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Slashfood - CandyAddict
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Slashfood Filed under: On the Blogs, Thanksgiving, Fall  So you can cook a ten-course dinner for twelve with one hand behind your back. You're famous among your friends for your deconstructed "sweet potato" foam with marshmallow-scented air. You've crossbred your own heirloom turkey. What's left to do when Thanksgiving rolls around but to sneer and have an ironic Big Mac while watching the latest remastered Godard from the Criterion Collection. Perhaps then you should take a look at Endless Simmer's Elitist Thanksgiving. Their menu begins with a cheese course with a cheese so rare you can't even read about it in English. Then on to capon, the precious, coddled castrati brother of the chicken. Pair that with an ethical fois gras, from the liver of geese that have gorged themselves into liver disease with no urging from man. Finish with sweet potato souffle and cocktails made with $6,000 liquour and passionfruit syrup, and perhaps Thanksgiving can be amusing once again.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Poultry, Thanksgiving, Fall  If you were feeling uninspired about Thanksgiving, Martha Stewart's got you covered. Check out her Ultimate Thanksgiving Menu, the kind of feast that would be best served at your country home in Connecticut in the company of your fellow Mayflower descendants. The menu starts with a roasted sweet potato soup with curried apples and moves on to roast turkey with herb butter, spicy cornbread stuffing, green beans with caramelized shallots, roasted vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, baked artichoke hearts, cranberry-ginger jelly, and finishes with apple spice cake and pumpkin pie (Martha's pumpkin pie recipe is top notch, I can vouch). Sound like too much work? Pare down the side-dishes to four by following Martha's Easy Thanksgiving Menu, also centered around the same roast turkey with herb butter. Or move away from Anglo-centricity with an Italian Flavors menu, which includes sausage stuffing and mashed squash with amaretti, and a pumpkin and ricotta crostata. There's also a Southern-Style feast (deep-fried turkey, hon), a Down Home Menu, a buffet and more, all here.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Cocktail Hour  After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, "These special cocktails need to be shared with the world." So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!The Silver Monk cocktail recipe after the jump Continue reading The Silver Monk - Cocktail Hour Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Wine, Trends, America  I'm a bit of a statistics wonk (hey, I'm a journalist! We make our living off of stats) and have compiled some of the more interesting wine stats of 2008 that I've gotten in industry emails and studies lately.
Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Business, How To, America .jpg) For many foodies, becoming a professional chef is a little bit like running away to join the circus. It seems impossible, the kind of bold, crazy move that is compelling simply because it is so unlikely. On the other hand, after hearing dinner guests repeatedly praise your cooking and loudly declaring that you should open a restaurant, it is easy to get lost in daydreams of culinary glory, imagining yourself joyfully preparing outstanding food, day after day, for a dining room full of excited, appreciative customers.To get a better feel for the realities of the cooking trade, I talked to David Herr, a former engineer who followed the ultimate foodie dream and became a professional chef. For him, the path to culinary contentment began with a job that was, increasingly, becoming unenjoyable. After 20 years in the structural engineering field, he found that "Work was drying up, I was burning out, and I wanted something new. Since cooking was an innate part of my life, I decided that that was what I wanted to do next." After a great deal of research, David determined that his best route would be to enter a chef training program at either the Culinary Institute of America or New York City's French Culinary Institute. After a great deal of consideration, he decided to go with The French Culinary Institute, as its six-month program was shorter and cost less than CIA's 2-year course of study. Continue reading Becoming a Professional Chef - One Foodie's Tale Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: YumSugar  Each Thursday or Friday (oops!), we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week.
Filed under: Beer, Magazines, Trends  As much as I attempt to pander to the populous, and despite amplifying ubiquity on local store shelves and pub draft dockets alike, proper craft beer appreciation still seems to be relegated to the realm of "beer snobbery." And gosh darn it, articles in the freakin' New Yorker aren't going to help anything!But all kidding aside, I was turned on to this extensive article in The New Yorker discussing "The rise of extreme beer." Hmm... If the X-Games eventually garnered mainstream acceptance, maybe xtreme beer will have its day in the sun. [Writer's note: This officially marks the first and last time I will write the phrase "xtreme beer." You're welcome.] My suggestion: Print this article out and hit the couch for a leisurely weekend read. Maybe have a bottle of Dogfish Head nearby: The Delaware brewery is used as the framing example and you may be salivating to make yourself a primary source by article's end. Most interesting, however, is the interspersed history lesson packed full of wonderful tidbits such as "In 1873, the country had some four thousand breweries, working in dozens of regional and ethnic styles." Craft beer revolution? Maybe it's more like the craft beer renaissance! [via Madison Beer Review]Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Cocktail Hour After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, "These special cocktails need to be shared with the world." So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!The Giglio cocktail recipe after the jump Continue reading The Giglio - Cocktail Hour Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Farming, Business, Fish, Food News  Mark Bittman, AKA The Minimalist, has an interesting op-ed in the New York Times this week, about the future of fish. A few key points: - If current fishing practices continue, many major commercial fish stocks will likely collapse in the next fifty years. Many fish populations have already been seriously depleted. - Smaller fish species like herring, anchovies and sardines are also in trouble, as they're being caught and made into fish meal for livestock and farmed fish. Using fish meal to feed farmed fish is extremely inefficient - at least three kilos of small fish go to produce one kilo of farmed fish. - Industrial aquaculture negatively impacts the environment in a number of ways - it destroys shoreline, such as mangrove forests, pollutes water with fish feces, and kills off wild fish species. - Solutions? Develop a taste for the small fish, so they'll no longer be used as fish feed. So quit eating low-quality farmed salmon and go for some nice mackerel instead. And give fishermen shares in fisheries, but fix the total number of catch per year.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Wine, Asia, Trends, Thanksgiving, Fall  Yesterday I posted about the annual release of Beaujolais Nouveau--and why I think you should try a Cru Beaujolais instead. Some commenters told me that they'll stick with the Nouveau version, and that's totally cool. Especially if you live in Japan, where you can get Beaujolais Nouveau with a Hello Kitty logo. As if that's not a sweet enough deal, the bottle is also plastic, a much more environmentally friendly shipping container, especially for an inexpensive wine meant to be drunk immediately like Beaujolais Nouveau.It may surprise some to hear that plastic is greener than glass--after all, glass is 100 percent recyclable. But, according to research by Tyler Colman, aka Dr. Vino, plastic is much less carbon-intensive overall because it's lighter to ship. In a moment of "eat my words," I'll admit today what I wouldn't have yesterday: if I came across the Hello Kitty plastic bottle, I'd be tempted to buy it. It's pretty cute, no?