Bzz Agent Fun!

I'm a member of a word of mouth marketing group called BzzAgent and was recently invited to join the Cover Girl 50th Anniversary campaign. 50 years, Cover Girl? You hardly look over 25!

There's something to be said for companies that have been going strong for 5 decades, yet still stay modern and on trend. Cover Girl does just that while making it look easy, breezy, beautiful.
Now, as a chef, I don't wear much make up, but have had success with Cover Girl. I'm a fan of their lip glosses.

Want to join the fun? Check out: img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/covergirl.png?Type=activity&Activity=0493515942&Campaign=7010289794&Uid=432279&token=553174ce7b21a76ecb67035b905eb14d" alt=""/

I feel like spinach tonight

Creamed spinach is one of the mac daddies of comfort food. It's rich, silky soft, and often just enough fat to make you forget you're eating something that was once healthy. Stop paying so much for this tasty side at expensive steakhouses and oh, yeah, this also won't break the calorie bank!
"Creamy" Cheesey Spinach
1/2 C cottage cheese (full or regular fat)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 large pinch of nutmeg
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 10oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Blend the cottage cheese with the parmesan, garlic, and nutmeg until smooth in a food processor or blender. Reserve
In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the minced onion and cook until just starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the drained spinach and lower the heat. Slowly stir in the cheese mixture, being careful not to let it start to bubble. Season to taste. For a thinner finished dish, add chicken stock or milk.
This is also great made with a few slices of Swiss cheese mixed in at the end.
http://chriscancook.pnn.com/13501-recipes#ixzz0HcdzxDMK&D

Redefining Salad

Up until this past year, when I thought of the term "salad," my mind filled with images of crisp romaine, carrot curls, some sharply tangy dressing, and maybe a nice piece of grilled fish to round it out. Sure, I've made other types of salads, plenty of dressings, and used every fat-loaded condiment known to minimize any aspect of health associated with salads. But recently, when changing the dessert menu for spring at the cafe where I work, I returned to the faithful idea of salad.
One of the new items on my menu is a mango cheesecake. Light, creamy, tropical, perfect for the warmer weather. But, this wasn't enough, oh no. What could make something so simple pop without compromising the mango flavor? A fresh and fat free dessert vinaigrette!
As a chef, the idea of simplicity appeals to me. As a writer, I return to a line from Shaw's Pygmalion: alliteration is natural to a poet. So mango cheesecake gets topped with mango mojito salad.
You can use this basic and versitile dressing for savory salads, too. Chop some romaine, slice in some mango and avocado, and maybe add some grilled shrimp, and you've got an amazing late spring meal. Or, drizzle over your favorite fruits for a refreshing dessert.
Mojito Vinaigrette
3 limes
1 lemon
1/3 C granulated sugar
10 mint fresh leaves
Zest 2 of the limes into a small bowl using either a rasp or peeler and knife. Combine with the juice of the 3 limes and the lemon. Blend in the sugar and allow to stand if needed. Don't worry, all of the sugar will dissolve. Finely mince the mint and add it to the dressing. The dressing will be better after sitting for an hour. Over time, the mint will discolor, but the flavors will be unaffected.
Read more: http://chriscancook.pnn.com/12167-the-front-page#ixzz0FWvHrlNr&B

Chomping at the Bit

Spring may be my favorite time of year. After the bleakness that is February in New Jersey, I'm looking forward to long sunny days. And the food? I'm already excited.
For most of us, spring is a time of rejuvination, yanking open the windows, and throwing the down coats and snowboots into the back part of the closet. I'm ready to tuck the crockpot away and bring out my grill. But what I'm truly ready for is the return of the outdoor farmers' markets. Before you hit the ground running, here are my tips for getting the most out of your market trips.
1. Keep at least one reusable grocery tote in your car. You never know when you might pass a farm stand or have the time to stop at the market. Besides, it seems kind of silly to focus on buying local products and carting them away in environmentally unfriendly bags.
2. Do a lap of the market if you have the time before you make your first purchase. The first vendor you come to may not have the best prices just as the last one you see might not have the best quality.
3. Looking to freshen up your dining table? Pick up some flowers that are usually nicer and cheaper than a flower shop or the grocery store. In the fall, find decorative squashes and corn, too.
4. Check out local baked goods and other products. If you have any allergies or ingredient sensitivities, you can get your questions answered by the person who made that product before you buy it.
5. Feel free to talk with the farmers about new ways to use your new purchases. Those peppers look great; how do you usually prepare them? Strike up a conversation and you never know what ideas you could walk away with.
6. Kettlecorn. I don't think I have to say anything else.
7. Fresh herbs are usually a great buy at farmers' markets. Try something new without spending a lot. If you like to garden, keep an eye out for potted herb plants. Grow your own and really save!
8. Know what's local and seasonal. Just because an item is on a farm stand doesn't mean it came from a local source. Again, ask questions if you are unsure.
How do you get the most out of your market trips?

