new cheese was born. Today most Pecorino is made in Sardinia, Italy. With its fine flavor, Pecorino's popularity as a grating cheese has grown significantly in the U.S. Since sheep only give milk for 6-7 months a year, all production in that window of time must satisfy the public's demand for the entire year.

Provolone

This is a very versatile cheese used for cooking, dessert purposes and even grating. It is traditional, creamy, stretched curd cheese. This cheese appears in various shapes. The thin, hard rind is golden-yellow, shiny and is sometimes waxed. Provolone cheese can be of various types. Dolce (mild Provolone) is aged for two to three months, and it is supple and smooth with a thin waxed rind. It is generally used as a table cheese. Aged for six months to two years, it is darker with small holes and a spicy flavor.

Ragusano

A very popular cheese produced in Sicily, the cheese usually has a shape of a brick and it is made from unpasteurized cow's milk. The curd is heated and stretched until it is rubbery. Then it is pressed into rectangular molds and the cheese is left to dry. Salted and rubbed, the cheese is ready for affinage that takes six months. During this period of time, it is regularly rubbed with a mixture of oil and vinegar. After this period of time the cheese hardens and the taste becomes stronger and more savory.

Raschera

Raschera comes from Cuneo. Its name is derived from Lake Raschera, which lies at the foot of Mt. Mongioie. It is a semi-soft cheese made from sweet cow's milk. The flavor of Raschera changes from season to season. Spring and summer cheeses are sweet, fresh and slightly tart. Winter cheeses are more solid and vibrant. Raschera has a round or square shape with reddish-yellow crust.

Ricotta Salata

When fresh ricotta goes through its natural aging process, a hard, pungent cheese, suitable for eating or grating results. Like fresh ricotta, ricotta salata is almost white in color.

Sottocenere al Tartufo

The Sottocenere al Tartufo is a little firmer in texture, all cow's milk, but packs a truffle punch, with the added flavor of having been aged in an edible vegetable ash rind with nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon, licorice, cloves and fennel rubbed in.

Taleggio

Buttery, delicate, semi-soft and subtlety sweet, this cheese is made from cow's milk. It usually has a square shape. The cheese has a special taste and aroma. The crust is pinkish-gray and the paste is white, supple and fruity. There is also a cooked-curd version which is firmer and bears a resemblance to mozzarella. Taleggio is also known as Stracchino (from the Italian word stracche, which means fatigued), which referred to the cows of the area after they traveled back to the valley from their grazing season in the high pastures. Taleggio is an excellent dessert cheese that goes very well with a robust wine.

Ubriaco

Traditional, hard cheese made from cow's milk. The name of the cheese means "drunken" in Italian and it is because the young cheese is soaked in wine, covered with the crushed grape skins left after pressing and then allowed to mature for six to ten months. The cheese has a firm, crumbly but open texture that is fairly wet and the taste has a hint of pineapple.

While this list is extensive, believe it or not, it is not a complete list of all the cheeses that come from Italy. I hope that you have a greater understanding now of how very much the Italians love their fromage. Take it upon yourself to explore the varying tastes and textures of all that Italy's regions and the cheeses that they produce have to offer. You'll be glad you did.

Buon Appetito, ciao!

Luigi