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Dinner, Food News  (Click the photo to see the Top 10 Most Popular Last Meals) Last meals. You discuss it after a particularly satisfying holiday feast. Melanie Dunea wrote a book about the topic last year. And now, the National Museum of Crime and Punishment has queried more than 500 of their visitors on the subject, asking: "What if you could have absolutely anything you desired -- and what if you knew it would be the last meal you ever ate?" There were absolutely no limitations or conditions set on the answers. The questioners found that people tended to gravitate towards foods that were either comforting and familiar or extravagantly luxurious for their final repast. The most popular responses were... %Gallery-37700% Some of the more unusual requests included kielbasa, pop tarts and Stouffer's macaroni and cheese. There were also many votes for John Wayne Gacy's last meal, which was 12 deep-fried shrimp, a bucket of Original Recipe chicken from KFC, french fries and a pound of strawberries. Personally, I think I'd go for really excellent Vietnamese deep fried spring rolls, several slices perfectly charred, brick oven pizza and a hand-packed pint of Bassett's Ice Cream. How about you? [via NBCwashington.com]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Diary of a Distiller  Over the weekend we finished installing new steam pipes and condensate returns for the brewery boiler. Late Saturday afternoon we fired the boiler up and it seemed to work fine. When we got in Monday to check on things, the sight glass on the brew kettle was broken. We think it probably had the wrong gaskets or some other small problem and cracked during the cool-down. We ordered a replacement, and some valves, and then we're set to start brewing. Later Monday we got our first shipment of brewing ingredients: crushed malt, hops, yeast, and assorted adjuncts and fermentation nutrients. So as soon as we clear up the last little things we will be brewing beer! Much of the rest of the week was spent in the winery, bottling wine, re-arranging storage, and all kinds of things to get ready for our busiest time of year, the Holiday Season. Later in the week we found out that we still had some major problems with the boiler. Actually, not the boiler, but the configuration of the piping, where and how parts are located, steam condensate traps, pumps, etc. An expert came in and very soon was able to figure out the problems and we ordered some more parts and started what we hope will be our final re-design. Just another week or so and we'll be able to brew. Continue reading Diary of a Distiller: Chapter 27 - Getting Closer and Closer Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiled under: Recipes, Soups/Salads  Have you ever been torn between the flavors and textures of a potato salad, and those of your usual tossed salad? If so, I strongly recommend the following recipe -- a great way to have the best of both worlds. The Provencal Salad from Epicurious is a mix that gives you the creamy chew of potatoes and eggs, matches them with the crisp, fresh flavors of tomato and green beans, and then tops it off with capers and tuna. It's quite easy to make, and can be made in stages. Boil the eggs ahead of time, prep the green beans, then just bring it all together as you boil the potatoes. On it's own, it's a great light meal balanced with a vinagrette dressing (kicked up by the use of champagne vinegar and dijon). But for a real treat -- top it with fried feta. The warmth and saltiness are a perfect addition and really make the salad a meal.Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Cookbook of the Day  More and more people are discovered that they have gluten intolerances these days (and many of them have documented their dietary changes on these here interwebs). A gluten-free lifestyle can be a huge adjustment but there are some good cookbooks out there that can help with the transition. One such cookbook is 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, which has become the modern-day Joy of Cooking for gluten-free set. This book clocks in at nearly 700 pages and has recipes for just about every dish, baked good, sauce and salad that you could possibly want to prepare. It's not a glossy book with pictures of every recipe, instead it strives to provide delicious foods that appeal to everyone (both the gluten-free and the gluten-full). However, you don't have to be on a gluten-free diet to enjoy this book and so we're giving away two copies of it to two lucky Slashfood readers. To enter, just leave a comment on this post, making sure to include your email (so that we're able to get in touch with you). The deadline for entry is Monday, November 24th at 12 noon.Permalink | Email this | Comments Filed under: Recipes, Comfort Food  For months I have been itching to try Archana's Spiced Carrot Cake, a sweet treat that is pumped up with the addition of ground cardamom. I'd been leaning on my banana bread recipes for those moments when a sweet, but not sugar-saturated treat was in order, but it was time for a change. When you have all the ingredients prepared, this is a great, simple recipe that yields solid, tasty results. The cardamom gives this nice, subtle push of flavor that sets this mix apart. But be warned -- it's a pain in the arse to grind it. I bought some over the summer, but this was the first time I used some. The shells are very stubborn, and a lot of effort will give you just a bit of appropriately ground spice. I heated it with my cast iron skillet and then used a mortar and pestle and my coffee grinder to get the powder. It took a while since the cardamom is so light that it flies above the blades. If you want speed, I suggest some pre-ground cardamom. But the result is a treat. It was the middle of the night, and I was too impatient, so I just ripped chunks off and ate them warm, without a glaze or confectioners sugar -- both of which would really make this cake. But without, it's still nice and light, moist, and great for a quick nibble.Permalink | Email this | Comments |
Candy Addict 21 Nov 2008 at 12:00am
It seems like just yesterday our sister site Snackerrific was just a little girl. Now, she?s growing up. This popular young lady has even gotten herself a makeover with some flashy animated logos and a new design that just dares you not to get hungry looking at it. And it?s not just her looks that are maturing. She?s becoming well-read, having finished the mystery book that is compellingly titled The Snack Thief. She?s even educating about the foods of the world by mentioning a cookie from down under known as Tim Tams that are making their debut in the US (side note, OMG! I heart me some Tim Tams and missed them so when I moved away from New Zealand). And even though she?s prettier and more sophisticated than before, that doesn?t mean she has lost the ability to let loose and have fun with reviews on Breyer?s Triple Chocolate Ice Cream or Buttermilk Ranch Potato Chips. So head on over to see the new Snackerrific and catch up on the latest trends that all you snack fans should know about. Recent Snackerrific Posts:
20 Nov 2008 at 12:00am
Despite being siblings, my brother and I had differing opinions on everything. He was a Los Angeles Dodgers fan while I preferred the Angels. He liked sci-fi stuff, and I? well, I just didn?t like/understand it. And even on Thanksgiving, the day of the year where all families sit down together, he and I were contentious. You see, my mom had this tradition where she would let one of her kids pick the dessert to create. He always wanted pumpkin pie while I craved blueberry cheesecake. It was always a tempestuous dinner if your dessert wasn?t picked. All these years later, I still like my preference over his, but in honor of the spirit of Thanksgiving, here is a candy recipe that combines both loves: A blueberry pumpkin cheesecake fudge bar that I call the Harmony Bar. 19 Nov 2008 at 12:00am
18 Nov 2008 at 12:00am
I love caramel. Anything dipped in it will do - apples, pretzels, onions… you get the picture. I still crave the old Marathon bar, the one with chocolate, braided caramel and a ruler on the back of the package. I rejoiced when Cadbury came out with a king-sized Caramello bar. At Halloween time, I eat the caramel discs that come with taffy apple kits and toss the apples. (Well, I don’t actually buy the apples, but, again, you get the picture.) So I?ve been wanting to try Werther’s Original caramel chocolates ever since I saw the commercial on TV. Werther?s candies are marketed as treats handed down through the generations. They?re always showing some older gentleman (I hope it?s that kid?s grandpa) handing out candies to young tykes in short pants. There might be a little vaguely European candy shop where robust workers joyfully toil away on their sweet confections. (?I may be making minimum wage, but this caramel is off the hook!?) After eating their candy, folks generally hug, smile and live happily ever after. I don?t know if you can get this same feeling from a Twix bar. 17 Nov 2008 at 2:00am