Read more: http://chriscancook.pnn.com/12167-the-front-page#ixzz0DQ4GxaMe&B

Downward Dogs and Marinades

As part of my spring resolution, I started taking yoga and kickboxing classes. Spring is such a time for rebirth and change that I'd rather start something now then January. Besides, a girl's got to get out her pent up energy somehow!
So I join a wonderful group of women of varried ages and athletic abilities twice a week. It's amazing - I'm starting to have abs! During my first class, it came out that I'm in the food service industry and I quickly became the group's go-to food consultant. One of my classmates was hosting a birthday dinner for her husband and was looking for quick and tasty grill ideas. Hopefully, these can become some of your favorites, too!
Sweet and Savory
1 medium flank steak
1 C Olive oil (Pomace, a cheaper and fruitier oil works well!)
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, sliced
4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 3 sprigs rosemary
Zest of one lime
1 tsp whole peppercorns
Blend all in a zip top plastic bag or glass baking pan. Let marinate at least 4 hours to overnight in the fridge, turning the meat once. Allow the steak to come to room temperature and salt liberally. Preheat grill to high heat. Char steak 3-4 minutes each side for medium rare, allowing the meat to rest at least 15 minutes prior to slicing.
Variations:
Substitute soy sauce for the balsamic and ginger for the zest and herbs for an Asian twist.
Use a bold red wine (red zin or cab sauv) in place of the vinegar, add 1 sliced onion and omit the lime zest for a French inspired steak.
These will also work for chicken and veggies, but may be too strong for delicate fish, depending on your taste.

If you're like me and think joining a mainstream industrial type gym won't keep you motivated, research dance studios in your area. Many are starting to offer yoga and other types of fitness classes. These classes are seriously one of the few things I will drag myself out of bed early for!Read more: http://chriscancook.pnn.com/12167-the-front-page#ixzz0DQ3iCLQq&B

Take Two

I used to say, as a restaurant critic, that one visit to a restaurant should be enough to evaluate the quality of the food and service. After all, in our personal lives, don't we usually give people and places only one chance to make that lasting first impression? Besides, in this current economy, why would you want to waste more money on an establishment that you didn't really enjoy the first time?

I stand corrected. My second visit to Ana Beall's Tea Room in Westfield, you know, the one I gave a glowing review to, will probably be my last.

Unlike the first time my friend and I decided to enjoy brunch there, the staff at Ana Beall's was severely lacking in the happy welcome department. Yes, Sunday brunch is one of your busiest times, but guests should never be made to feel like an inconvenience just for walking through the door. Our table, in an empty dining room, was the worst in the house. Granted, we had a lovely view of the kitchen, but the noise was very distracting.

I ordered the crepe of the day, looking forward to the marscarpone and blackberry filling our harried waitress promised. As soon as it was set in front of me, I winced. Without a doubt, I was facing the thickest, greasiest crepes I had ever seen. The small garnish of dried up julienne of Granny Smith apple and dried cranberries looked like a throwaway component that should have been. My first bite left me confused, something food should never do. Where were the blackberries? What happened to the marscarpone? All I tasted was orange zest. I put down my fork, wondering what had just happened. A month ago, I had enjoyed perfect quiche at this restaurant and now the chef can't even deliver on a basic crepe dish?

I stared at the plate, literally forcing myself to take another bite. Maybe the first was a fluke. Never before in my entire life have I been less motivated to eat a dish. I passed the plate to my friend, who took a dainty nibble of the berry confit on top of the crepe. At this point, our waitress came over to see what was wrong. After explaining some of the problems I had with the dish, she asked me if I would like something else. I ordered the curry eggs, thinking no CIA trained chef would be able to screw up scrambled eggs.

The eggs were brought with a side of toasted stale Wonder Bread instead of the pork sausage. It boggles my mind that Ana Beall's only replacement for a breakfast side is really dry toast. The plate also came with another side of the apple salad, only this one was noticeably drier and discolored. The eggs were cooked nicely, but there was absolutely no salt to be had in this dish. The red onions and grape tomatoes mixed in were a passable addition. The curry flavor was nothing special; I expect to find a jar of basic curry seasoning in the chef's pantry.

