“There is absolutely no substitute for the best. Good food cannot be made of inferior ingredients masked with high flavor. It is true thrift to use the best ingredients available and to waste nothing.” – James Beard

When I was growing up,  James Beard, Julia Child, Craig Claiborne and Jacques Pépin were the people I admired when talking about great food and the culinary arts.  I watched James Beard and Julia Child on television and treasured their cookbooks.  Other cookbooks on our kitchen shelf included the Joy of Cooking and The Good Housekeeping Cookbook.  Not to be forgotten was the wooden recipe box filled with family favorites and recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines.  Things were simple back then.

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Continue Reading" The 2012 James Beard Foundation Awards"

© bunkycooks for Bunkycooks, 2012. | Permalink | 3 comments

The city that never sleeps.  The Big Apple.  New York City.  If you have never been, or it has been a while since your last visit, then you need to put a visit to New York City on your Bucket List.

As you may know, we just returned from a long weekend in New York to attend the James Beard Foundation Awards.  While Bunkycooks did not win in the Best Individual Blog category, to be included in such an esteemed list of culinary professionals is truly an honor that stays with you the rest of your life.  I will share some highlights of the two JBF events I attended over the next few days.  Today, however, I thought you might enjoy some photos of New York City and some culinary experiences we enjoyed while in the city.

A little shopping in SoHo

Flatiron Building

It has been several years since our last visit to New York.  I am always impressed by the size of the city and the number of markets, stores and incredible restaurants that are at every turn.  There are inviting aromas of food and baked goods as you walk past restaurants, bakeries and street vendors.  And there are people.  Lots and lots of people.

I also forget how much you walk in the city and why you can eat and drink the whole time you are there and never gain an ounce.  A definite plus, if you ask me.  Getting in shape while enjoying fabulous food, wine and drinks.  It’s a win-win situation.

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Continue Reading" The sights and flavors of New York City"

© bunkycooks for Bunkycooks, 2012. | Permalink | 33 comments

A steaming bowl of hot soup is generally something we associate with cooler temperatures.  However, any kind of chicken soup gets my vote year round.  In particular, this recipe for Tortilla Soup may just be a new favorite for any season.

Mildly spicy and a bit smoky, this soup is appealing to the eye and the palate finished with an array of colorful toppings.  I love the fresh avocado and sauteed corn in the soup.  Every bite has a slightly different taste and texture as all of the ingredients are combined into the soup.  The salty queso cheese and crunchy tortilla strips add yet another layer of unique flavor.

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Continue Reading" Tortilla Soup for Cinco de Mayo"

© bunkycooks for Bunkycooks, 2012. | Permalink | 10 comments

As a young girl, I dreamt of going to Paris.  Unlike many young women, it was not the lure of the City of Lights, Haute Couture or sexy and handsome French men that attracted me.  I wanted to be a chef.  Not to say those other things would not be of interest once I arrived there, but there was another purpose for me in Paris.

When I was in high school, I sent my inquiry to two culinary schools in Paris; hand-written letters by mail requesting information.  Long before the days of internet and instantaneous responses, I waited weeks, maybe even months, for an answer complete with brochures and responses to my questions.

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Continue Reading" Meringues with Strawberries and Whipped Cream (Schaum Torte)"

© bunkycooks for Bunkycooks, 2012. | Permalink | 15 comments

“You can love them (the animals) and honor them, but still eat them.” – Allison Bryant, Four Mile Farm

It was a dreary, chilly and wet day the second time we made our way through the gates of Four Mile Farm in Ball Ground, Georgia.  Not the bright sunny day with glistening green pastures and spring lambs that we experienced just a few days earlier.  Yes, the farm was still the same and the flock of sheep were still in the midst of lambing season, but today, we were there for a different purpose.

Many of our discussions with the farmers during our farm visits involve the fact that most people are totally disconnected from their food source.  Some of this disconnect is because of a lack of interest in the subject or a distance from the farms.  Frankly, most people are content to purchase a bag of greens or package of lamb or beef at their local supermarket and not consider where it came from.

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Continue Reading" Honor The Animal"

© bunkycooks for Bunkycooks, 2012. | Permalink | 27 comments