New Improved Flavor! Companies everywhere seem to think that changing their products will increase sales. From the “new” Coke to putting purple horseshoes in Lucky Charms, big businesses love to change. And doesn’t it seem that the best tasting treats get changed the fastest? In the late spring of 2008, the 117 year old Wrigley company ? best known for its gum ? was purchased for $23 billion by Mars, Incorporated. Mars is well known for making candy (such as M&Ms, Snickers, and Starburst) but also markets rice, coffee, and pet food. Since acquiring Wrigley, Mars has made quite a few changes. Doing away with the traditional five-sticks-per-pack narrow rectangular package, they now offer Wrigley’s gum in a Slim Pack? ? a larger rectangle that now contains 15 sticks. Anyone could live with the new package, but the new “improved” flavor? Well, let’s just say I wish I’d stocked up on gum prior to the Mars acquisition. 17 Nov 2008 at 12:00am
I have always known that Jelly Belly manufactures more than their trademark jelly bean; however, my knowledge of the rest of their product line is rather limited. I attribute this fact mostly to price issues. As anyone who sees Jelly Belly products already knows, they are considered to be a gourmet line of candy widely accessible to the public. And while their candy won?t hurt your wallet as much as designer chocolate would, you?ll still be required to lay out a few more dollars for a product you could easily find cheaper, but most likely at a lesser quality. One such product is their gummy raspberries and blackberries. These confections have arcane origins that originate in Europe, and the most association I have ever had with them was that a former boss of mine loved to consume the Haribo version. 14 Nov 2008 at 2:00am
I love Christmas. I am a fool for all things holiday. I celebrate September, October, and November 25th as 3 months, 2 months, and 1 month until Christmas, respectively. The tree goes up and the carols come out as soon as the turkey is finished, and December 26th is the darkest day of my year. To reiterate, I love Christmas. And, have no doubt, that all-encompassing amour most certainly extends to holiday candy, be it candy canes and red and green M&M?s or gourmet assortments with appropriately hued ribbons. So I was Deck-the-Halls, All-I-Want-For-Christmas-Is-You happy to get into the spirit of things a little early this year, in order to preview and review Divine Chocolate?s holiday line of treats for 2008. As I did for my review of their standard products, I again enlisted my chocolate-covered-Christmas loving pals for opinions, and here?s our take on their seasonal goods: 14 Nov 2008 at 2:00am
A side-effect of doing the Great Chocolate Experiment posts is that I?ve become a lot more inclined to try unusual chocolate bars when I see them in stores. After all, if even my hopelessly amateurish attempts at candy-making can make unlikely combinations like garlic and chocolate taste good, then how much better will a professional chocolatier?s efforts be? So, when I found this Dolfin Chocolat au Lait Hot Masala bar in Montreal, I decided to give it a try. According to the Food Lover?s Companion, masala is ?a word used throughout India for a spice blend with myriad variations. It can refer to a simple combination of two or three spices (such as cardamom, coriander and mace) or a complex blend of 10 or more ingredients.? Masalas, especially the most popular variety, garam masala, are often used as a spice base for curries. Chocolate and curry couldn?t be any worse than chocolate and pickles… right? Once I?d brought the bar home, a look at the ingredients quickly dispelled my hopes of rocking the chocolate/curry combo. The bar?s spices of cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, cloves, ginger and vanilla were more consistent with a different type of masala ? tea masala, used to make the popular sweet beverage known as masala chai, usually just called chai in North America. Now, I love a good cup of chai almost as much as I love a good plate of curry, so I wasn?t really all that disappointed. 13 Nov 2008 at 2:00am
To me Godiva is like the Starbucks of chocolate. It’s a bit pretentious, often overpriced and it’s available everywhere, lurking in book stores, airports, hotels, even clothing stores. But, just like Starbucks, Godiva knows how to deliver. The company’s chocolates are pricey but consistently good. The Godiva people also know how to saturate a market, just like their Starbucks friends: The chocolate behemoth has perfected the art of offering up the same product in hundreds of variations. From bars to liquors to cookies, there?s plenty of ways to get a Godiva fix. I?m waiting for the Godiva intravenous drip to dispense chocolate into my bloodstream 24 hours a day. Now Godiva has created chocolate ?pearls? that come in a can. The company Web site plugs these with the tagline ?Decadence goes mobile.? Please. Do we really need another temptation from these people? 13 Nov 2008 at 12:00am
The first thing my little sister said to me when I told her that I scored a gig reviewing candy went something along the lines of the following: ?So what sort of candy are you going to give me?? I had not even written my first review, and she was already trying to milk the perks. Being the good, older brother that I am, or maybe just feeling guilty remembering all the stuff big brothers put their little sisters through when growing up, I send her care packages every now and then with candy. When we spoke several weeks ago, I inquired if she had received my latest shipment. She told me she had and continued to explain how she disliked everything I sent her. Mind you, she and I have very different ideas of what constitutes tasty when it comes to candy. She did explain that as a candy reviewer, I was letting down the general public and her by not devoting enough time to Reese?s products, her all-time favorite. I tried explaining that there were simply no new products to review. This fact failed to placate her. Knowing the wrath a little sister could release, I picked my battle and told her the next time I saw a new Reese?s product, I?d not only review it, but also send her a box of whatever it was. Cooking with Amy: A Food Blog 10 Nov 2008 at 3:40pm I polled several friends before heading to New York and the restaurant at the Museum of Modern Art, The Bar Room at The Modern was recommended over and over again. I wasn't the only one in town eager to dine there, Alice of Alice Q. Foodie put together a lunch of fellow food bloggers Lisa from Homesick Texan, Deb of Smitten Kitchen and Gourmet food editor and all-around nice guy, Ian Knauer. When eating with foodie friends, it's de rigeur to over order, share, nibble off each other's plates, and generally get lost in conversation and that's a perfectly good description of my final lunch in New York. Service was never rushed, helpful and proactive but not pushy. Even in an incident that will surely require dry cleaning, the staff showed themselves to be consummate professionals. Here's what we ordered to share, the Modern Liverwurst, with pickled vegetables. It was a very refined version and there was plenty to share. An Alsatian thin crust tart with creme fraiche, onion and applewood smoked bacon. I adored this and could have eaten one for lunch with a salad. It was a combination of crisp crust, creamy with melting onions and smoky flavors. I must admit I ordered the homemade Alsatian country sausage with turnip choucroute and whole grain mustard because I feared I was not going to have time for a Papaya King dog. Turned out I had two of them at the airport. Really, there is no comparing the snap of a garlic hot dog to a homemade sausage except to say both were delicious, succulent and tremendously satisfying. My final entree was one that most of the table also ordered, the finest duck confit I have ever eaten with a lovely pool of passion fruit sauce. It was tender, crisp, and so rich that sadly I couldn't eat the whole thing. Last but not least, we had an order of beignets with various sauces. They were light and puffy and positively wonderful. And how could we not order them when an order worked out to one per person? Really, the