Our waitress brought our check and I glanced at it, thinking something must have been comped after the crepe situation. Apparently at Ana Beall's, goodwill is dead. I was charged for my eggs, the tea, the breadbasket. Honestly, this is probably the first time I've ever been to a restaurant where I have had a problem with the food and no effort was made to try to win me back. Give me a free dessert, comp the replacement dish, drinks on the house, scones to go. Nothing. And that, my friends, is my lasting impression of this place.

Don't get me wrong; I am not one of those diners who walks into a restaurant expecting to find fault with everything from the decor to the dessert simply to demand a reduced bill as restitution. I've seen people like that; I've served them, I've cooked for them. I certainly don't applaud them.

What truly bothers me, though, is that a new restaurant, in a poor economic climate, is unwilling to even attempt to bring a disappointed guest back through a simple gesture of goodwill.

The search for a great brunch place continues.

Scones, glorious scones!

Grande green tea latte with soy...grande green tea latte with soy...grande green tea latte with soy - oooh! scones!
Ever notice that no matter how many times you repeat a mantra, baked goods can quickly break you down? But step back from the glass display case for a moment. $4.25 for a scone? Guess again, my fellow foodies. Get ready to make a whole dozen for that and to top it off, these are more flavorful than anything you can order with your latte.
Dried Fruit and Nut Scones
Heat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2 C All purpose flour
1/3 C granulated sugar
3 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 C dried apricots, chopped
1/4 C dried cranberries
1/4 C raisins (golden or dark)
1/2 C nut of your choice, chopped (pistachios or pecans are especially tasty)
3 1/4 C heavy cream
Method:
In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the cubes of butter and knead it into the dry ingredients until pea-sized clumps are formed. Add the dried fruit and nuts. Add the heavy cream and knead until the mix comes together in one ball. Stop kneading as soon as this happens. Portion the dough into 12 equal balls. Bake for 14 minutes, rotate, and bake another 14. Serve warm with your favorite hot beverage.
Optional:
Glaze the scones with a simple icing made from 1/2 C confectioners' sugar and 2 tsp water or milk.

Brownsugar Shortbread

I am a firm believer in simplicity. If you start with quality ingredients, you shouldn't need to add much to create an amazing finished dish. Take my recipe for shortbread cookies. 4 ingredients, one bowl, and melt-in-your-mouth cookies at the end. These are kid friendly, budget friendly, and if used to garnish a frozen dessert, dinner party friendly.

Combine 1 pound of light brown sugar and 4 cups all purpose flour in a large bowl. Chop 1 pound of unsalted butter into small cubes and crumble into the sugar/flour mix. Rub the butter bits into the dry ingredients until you have pea-sized pieces. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or your favorite flavoring and continue to blend until the dough can be formed into one large clump. This can also be done in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Heat a non-convection oven to 375. Roll the dough as thick or as thin as you like. The thinner the dough, the crispier the finished cookie. If you plan to use these as garnish, roll 1/4 inch thick. If using as a stand alone dessert, roll 1/2 inch thick.

Cut the dough using a knife or your favorite cookie cutters. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet until golden brown using the following guidelines.
For thin, small cookies, rotate after 5 minutes and checking after another 3.
For thicker cookies, rotate after 7 minutes and check after another 6.

Dust with confectioners' sugar and allow the cookies to cool. These are fantastic with vanilla ice cream.

Restaurant Review: Ana Beall's Tea Room, Westfield

What makes a great restaurant? Is it the food? The service? The atmosphere? Or, could it be an establishment's ability to be what you need in the present moment?

Take for example a wonderful new restaurant in Westfield, Ana Beall's Tea Room just off South Ave. For years, literally, years, a dear friend and I have been searching for a respectable Sunday brunch location. We really aren't that picky. High quality, semi-healthy food, good hot beverages, a relaxed atmosphere, decent service, and please, no overpriced buffet. We had tried diners, upscale chains, and cheap-eats pig outs, yet nothing seemed to be what we were looking for. Finally, though, I think we have a place where we'll happily become bi-monthly regulars.

Ana Beall's is in an unassuming Victorian house not far from downtown Westfield. The bright yellow interior is as welcoming as the cheerful staff. After reading a favorable article on the tea room in The Star Ledger, I had called ahead to secure reservations. As I was led to a table on the restaurant's second floor, I was certainly happy I had. Ana Beall's was packed!