food, service, not to mention charming company, were without fault. Thank again to Alice for making all the arrangements. A few more blogger reviews of the Bar Room at The Modern:Alice Q. FoodieThe Gastronomer's GuideManger La VilleYaokuiThe Amateur GourmetThis post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 3 Nov 2008 at 10:57pm After the session with David Chang at the Gourmet Institute I was even more eager to try dining at one of his Momofuku restaurants. Though Chang has written that he believes we are moving towards a less future with less cheap industrial meat, he is firmly in the carnivore camp. Be forewarned, at Momofuku Ssam Bar, the menu says, "We do not serve vegetarian friendly items," and they're not kidding. It is a very meaty menu. It's also a menu full of surprises. I was a bit taken aback to see a list of four different root beers on the menu. I was even more amazed to discover how wonderfully well root beer pairs with the spicy, lusty flavors of his food. What did I eat at Momofuku Ssam Bar? The famous steam buns with pork belly hoisin, cucumber and scallions, of course. They melt in your mouth and might possibly be a candidate for my next round of the parlor game "name your last meal." A perfectly tender charred chili spiced calamari salad with ginger, scallions, crunchy radishes and bits of feathery mizuna. You may have had calamari salad before, but you've never had it like this. It was an addictive combination of textures and tastes, not too spicy but juicy and bursting with flavor.The least Asian influenced of all the dishes we tried, was several different cuts of Long Island duck with djion spaetzle, brussels sprouts and Five Spoke cheddar. Sharp and creamy spaetzle and bitter sprouts balanced the richness of the expertly prepared duck.A refreshing house cured hamachi with edamame, horseradish, pea leaves was our last dish, save for a nibble of Satur Farm's crispy fried brussels sprouts with mint, scallions, and a fish sauce vinaigrette thanks to Anil of Six Apart and Alaina of Serious Eatswho coincidentally happened to be dining right next to me at the long central communal table/bar. Beware the food blogger sitting next to you! Your food is not safe from my fork!I really can't say enough good things about the food at Momofuku Ssam Bar. The biggest problem is wanting to order everything on the menu. As it was I missed out on a whole section of offal that included crispy pig's head torchon, Sichuan beef tendon with mango and peanuts and blood sausage with seckel pears, lime pickle and frisee. More to try next time I suppose...Next up--lunch at Bar ModernThis post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 2 Nov 2008 at 5:41pm David Chang, James Beard Rising Star Chef for 2007, is one of the most hyped chefs in New York, so much so that he even jokingly once referred to himself as "overrated pseudo chef," in an interview at Serious Eats. Yet one of the reasons I wanted to go to New York was to hear David Chang present at the Gourmet Institute and to eat his food. I was not disappointed. His food is luscious, bold and sexy and his obsession with perfection and quality seem to fit comfortably with his innovative use of traditional techiniques and delectable flavor combinations. There were three recipes and several techniques I learned from his session at the Gourmet Institute that I will surely be adding to my repertoire. First off he shared a recipe for "tare" which he described as a type of Japanese barbecue sauce that gets added to many dishes and sauces. The basic formula was 4 parts dark soy sauce, 1/2 part brown sugar and 1 part mirin. After allowing it to simmer he placed a knife (honing) steel he heated over a flame into the pot to infuse the sauce with smoky flavor. Pickled mustard seeds were used as a garnish on braised pork belly with daikon and apple. It's another simple recipe I will play with using different types of mustard seeds, and can use as a finishing touch to add crunch and a pop of spice to all kinds of dishes, especially vegetables. Chang made them by combining 1/2 cup mustard seeds with a cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of sugar and simmering until thick. But the true focus of the session was on dashi, a "universal ingredient" according to Chang and one that can be used not only as a soup broth but also as a braising liquid. After demonstrating a more traditional method of making it using hand shaved katsuboshi or bonito flakes he also showed the audience his bacon version. The traditional version was used for a soup of cockles with fingerling potatoes, scallions and sea beans. For the bacon dashi, Chang's technique was to simmer konbu (a type of dried seaweed) then add uncooked smoky bacon and allow it to steep like tea for 15 minutes, extracting the flavor and juices from the bacon. Could you use the same technique for making dashi with roasted tomatoes, porcini mushrooms or dried shrimp? Why not? Chang used the bacon dashi for a soup with salt-pickled Fall vegetables and a sliver of Benton Smoky Mountain ham. The pickled vegetables were made by curing sliced carrots, radishes and savoy cabbage with equal parts salt and sugar for an hour. Next up--dinner at Momofuku Ssam BarLinks to a few more David Chang articles and interviews:David Chang profile on EaterABC Dateline David Chang interview and recipesChang on What the 21st Century will Taste Like from Esquire magazineThis post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 26 Oct 2008 at 1:11pm Sometimes the story behind a given dish is complicated. This is one of those recipes, though the recipe is is easy as can be. I'm particularly proud of it because it's rather original and I got a number of compliments on it and even a couple of requests for the recipe. It's spicy fennel flavored Italian sausages roasted with vinegar-marinated pears and onions. The resulting dish has spicy, savory and sweet flavors and can be made for as many or as few people as you like. It's a perfect dish for Fall.It represents my favorite type of recipe because it takes very little time, few ingredients and techniques but yields something absolutely delicious. I think you could call it foolproof. It can also be varied pretty easily--add other fruit, seasonings, vegetables, or different kinds of sausages. Here are the steps that lead to the recipe:1. My initial motivation was to make something savory with pears. My mom has a pear tree that went a little crazy this year so I had quite a few pears to use. In Marin County this is not an unusual occurrence.2. I had a food blogger potluck to attend and I wanted something that would feed a crowd.3. It was "Eat Local Challenge Month" and I feared the wrath of those who would question the provenance of my offering. The last thing I needed was a blog post blaming me for ruining their day!4. What could I do to make pears, savory? Vinegar! I have made this recipe twice and it works with port wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. I think you need something rich and dark, don't use supermarket red wine vinegar. Actually avoid supermarket red wine vinegar in general, it's terrible.5. I wanted everything in the dish to be roasted, but not too saucy. My biggest innovation was to marinate the pears and onions in vinegar, but to roast them on a baking sheet.6. Success! This recipe worked well the very first go, perhaps because it builds on the success of other recipes. Looking back I can say it was somewhat influenced by Mark Bittman's Sausages and Grapes recipe and also by a Grilled Chicken Sausage and Red Pear Skewer recipe.Note: I used Fra'Mani Fully Cooked Spicy Italian Sausage I got from Costco. They are completely cooked and very good. If you wanted to use a raw sausage I would cut it into chunks and roast it for 10-15 minutes before adding the fruit.Roasted Sausages and Pearsfor 2 people:2 fully cooked Italian sausages (but I bet it would be good with Kielbasa too)2 firm pears, peeled and cored1/4 cup balsamic or port wine vinegar (you really just need enough to make sure everything is mostly submersed)1 small onion, optionalPreheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut each pear into 4 - 6 chunks. Place in a very small bowl or plastic bag and add the vinegar to marinate. Allow to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes. If you are using an onion, cut it into smaller chunks and break them up a bit and add them to the marinade.Cut the sausages into 4 - 5 pieces each. Line a baking sheet, preferably rimmed, with aluminum foil and place the pears and onions on