Like any busy restaurant, service was a little slow. Our poor waitress seemed to be taking care of the entire second floor by herself! The slight wait gave my friend and me some time to chat and notice the acoustics. While the atmosphere of the tea room is clean and tailored, the hardwood floors and general lack of sound-controlling fabrics made initial conversation difficult. After getting acclimated to talking at a slightly higher volume, though, we were able to continue our chat.

The teas at Ana's did not disappoint. My Versailles Lavender Earl Grey was fantastic. Lavender can be a difficult flavor to master; too much and the drink turns into eau de Bath and Body Works. Here, though, the floral notes were balanced with the savory bergamot. My friend greatly enjoyed her jasmine with flowers tea, calling it one of the best jasmine teas she's ever had.

Our entrees arrived soon after our tea. My vegetarian quiche of the day was light and flavorful. Goat cheese, tomatoes, red onion, and spinach were mingled with perfectly cooked eggs in a tender pastry crust. The side of pesto was a pleasant garnish. I do wish that the side of out of season melon had been omitted. My friend ordered the arugula and artichoke salad. The huge mound of arugula was tossed with a savory Parmesan vinaigrette and garnished with cranberries, red onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes. I have honestly never seen such a mammoth salad serving, but my friend cheerfully gobbled it up. Ana Beall's certainly gets an A in the semi-healthy category!

If you choose to go, do not miss the house made muffins and breads. The pastry chef is an alum of Gotham Bar and Grill, one of New York City's most celebrated restaurants. The bran muffins were hearty, crispy on the outside and perfectly moist on the inside. A real winner in the bread basket is the apple loaf. Lightly toasted and amazingly cake-like, this quick bread is a great accompaniment for tea.

Ana Beall's might be the perfect spot for a relaxing morning. As for me, I considered this Sunday morning to be a highly productive one; I found my new brunch spot.

http://www.anabeallstearoom.com/

Slave to the Smell

One of the reasons I love cooking, baking, food in general is the way all of the senses are used. From the way a plate looks, to the feel flour and butter getting worked into pie crust dough, to the crackle of a fatty duck breast rendering as it hits a hot pan, the creation of a meal entices all of the senses. There's the obvious sense of taste being used, but my favorite is smell.
For as long as I can remember, I've had an acute sense of smell. I love the way my station fills with the aromas of yeast and sugar when I bake bread. Cold weather spices like nutmeg and cinnamon linger on the air like old friends, yet summer's lemon and berry aromas arrive in a burst and leave just as quickly. Even when I am about to enjoy a meal, I usually deeply inhale before sampling the first bite. Pause before your first bite of a ginger snap, juicy roasted chicken, or even that morning coffee and see how much more you are aware of the flavors before they ever hit your tongue.
My sense of smell, though, has gotten me into trouble. Like an overly enthusiastic Lab puppy not yet grown into his paws, my sense of smell sometimes runs me into doors. Take last week. Recently, I had received a coupon for a free Dunkacchino from Dunkin Donuts and decided to see if the drink lived up to the hype. The coupon proclaimed, "It's back!", leaving me to believe that many Dunkin regulars were clamoring for the return of this beverage. If people are clamoring, surely it must be worth trying.
After getting my free beverage, I continued my commute. Years of being a hot coffee consumer have taught me to wait a few moments before that first sip. As I let my drink cool, my car filled with the most enticing aromas. There was chocolate, reminiscent of childhood vacations to Hershey Park. There was sugar, warm like holiday baking. There was a slight undertone of coffee, welcoming like an easy Sunday morning. I kept inhaling, eagerly awaking the first sip of this concoction that was filling my car with joy.
I clasped the styrofoam cup in my hands and took a tentative taste, wondering if this would be one of those drinks to be savored slowly. But, something was wrong. There was no chocolate and there was certainly no coffee. All I tasted was watered down immitation vanilla flavoring with an overly sweet aftertaste! I took another sip, larger this time, thinking the first must have been a fluke. Nothing changed. If anything, this sip was more disappointing than the first.
I put the cup slowly back in my cup holder, wondering what had gone so wrong. My car was filled with the most enticing aromas that evoked happy memories, yet all I had to taste was a sham of a drink. I stared down the styrofoam cup as it continued to taunt my sense of smell.
Yes, sense of taste, you were let down with this one. Sense of smell? I hope you enjoyed the free air freshener.

Selfish, Selfless, and a Recipe

The food service industry is perhaps the most personal of all artistic outlets. Yes, one can feel connected to actors at a theater performance, go crazy at a rock concert, or even simply be moved by an incredible painting. Yet food is the only medium necessary for survival from a biological view. The "art" a chef creates nourishes on many different levels.
Before a dish is ever ordered, hours of prep work go into it. From sauce making, butchering, chopping, blanching, and even purchasing, good food requires dedication.
Sure, this is all great and the food service industry now sounds like a collective bunch of altruistic artists. But here's the catch, a reasonable cook can make good food, but a successful one can make food others enjoy and come back for. You might be the one in front of the stove, but you're not the one about to eat. You could create the best dish you've ever experienced, but if you're the only one who thinks so, you just made the equivalent of blob of Play Doh in a sculpture gallery. Who cares what you think if it doesn't resonate with anyone else?
There is also the flip side to this. How can you create a dish with integrity if you wouldn't even order it?
The answer is simple: seek out people who would order it and have them taste it. I recently faced this issue with banana sorbet. There are many foods I choose not to eat for personal reasons, but bananas are one of the few foods I flat out refuse to taste. I have never liked them and I am sure I never will, so having me taste a dish with them won't give me an accurate evaluation of the finished dish. So the following is my recipe for banana sorbet. I've been told it's good.

3 C granulated sugar
3.5 C hot water
2 Tbsp creme de banane liqueur
3 C banana puree (about 5 bananas)

Make a simple syrup by heating the water and sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat. All of the sugar should dissolve. Allow this to cool to room temperature. Measure 3 cups of simple syrup and combine with the liqueur and puree. Freeze in an ice cream freezer according to manufacturer's instructions. Place sorbet in a plastic container and cover the surface of the sorbet with plastic wrap. Allow sorbet to chill in the freezer for at least one hour.

Edo My Sushi!

Restaurant Review: Edo Sushi, New Brunswick, NJ

New Brunswick is a living oxymoron. It's a restaurant city, a college town, and yet driving and parking for the myriad of services offered by these two labels never ceases to be a nightmare. I think that's because road construction never ceases, but that's a whole other post.

A dear friend and I were able to make last minute lunch plans when, lo and behold, our work schedules meshed. The joys of maintaining a social life in this industry... After the holidays, both of us needed a little indulgence, but nothing extravagant. Edo Sushi was the perfect fit.

Edo is a quaint restaurant with enough options to please both sushi lovers and land lubbers. Like all good sushi places, Edo was spotlessly clean. If you ever enter a restaurant, especially one that focuses on serving highly perishable raw product that even hints at being unsanitary, leave immediately.

The menu at Edo is extensive and my friend and I needed some time to decide. Our green tea arrived moments after we ordered it, yet our friendly waitress gladly gave us extra time make our sushi choices. Sadly, the day for our lunch was a cold, rainy day, hardly raw fish weather. Luckily for us, Edo offers traditional udon and ramen noodle bowls. Hot broth and slurp-worthy noodles were made for rainy days!

In fitting with Edo's business lunch crowd focus, diners can choose from a variety of combo specials. A huge bowl of ramen in homemade broth with a spicy tuna roll for $12.95? I'm there!

Unlike other spicy tuna rolls I've had in the past, Edo keeps the tuna in solid pieces rather than mincing it fine before mixing it into the spicy sauce. Not only does this make for a nicer presentation, but the integrity of the fish is maintained. Mincing the fish means that the sushi chef can use scraps from cleaning the tuna, including the less savory bloodline, before mixing into chili mayo. Edo's way demonstrated their commitment to quality sushi.

Both of our soups were served piping hot. The broths were incredibly savory, rich with soy, scallions, and vegetable flavors, yet light.

Glancing around the dining room, my friend and I noticed we were the only people there. Yet Edo does a brisk take out and delivery lunch business. Considering the weather, I can't blame people for not wanting to leave their offices or dorms!

Our meal ended with green tea and red bean ice creams. Yes, it was cold outside. Yes, we started our lunch clutching the cups of green tea, but ice cream is always appropriate. Green tea ice cream is one of my favorite flavors, but the smooth, creamy red bean might be my new flavor of choice. Reminiscent of watermelon freshness and vanilla complexness, the ice cream was a perfect way to end a warming lunch.