the pan. Dunk the sausages into the vinegar to coat them, then place them randomly on the pan as well. Bake for 15 minutes or until pears are soft and sausages are beginning to get crusty.Serve with a baguette and a spinach salad.Enjoy!This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 22 Oct 2008 at 8:54pm I don't think it's possible to go to New York and not have wonderful culinary experiences. It's just that kind of town. When something terrible happens, you can keep your "brown paper packages tied up with string" I will simply call to mind my dream dessert experience at ChikaLicious in the East Village. I wrote about it years ago, because as someone who is terribly indecisive, the idea of a multi-course dessert menu sounded like a lot of fun. And I love the idea of a dessert only restaurant. Yes, a restaurant. It's much more than a cafe, it's fine service, pretty china, a lovely and relaxing ambiance and heavenly, perfectly balanced and proportioned desserts. It's also intimate, they can accommodate four guests per party, max.The menu offers plenty of "a la carte" options, but I recommend the three course menu, with or without wine. These days with fine plated desserts hovering around $10, the prix fixe price of $12 feels like a bargain. Everyone who comes in seems to prefer sitting at the bar to watch everything being made, but I liked my little table for two and the unrushed service. The refreshing amuse was lemon sorbet in a white chocolate mousse. Cool, clean flavors reminded me of a most sophisticated lemon flavored orangesicle. Just lovely. Next my "main course" a recommendation of the owner was the quince steamed pudding in a creme anglaise and Asian pear salad. This was the lightest fluffiest steamed pudding I ever ate, not stodgy or heavy or wet. Portions are just right. The menu ends with coconut covered marshmallows, truffles and shortbread topped with lemon curd and a single pistachio. The delicate shortbread was so good I picked up a package to take home. ChikaLicious thank you for being are everything I imagined you'd be! ChikaLicious Dessert Bar203 E 10th StNew York, NY212-995-9511Daily 3pm to 10:45pmThis post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 8 Oct 2008 at 4:14pm Last year in the steamy Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden of South Florida I tasted about 15 different types of mangoes. I discovered that some are sweet, while others are tangy and refreshing. Some have subtle floral aromas, others have hints of citrus, spice, even nuts as well as tropical fruit. The world of mangoes is luscious and delicious to explore and I was one enthusiastic taster!While most mangoes in the US are grown in Florida, there are some grown in California like the organically grown Keitt. It's in season and in stores until the end of October and you don't want to miss it. The Keitt is one of my favorite mangoes, it's green on the outside and very large with a particularly thin seed. While more expensive than some mangoes, I think they are still a good value because they yield a ton of fruit. I recently had one that was almost 2 pounds and yielded several cups of diced fruit, 2 or 3 times as much fruit as a typical mango.The delectable Keitt has no fiber, a buttery juicy texture, vanilla aroma and a delicate peachy flavor. If there was ever a melt-in-your-mouth mango, the Keitt is it. One serving provides over 75% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C and 25% of Vitamin A. Pick Keitt mangoes that are still a bit firm with no soft spots. The fruit is delicious on it's own, but even better on top of pancakes, crepes, in fruit salad or salsa. More tips on using mangoes, here.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 28 Sep 2008 at 12:28pm My whole life I watched Paul Newman films. His cool blue eyes and often nonchalant, cool, distinctly American persona is imprinted on my brain from watching films like Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,The Verdict,The Sting, The Hudsucker Proxy and Nobody's Fool. But more than that, I've long admired his charitable efforts. While he could have kicked back, or used his fame for personal profit as so many stars do, he instead chose "shameless exploitation in the pursuit of the common good." The "common good" meant progressive social causes of all kinds--helping children, looking out for the well-being of animals, protecting First Amendment rights and more.The Newman's Own product line started with salad dressing and every time you turned around it seemed there was another product--pasta sauce, lemonade, popcorn, salsa and more. Today there are over 150 different products offered by Newman's Own and according to the company, the profits from sales have raised over 250 million dollars for thousands of charities.Not long ago I received some Newman's Own samples of organic products including pretzels and cookies. The one that impressed me the most were the Ginger-O's, spicy little sandwich cookies with a creamy filling. Crunchy and crisp and not too sweet, they are not only organic, but made without any artificial ingredients. For a store-bought cookie, they're pretty darn good. More than just a handsome movie star, Paul Newman was a man who made a difference.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 27 Sep 2008 at 8:00am Going into the challenge I thought breakfast would be a breeze. I figured I might even save money on breakfast that I could then use on lunch or dinner. Fat chance! If you want to buy premium products, like cage free organic eggs, jam with no corn sweeteners or real butter, you'll be over budget in no time. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but forget about fresh orange juice and coffee most days, on this budget. Lunch was just plain boring. Only a couple of days did I have enough to eat of leftovers. It was hard to come up with interesting recipes on such a tight budget. My experiments with cottage cheese were not very successful. My most creative effort was green pea pesto. I like it so much, I would make it again. This is my last Hunger Challenge post. I hope you have found my insights and recipes to be enlightening and interesting and maybe even helpful if you are on a limited budget. If you are not on a limited budget, please consider donating to the food bank. Your $1 donation allows the food bank to distribute $9 worth of food. The food that the San Francisco Food Bank offers is often fresh produce and not just canned foods or government surplus cheese. It is also a lifeline for those who depend upon it. As an added incentive, I've donated some cookbooks for top donors.BREAKFASTEggs & ToastTwo slices of toast, 32˘ 1 Tablespoon Smart Balance 9˘ 2 eggs, 48˘ 1 Tablespoon organic, no corn syrup jam, 18˘ Total--$1.07Oatmeal1/2 cup quick oats, 13˘ 1/2 cup organic milk, 56˘ 1 Tablespoon raisins, 4.5˘ Total--73.5˘ Ways to shake things up:Organic peanut butter, 7˘ per Tablespoon- Use on toast- Swirl into oatmeal (tip courtesy of Alanna at Veggie Venture)Cottage cheese 31˘ per 1/4 cup (but often available from the Food Bank)- Use on toast, top with banana slices- Add to scrambled eggs, serve on toast- Make a banana smoothie with cottage cheese, milk and bananaLUNCHPeanut Butter & Jelly SandwichesTwo slices of toast, 32˘ 1 Tablespoon organic, no corn syrup jam, 18˘ 2 Tablespoon organic peanut butter, 14˘ Total--64˘ Pasta with Green Pea Pesto1 cup frozen organic green peas, 75˘ 2 cloves garlic, 5˘ 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 36˘ 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, 42˘ Total--about 32˘ per 2 Tablespoon serving1 cup/2 ounces penne pasta 24˘ Total--56˘ per servingAs the challenge progressed I experienced some of the same things my fellow bloggers have:Genie of The Inadvertent Gardener lost weight on the challenge. While I didn't weigh myself at the beginning of the challenge, I do know I lost some weight on it because of the way my clothes are fitting. While this might be a good thing one week, I'm not sure it would be good week after week for everyone. Luckily I didn't suffer the same caffeine withdrawal that Genie did because I'm not a regular coffee drinker. Faith at Blog Appetit used her calculator a lot. My calculator and my digital scale were in constant use this week to discover the true costs of my meals. Gayle of the Been There Ate That blog was inspired to adapt a recipe she found in a magazine, and so did I. Vanessa of Vanessa Barrington blog thought and wrote about transportation costs that affect those on a limited budget and that also factored in to my shopping choices.Rude awakenings: * Even though it seems more luxurious, the egg breakfast was not nearly as filling as the oatmeal. I found myself getting hungry after a few hours* I would have preferred to buy organic or local eggs, but there is no way I could on the budget.