After paying our ridiculously economical check, we realized that lunch for two had cost less than half of dinner for one at the nearby The Frog and the Peach. Amazingly, our experience at Edo was just as refreshing as an extravagant dinner.

Happy 2009!

Congrats to anyone else in the restaurant industry - you have survived the first two of the "Big Three" as I refer to them. Christmas, New Year's Eve, and Valentine's Day are all high profit/ high pressure days for anyone who cooks or serves as a way to put bread, beer, or organic quinoa on their own table. If you know someone in this business, please be extra kind to them during this time of the year. Tempers may be short, time is not on our side, but you can return to your regularly scheduled cook or server on February 15th.

As January gets off to a hopeful albeit cold start, it's hard not to reflect on the past year. I've never been a fan of regrets and second guesses usually only lead to mistakes. The more I think about it, the more obvious it becomes that January is the worst time to start anything. Let's face the facts. If you're living in a place with highly defined seasons in the Northern Hemisphere, most likely, you haven't seen sunlight past 5PM and enjoy rocking the layered look. Do you seriously want to go for a walk after work to burn off that eggnog you drank a month ago? If you have a gym membership, how likely are you to drag yourself out of your cocoon of a bed early to go?

But it's the food this time of the year that really provides downfall. Braised short ribs, thick cut French toast on Christmas morning, cream-based cocktails, hearty soups, the list goes on. And yes, Christmas cookie calories do count even after the new year. There's snow on the ground; I really don't want a salad. Do you have some nice risotto with a side of larger pants, please?

Food this time of the year is hearty, comforting, and most likely traditional. The only problem is, these traditions come from a long ago era. A majority of us are not farmers who go out into their fields 7 days a week and physically need the calories a large meal provides. A majority of us sit at desks in climate controlled offices, yet the primal craving for stew lives on.

So this is where we are. Socially expected to make drastic personality changes overnight, to atone for holiday overeating sins, and to find the time to balance the checkbook, volunteer as an EMT, and write The Great American Novel. I'm not saying it can't be done. Quite the contrary. I just need to start my New Year in May.

The Primal Call of the Golden Arches

I might be a CIA grad. I might work in one of my home state's best restaurants. I might limit my meat intake and drive a hybrid.
...I might also be human.
Every so often, the craving for fast food hits me. Not a quaint little tap on the shoulder, but a full throttle wallop. As my mind fills gleefully with images of gooey nacho cheese, the crisp snap of a McNugget, and the cool sensation of a chocolate Frostee, I take a step back. Sure, how easy it would be to stop at the Mickey-D's drive through on my way home, but is an Extra Value Meal really worth it?
On an emotional level, the idea of fast food is on the same plane as comfort food for many. There's something soul satisfying about fried food: salty, greasy, fat-loaded fried food. Virtually every culture has some sort of fried item, from pot stickers, to knishes, to crullers, fried food is universal. Thanks to this, many of us find some familiarity in the fried aspect of fast food.
Fast food is also easy. The drive through experience has increased in quality over the past few years, making pulling off the highway and driving away with your guilty pleasure even simpler. Bark your order into a menu with a microphone and part with a few bucks. Yes, some Americans have even mastered the art of car cuisine. No thanks - I don't feel like cleaning sweet and sour sauce off of my seats any time soon.
What truly stops me from feeding into these spastic cravings is the connotation that comes with being a fast food consumer.
I'm not fast, cheap, and easy.

Wow...it's been a while

So who else is excited that Bravo's hit Top Chef is back on? After watching the first few episodes of this season, I'm really starting to question the integrity of the TC producers.
First off, how unfair is it to have an elimination as soon as the chef-testants get in front of the cameras? Yes, I understand that someone needs to be the first to leave, but seriously, can't we show some hospitality? Lauren and Patrick should have known, though, that salads are usually not good choices. In season 3, Sam Talbot opted to serve cold dishes for a challenge. The only sound bite from Head Judge Chef Tom regarding Sam's food was,"But he didn't cook anything!" and Sam was asked to pack his knives. Maybe it's best to actually cook something in a cooking competition...
As much issue as I have with CIA student Patrick being eliminated after the first main challenge, my true problem with the situation is how he was even cast above chefs with years more experience. As a CIA grad, I understand the passion, determination, and sense of false bravado that culinary school students possess. But for producers to even think that a young student could hack it in an arena like the Top Chef Kitchen is disturbing. For all the hemming and hawing that went on at Judges' Table about Patrick, it became obvious that he was out of his league. Not only has Patrick been publicly humiliated, but now he's going to be known as a young cook who tried to get too big too fast. Best of luck, Pat! Make sure you finish your degree before you start your career.

Food Network Star or Has Been that Never Was?

Congrats to my fellow Jersey culinarian Aaron McCargo Jr, winner of this season of Next Food Network Star!
After a tough few weeks of culinary competitions, Aaron is ready to start work on his new show "Big Daddy's Kitchen" premiering this weekend at 1:30 Saturday afternoon.

NFNS started this season off with a lackluster bang. Even after the first few episodes aired, none of the contestants emerged as a front runner. I could say with complete honesty that none of them had the charisma needed and the food knowledge needed to pull a decent viewership.
After some tough love training, Aaron became a more polished presenter with the food chops to match. Once he gained some camera confidience, it was easy to cheer him on. As a raw food talent coming from the poorest area in the nation, Aaron's win was certainly a deserved one.

Looking back on the first few seasons of NFNS, the odds are stacked against him, though. Regardless of his win, Aaron still stands a 2 in 3 shot of seeing "Big Daddy's Kitchen" get the big axe from the network. Consider the following: I can't even remember the names of the couple who won the first season. Amy Finley is MIA less than 1 year later. Guy Frieri is the only one out of all the winners to still have a presence on Food Network. "Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives" is going strong after a few seasons. Guy is also the new spokesperson for TGI Friday's, an assuredly lucrative position.

The only question at this point is,"why?" Why have a majority of these "new stars" failed so quickly? After all, they were handpicked by the top executives of the network and given the chance to learn from some already established food personalities. They even get voted on by Food Network viewers! You picked this person, audience, why aren't you watching? What went wrong?

It comes down to a matter of timing, prime timing that is! NFNS is shown on Sunday nights, not exactly the strongest time slot for family television, but certainly better than weekday early afternoons in terms of viewership potential. But instead of giving the winner of NFNS the chance to wow a prime time audience, their new show is put into a weekend afternoon slot. The potential viewers the new star had built up over the course of the competition now need to associate a new time with a familiar personality. Can you teach an old viewer new tricks?

I am starting to think that the only fair way to work with a winner is to give him or her a solid month of prime time show exposure, 8PM one night a week. Check the numbers. If people are actually tuning in for the new show, consider keeping the show in that slot. If not, consider a move to make room for a more popular program and take it from there. You need to give your new stars a fighting chance, Food Network!

Could the new star be fighting a losing battle even before the show begins? As people watch NFNS, they develop a liking or an aversion for certain contestants. When their favorite gets the grand prize, they might tune in to the new show. If their least favorite wins, the likelihood of them watching the new star's show is minimal at best. Considering that the show starts with 10 contestants, there is a 9 in 10 chance (on a strict statistics basis!) that the passionate NFNS viewer will not tune in for the resulting program. I can assure you that from episode 1, if Lisa or Kelsey had won, I knew I would not watch the new show.

Aaron's show is another story. "Big Daddy's Kitchen" seems to embody the energy and fun that Aaron brought to NFNS. Tune in and hopefully save this new star from a premature burn-out!

Leaner, Greener, Cheaper

I'm the coupon clipper in my house, the one who gets up on Sunday mornings and gleefully pours over the newspaper inserts, scissors in one hand, coffee in the other. Some weeks are luckier than others, but the thrill of saving at least 5% off of the grocery bill was a great game.
As our economic conditions worsen, fuel and food prices rise, coupon clipping for many of us is no longer a game, but a necessary means of saving. Browsing through many homepages like MSN, Yahoo!, and AOL also yields a list of articles on getting the most out of the ever shrinking dollar. It becomes apparent that our social mindset is quickly changing from "Too much is never enough" to "Scraping by is the new norm". Yes, the times are a'changing, but some of these changes can actually be good for both your wallet and the environment. Here's my 2 cents, or approximately $1.34 at the current inflation on things you can do right now to make your situation better:

1. Get by with less. Eat less food, drive fewer miles, buy less "stuff" that you probably don't need. By decreasing your general consumption of all resources in general, you'll quickly become a healthier individual. This also has a side benefit: fewer doctor visits, less illness, and a smaller, leaner you. 1 cup of coffee instead of 2. Smaller portions of heavy foods.