*Fresh fruit? Practically impossible to manage. The best I could do was a banana for 19˘ or raisins which are a good source of iron.*Buying products like bread on sale was a necessity not a choice*Finding jam without corn syrup was a real challenge and bumped the price way up* To get the most nutritional value, I choose a whole wheat, high fiber bread, cheaper bread=less healthy breadHave you donated online yet? It's free and easy!As I mentioned yesterday, after reading one of my "tweets" on Twitter about the Hunger Challenge, Tyson Foods offered to send up to 200,000 pounds of high-quality, protein-rich foods (chicken, meatballs, lunchmeat, etc.) to the six Bay Area food banks! That's six tractor-trailerloads of the most hard-to-come-by foods desperately needed by food banks! Tyson will donate 100 pounds of food for every comment posted on a special web page, so please go, make a comment and then help spread the word! 1) Go to the Tyson Hunger Relief in the Bay Area post. 2) Read the post and leave a comment. (NOTE: the format asks for an email address to prevent spam, but Tyson guarantees they will not harvest emails or use them for any other purpose whatsoever.) 3) Tyson adds another 100 pounds of high-quality, protein-rich foods (chicken, meatballs, lunchmeat, etc.) to trucks heading for 6 Bay Area food banks! 4) Tell your friends and family, anyone and everyone!GET INVOLVED!♥ Learn more about the " target="_blank">San Francisco Food Bank♥ Donate and a receive a thank you special thank you gift!1. Click on donate to go to the donation page.2. Fill out the necessary info and make a donation of $50 or more.3. About 2/3 of the way down the form, look for a header that says, ?Food Drive/Event Information (not required)?4. Use the drop-down box to select ?Bloggers Hunger Challenge,? so we?ll know you are participating.5. Be one of the first 12 people to donate $50 or more and you?ll receive a brand new free cookbook as a thank-you.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 26 Sep 2008 at 8:00am Frozen organic green peas seemed like a bargain. But what could I do with them? I had hoped to come up with a kind of sandwich filling but ended up with a creamy sauce for pasta. It's actually pretty tasty and is perfect for those times when the cupboard is bare, because it uses mostly pantry staples. Surprisingly this ended up being my easiest, fastest and cheapest meal, and one I know I will make again. Green Pea Pesto with Pasta56˘ per serving1 cup frozen organic green peas, 75˘ 2 cloves garlic, 5˘ 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 36˘ 2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese, 42˘ (note: recipe makes 5 servings of sauce)1 cup, about 2 ounces penne pasta 24˘ Roughly chop the garlic. In a small saucepan combine the garlic and green peas with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat then lower the heat to simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 3 minutes or until peas are cooked through and garlic is no longer raw. Drain the peas, reserving the water. Place the peas and olive oil in the blender and blend, adding just enough water to make a smooth paste, about 1 tablespoon. Combine mixture with parmesan cheese. Serve 2 tablespoons of sauce over each serving of penne pasta.NEWSFLASH!After reading one of my "tweets" on Twitter about the Hunger Challenge, Tyson Foods offered to send up to 200,000 pounds of high-quality, protein-rich foods (chicken, meatballs, lunchmeat, etc.) to the six Bay Area food banks! That's six tractor-trailerloads of the most hard-to-come-by foods desperately needed by food banks! Tyson will donate 100 pounds of food for every comment posted on a special web page, so please go, make a comment and then help spread the word! 1) Go to the Tyson Hunger Relief in the Bay Area post. 2) Read the post and leave a comment. (NOTE: the format asks for an email address to prevent spam, but Tyson guarantees they will not harvest emails or use them for any other purpose whatsoever.) 3) Tyson adds another 100 pounds of high-quality, protein-rich foods (chicken, meatballs, lunchmeat, etc.) to trucks heading for 6 Bay Area food banks! 4) Tell your friends and family, anyone and everyone!Have you been enjoying these Hunger Challenge posts and recipes? Here are more ways to GET INVOLVED♥ Learn more about the " target="_blank">San Francisco Food Bank♥ Donate and a receive a thank you special thank you gift!1. Click on donate to go to the donation page.2. Fill out the necessary info and make a donation of $50 or more.3. About 2/3 of the way down the form, look for a header that says, ?Food Drive/Event Information (not required)?4. Use the drop-down box to select ?Bloggers Hunger Challenge,? so we?ll know you are participating.5. Be one of the first 12 people to donate $50 or more and you?ll receive a brand new free cookbook as a thank-you.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 25 Sep 2008 at 8:00am This is a recipe I originally made for a friend who was allergic to just about everything. It's an adaptation of a Bon Appetit recipe. She liked it a lot and so it became a regular addition to my repertoire. It tastes a bit like mushroom barley soup and makes a great vegetarian meal with a salad and a glass of wine, but none of those extras fit on the Hunger Challenge budget! Mushroom Barley Risotto$2.00 for 2 servings1 bouillon cube 14¢ 1 teaspoon Smart Balance 3¢ (substitute butter or oil, as desired)1/2 cup finely chopped onion 13¢ 2 cups water, or more as needed1/2 cup pearl barley, 25¢ 1/4 lb pound mushrooms, sliced $11 garlic clove, minced 2.5¢ 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan, 42¢ Melt Smart Balance in large nonstick pot over low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushroom and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes. Add barley and toast in the pan for 1-2 minutes, then add water and bouillon; bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to very low and simmer until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Cook until barley is tender but still "al dente", about 45 minutes adding more water as necessary. Serve with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of each serving.Observations:I really enjoyed this meal, so many budget meals are soup or pasta, this was chewy and meaty and satisfying. While the original recipe calls for fresh thyme, it was flavorful without it. A smaller serving would make a nice side dish for a grilled pork chop. I was pleased that it came in right on budget. GET INVOLVED!♥ Learn about the " target="_blank">San Francisco Food Bank♥ Join the Hunger Challenge♥ Donate and a receive a thank you special thank you gift!1. Click on donate to go to the donation page.2. Fill out the necessary info and make a donation of $50 or more.3. About 2/3 of the way down the form, look for a header that says, ?Food Drive/Event Information (not required)?4. Use the drop-down box to select ?Bloggers Hunger Challenge,? so we?ll know you are participating.5. Be one of the first 12 people to donate $50 or more and you?ll receive a brand new free cookbook as a thank-you.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 24 Sep 2008 at 8:06am No question, I learned what frugal cooking was all about in Italy the land of "la cucina povera." Soups and salads made from stale bread, beans, pasta with nothing but olive oil, garlic and parmesan cheese and the most microscopic portions of meat were all part of my Tuscan diet. But I ate extremely well. I also learned many ways to cook beans. They don't call the Florentines "mangiafagioli" or bean eaters, for nothing. Could this dish be made with heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo and bacon from the Fatted Calf? Absolutely and it would still be a very cheap meal, though not quite $1 per person cheap.Pasta Fagioli$1.98 for 2 healthy servings1 cup pinto beans, 50¢ 2 slices bacon 30¢ 1/2 onion 17¢ 2 cloves garlic 5¢ 1 cup macaroni, 11¢ 1 bouillon cube 14¢ 7 ounces canned diced tomatoes, 50¢ 1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese 21¢ Soak the beans in 3 cups of water in a saucepan overnight (or boil for 2 minutes, cover then allow to soak for one hour). Drain the water then add 3 more cups of fresh water. Bring water to a boil then lower heat simmer beans, covered, for 1 1/2 hours or until almost tender and set aside. Chop the bacon, onions and finely mince the garlic. In a large saucepan cook the bacon over medium heat until almost crisp. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Add the garlic, tomatoes and bouillon. Stir to combine, add the beans, their liquid, adding more water if necessary, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the macaroni and cook until pasta is done, about 10-15 minutes. Taste and add salt to your taste. Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Rude awakening:* I had to be very stingy with the parmesan cheese to stay within the budget* This soup is simple, but can be made richer with additions like celery, carrots, and herbs such as rosemary but not for $1 per servingGET INVOLVED!♥ Learn about the " target="_blank">San Francisco Food Bank♥ Join the Hunger Challenge♥ Donate and a receive a thank you special thank you gift!1. Click on donate to go to the donation page.2. Fill out the necessary info and make a donation of $50 or more.3. About 2/3 of the way down the form, look for a header that says, ?Food Drive/Event Information (not required)?4. Use the drop-down box to select ?Bloggers Hunger Challenge,? so we?ll know you are participating.5. Be one of the first 12 people to donate $50 or more and you?ll receive a brand new free cookbook as a thank-you.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 23 Sep 2008 at 8:05am I was really optimistic that I could make a successful lentil soup on a budget. I was pretty sure it would be tasty and it took very little time to make. It was filling and healthy and comforting. Lee said it was delicious. I used 2 bouillon cubes to try and get flavor into the soup, but what it really needed was spices and a bit of lemon juice. Some aromatics like carrots and celery would have been good too, but I was afraid it would push me over budget. Lentil & Mustard Greens SoupTotal: $1.81 for 2 servings8 ounces lentils 62.5¢ 2 bouillon cube 28¢ 1/2 organic onion 17¢ 1 clove garlic 2.5¢ 5 cups water1 Tablespoon Smart Balance 9¢ (you could use butter or oil)5 ounces, frozen mustard greens 62¢ Chop the onions and garlic. Heat a large saucepan and add the Smart Balance. When melted, add the onions and cook stirring for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic, water, bouillon cube and lentils. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and mash some of the lentils using a potato masher, add more water if necessary and the mustard greens. Heat through and serve. Rude awakening:* I stayed just under budget, but there was no money for salad or a glass of wine, let alone dessert. GET INVOLVED!♥ Learn about the " target="_blank">San Francisco Food Bank♥ Join the Hunger Challenge♥ Donate and a receive a thank you special thank you gift!1. Click on donate to go to the donation page.2. Fill out the necessary info and make a donation of $50 or more.3. About 2/3 of the way down the form, look for a header that says, ?Food Drive/Event Information (not required)?4. Use the drop-down box to select ?Bloggers Hunger Challenge,? so we?ll know you are participating.5. Be one of the first 12 people to donate $50 or more and you?ll receive a brand new free cookbook as a thank-you.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 22 Sep 2008 at 8:09am In the 1970's my dad was out of work for a year. For as long as I can remember, my mother tended an organic garden and baked bread from scratch and during that year my dad fished for salmon and went clamming for geoduck. We ate lots of eggs from our chickens and sold the rest for $1 a dozen. But the truth is there was also a lot of dumpster diving. Actually the guys in the produce department at our nearby Co-op supermarket would set aside the ripest fruit and vegetables that they couldn't sell, for people like my mom and her friends who would stop by and scavenge. I don't remember ever going hungry. My parents used to say we never ate better. We certainly ate healthy food and made the best of whatever we had. With the exception of that year during the recession, the closest I've ever come to living on a limited budget was eating my dinners at a homeless shelter where I worked. There was a lot of cheap food--macaroni and cheese, red beans and rice, tuna noodle casserole. Some of it was good, most of it wasn't. I'm awfully lucky. I've never had to cut corners when it comes to shopping. I may choose not to spend $10 for a pound of shelled English peas at the farmer's market but I have been known to spend $4 for a pound of peaches and many times that amount for fine cheese. The Hunger Challenge is a chance to try and walk a mile in someone else's shoes, to see what the experience of eating on a limited budget is all about. In this case that means spending no more than $1 per meal, per person. Succeed or fail, I know I will learn a lot from this experience and the recipes I develop will go to the San Francisco Food Bank as a resource for their clients. My goal is to come up with recipes that are easy, delicious, nutritious and fit the budget. If they are quick to prepare, so much the better. There are lots of ways to help, build awareness and make a difference. Donate to the food bank, try living on $1 a meal, volunteer at the food bank, write a letter to your government representative--find a way to support those who are struggling. Won't you join me?GET INVOLVED!♥ Learn about the " target="_blank">San Francisco Food Bank♥ Join the Hunger Challenge♥ Donate to the San Francisco and a receive a thank you special thank you gift! Your $1 donation allows the food bank to distribute $9 worth of groceries to local folks living on the edge.1. Click on donate to go to the donation page.2. Fill out the necessary info and make a donation of $50 or more.3. About 2/3 of the way down the form, look for a header that says, ?Food Drive/Event Information (not required)?4. Use the drop-down box to select ?Bloggers Hunger Challenge,? so we?ll know you are participating.5. Be one of the first 12 people to donate $50 or more and you?ll receive a brand new free cookbook as a thank-you.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 19 Sep 2008 at 7:13pm I had a hard time deciding where to shop for a week of meals that were limited to $1 per person. I chose a big supermarket to try and buy a week's worth of food at one time. I don't know if someone on a budget would have the time and transportation resources to go from store to store for the best bargains.OatmealBarleyPinto beansLentilsMacaroniSpaghettiChicken bouillonOrganic raspberry jamOrganic peanut butterEggsCottage cheeseMustard greens (frozen)Organic green peas (frozen)Smart Balance spreadOrganic milkHigh fiber breadCremini mushroomsOrganic celeryRaisinsCarrotsOrganic romaine lettuceOrganic onionsGrated parmesan cheeseTotal bill $55.02. Did I succeed or fail? Hard to say. A family on food stamps might not have $55 to spend at one time on food. But to get the best deals on products I usually had to buy in larger sizes. Some products were inexpensive but many really cost a lot. Rude awakenings:* Frozen vegetables are often a much better deal than fresh* Bread is really expensive these days. I've gotten used to making my own and had no idea* Some basic items like potatoes were very expensive and had to be left behind* I tried to buy organic when I could, but it wasn't always feasible. Sometimes though, organic was cheaper than conventional* The only meat I bought was bacon, which I will use as a flavoring, not a main dish* Getting enough nutrients is hard! Some tasty foods are just not nutritious enough to make the cut* Someone on a budget probably wouldn't have several types of olive oils, nut oils, and three kinds of butter. I chose Smart Balance because it is a healthier fat and can be used for cooking or on toast. The Hunger Challenge kicks off on Monday I'll tell you more about it then, but for now, head to Blog Appetit and The Inadvertent Gardener to hear how my friends and fellow bloggers Genie and Faith are doing with the challenge. GET INVOLVED!♥ Join the Hunger ChallengeThis post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 18 Sep 2008 at 2:11pm "I just returned from Lisbon and only have one thing to say - Belem Pasteis de Nata"Thanks to a reader for reminding me of what is the can't miss taste of Lisbon. While there are wonderful wines, tasty sausages, perfect cups of espresso and crispy salt cod fritters that all deserve your attention, you haven't truly experienced Lisbon until you have made it through the winding labyrinth of the cafe and bakery, Pasteis de Belem, in a pretty waterfront neighborhood of Lisbon and had a few fresh warm pastries. Belem is a lovely area, right near the river Tagus, with views of the 25 de Abril bridge which looks amazingly similar to the Golden Gate bridge. It's green and spacious and filled with elegant architectural wonders; there are museums, monasteries, gardens and an outdoor market to explore. But one bite of the pastry, and all that is forgotten. Known as Pastel de Belem, Pastel de Nata, (pasteis is plural of pastel) this little egg tart is the original version of the one you might find in a dim sum parlor. The crust is layers of crisp flaky pastry and the custard is eggy and sweet and melts in your mouth. Originally they were made by nuns with the eggs that were given to them as offerings. While the pastries can be found all over, I even had good ones at the airport, they are most famous here, the first place they were sold outside of the convent. The blue and white tiled cafe also serves excellent coffee, and other things to nibble, such as salt cod fritters, but the pastries are what have people lining up and jockeying for tables. Dust them with cinnamon and powdered sugar, check out the production behind a glass window and enjoy a treat loved by tourists and locals alike.While I finish catching up, feel free to check out a few of my favorite photos from Portugal.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 15 Sep 2008 at 1:35pm Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page have done it again. They've written yet another book that is sure to be a classic kitchen reference guide for years to come. The Flavor Bible lists thousands of ingredients and what other ingredients complement them. A typical listing? Grits are compatible with cheese--cheddar and parmesan, corn, cream, garlic, mascarpone, nutmeg, black pepper, salt, andouille sausage, shrimp and Southern cuisine. These days I need ideas more than I need recipes so the format is perfect for me. The Flavor Bible helps solve the "what else can I do with brussels sprouts?" question and expands your culinary horizons with entries for unusual ingredients such as quince (which has an astounding 51 ingredients associated with it), or lavender.The ingredient lists came about by reviewing menus, restaurant reviews and cookbooks from all across the country. Some ingredients also have a season, weight, volume, and technique(s) indicated. But there is more to the book than just that. Top chefs from Jose Andres to Vikram Vij share their philosophy about using specific ingredients and techniques and there are also lists of intriguing dishes and "flavor affinities" such as butternut squash, risotto and sage or mango, almonds and lime. The book is very similar in format to their earlier award-winning book, What to Drink with What you Eat.My only nitpicks are that the list of chef experts are mostly from the East Coast and tend to be focused on European cuisines. There are no chef experts representing the cuisines of Asia (with the exception of India), South America or Africa, that said, the book does include quite a wide range of ingredients such as fish sauce, yuzu, plantain and achiote. Also, since even a book such as this cannot be comprehensive a little more room in the margins would have been nice so that notes could be added. Still I recommend this book wholeheartedly. I am already finding it an endless source of recipe inspiration and impossible to put back on the shelf.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 6 Sep 2008 at 9:22am A few years ago I wrote WinePassport:Portugal. It was a great project, and I learned a lot about Portuguese wines, but there was no budget for a trip to Portugal. Ever since then I've been very eager to visit. I was in Portugal once, 20 years ago and now I am going back! I will be in Lisbon, Porto and the Douro Valley for one week. I may or may not be posting from the road. I will have lots to share upon my return, I'm sure. I don't think I'll have much free time, but if you'd like to share your top tips for Portugal, please feel free to leave a comment.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 4 Sep 2008 at 9:55am What do you consider a good beach read? Something entertaining? Light and fluffy? What about a bedside book? I like a vacation read that I can completely lose myself in, but next to my bed I need something I can pick up and put down endlessly. Right now I have a few of those books. The first is How to Be a Better Foodie and it's subtitled "a bulging little book for the truly epicurious." Can I just say if there is anything more irritating than someone using the word foodie, it has to be someone using the brand name epicurious as if they made it up. It's a website, ok? Despite the annoying title, the book is a lot of fun. It's filled with little tidbits of information that you will either find essential or completely trivial but either way it is equal parts entertaining and informative. Do you know how mustard got its name? What to savor in Franche-Comte? What and who inspired the famous blue Le Creuset? What season to eat fresh lotus flower root? It's all in there and then some. It's not a book to read cover to cover but it it enjoyable nonetheless. Another book I dare say you won't read cover to cover is A Food Lover's Treasury. The tidbits in this book are all literary. Browse through bon mots or longer passages. You might find the perfect tagline, I rather like "one can say everything best over a meal." The book is organized in a pleasantly idiosyncratic way, again, it's perfect for picking at, like a plate of tapas or mezze. The book favors authors from England and English speaking countries with a few exceptions. Authors from Jane Austen to Emile Zola are included in the book so you're sure to find something to enlighten, enchant or just to while away the time until you fall asleep. My final pick is The Food Snob's Dictionary. It's the kind of book that can make you feel smug for knowing who Gilbert Le Coze is, the difference between Wagyu and Kobe and how to correctly pronounce Grant Achatz. Of course, my esteemed local bloggers may take great offense to the definition of the Ferry Plaza Marketplace as a "one-stop San Francisco mecca for Food Snobs" then again, maybe not. The recent popularity of the " target="_blank">Omnivore's 100 is an indication that we like showing off what we know and what we've tasted. This book falls in that category and the definitions are sometimes witty, sometimes snide and sometimes up for debate.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 30 Aug 2008 at 10:26am Slow Food Nation is a an indoor and outdoor affair with high ticket fundraisers and plenty of free events and activities. If you want to enjoy it on the cheap, head over to Civic Center and take a walk through the inspiring Victory Garden. In the garden swing by the "Soapbox", where a series of speakers and artists get to have their say. The garden is ringed by booths called "the Marketplace" which is kind of like a national farmer's market with growers and producers from all over and plenty of free samples and tastes of fresh fruit, cheeses, nuts, milk and more. Even if you're on a budget, stay for a snack or a meal. There are all kinds of offerings from Slow on the Go, including local favorites and regional specialities. My pick? A scrumptious muffaletta made from Heritage Foods company Salumi of Seattle! And if you can't make it to San Francisco, I hope you'll enjoy the slide show.This post and more original content can be found at www.cookingwithamy.com 29 Aug 2008 at 8:34pm How do you enjoy Slow Food? There isn't one sanctioned way. What began as a protest against fast food has become the symbol of a new consciousness about food. While the organization is somewhat controversial, the goals are admirable--to promote a return to the way people used to eat. What that looks like these days is up for debate. That very discussion was part of the Re-Localizing Food panel discussion today at Slow Food Nation, the community event organized by Slow Food USA, part of the international Slow Food movement.The panel featured author and journalist Michael Pollan, chef Dan Barber, Gary Nabhan, founder of Renewing America's Food Traditions Alliance, RAFT and Winona LaDuke, a Native American activist. It was moderated by James Oseland, editor of Saveur.Michael Pollan explained that the current state of our food systems was a product of interstate highways, |
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