2. Try to cut back on your driving and trade in that disgusting (yes, I said it) SUV. I don't care if you bought it when gas was $1.47 a gallon; back then, you were consuming more than your fair share of natural resources, and the same holds true today. 75% of folks who drive those mammoth must-be-compensating-for-something vehicles do not need this type of transportation on a daily basis. Stop pretending to conquer the jungles of suburbia and learn to live within current gas prices.

3. Minimize meat consumption. Look at your current grocery spending. How much is going towards these expensive proteins? Try going vegetarian one night a week. Eggplant parm instead of veal. Tofu in that stirfry instead of beef. Peanut butter instead of deli turkey for sandwiches. Meat production is one of the most environmentally harmful processes used for getting food from farm to plate. Consider this: every hamburger stops a beating heart. Take responsibility for what you eat and what, and whom, was sacrificed in the process.

4. Use your local library for entertainment before you go to a bookstore, a music shop, or a movie rental company. That expensive bestseller that you're only going to read once is a hefty investment. Also, consider the amount of paper wasted if everyone else also bought the same book and only read it once, too. The exception to this rule is, of course, books you plan on using for references for many years to come and favorite movies you will watch over and over again. Donate books, DVDs, etc that you no longer enjoy to a favorite charity and get a record of your donation for tax deduction purposes.

5. Clip coupons, but only for products you already use. I try to avoid processed food, so redeeming a coupon for a product like Lunchables is still a waste of my money. Also, by not clipping every coupon, more paper gets reused when I recycle the Sunday paper. Think of sharing the rest of the paper with a neighbor or friend who is also interested in saving.

6. Recycle. Save trees by using both sides of paper. Use canvas totes for grocery shopping. Many stores will give a discount for bringing your own bag. Get a travel coffee mug and fill it with your own hot beverage instead of buying that $3.50 latte. Please stop buying plastic one use spring water bottles and get your own reuseable bottle. FYI: Municiple water is constantly tested for cleanliness. Bottled spring water is not a regulated product. Think about it. Why should water have to travel thousands of miles over water just so you can drink a product you could have gotten almost free from a local source?

7. Minimize make-up. Ladies, here's the honest truth: you're even more beautiful than you can imagine and even more stunning when your natural beauty shines through. Besides, all of the make-up that gets used to clog your pores every year generates millions of non-recycleable plastic containers. Producing those colored chemicals also generates thousands of pounds of waste. Yes, I know, I too love glamming it up for an evening out. However, investing in some environmentally sound skin care products is an even better use of your cosmetics cash. You'll need less make-up to feel done up, your skin won't be abused as much, and Mother Nature will also look prettier.

8.Use your bank's online bill pay option. You'll save time, paper, and not using stamps will certainly add up to about a $25 savings per year. Invest that in a travel water bottle and you'll save even more.

9. Invest in a clothesline. Dry clothes, sheets, etc for free. Not only will you save on electricity, but also extend the life of your dryer and get rewarded with fresher fabrics. Hang used bath towels to dry and use them again. Think about it: you just used that towel to dry your clean self. It's minimally dirty. By using a towel twice, you'll reduce your laundry loads, thus saving on water, electricity, soap, and time.

10. Relax. Turn off the tv, the radio, the computer, the cell phone, all media stimuli. Take a nap, take a walk, stretch, just breathe.

Wrapped and Warped

When you're a foodie, going grocery shopping is hardly ever a chore, but a quest. There's something stimulating about walking up and down each aisle, looking for new products and getting inspired to do new things with old favorites. I've found it's one of the best ways to stay connected to the mainstream food world. Anyone can page through glossy magazines, watch endless hours of cooking programs, and buy over-priced one trick pony tools, but in order to be in touch with what's going on in the food world outside of the gourmet, one must get to the source.
Recent trips to my local grocery stores have yielded some disturbing findings. Yes, I shudder at neon colored kids' drinks, pudding that can stay at room temperature, and the fact that butchers' twine is shelved in the pet aisle, but these are trivial. The new supermarket culprits prove that bad things come in multiple-package products.
Take for example, the wave of 100 calorie snack packs flooding the market. On the surface, these products are a convenient way to stick to dietary goals. Dive a little deeper and these snacks no longer seem helpful.
Is it true that we as a society are unable to make healthful decisions that we require corporate America to preportion our meals? Have we gotten so lazy where we are unwilling to create our own packages of cracker, cookie, and trail mix portions? Above all else, the question I would love to see answered is what happens to all of this needless packaging?
Foil-like packaging is not biodegradable. Cellophane will be with us for the next few thousand years if pitched carelessly into a landfill. So I have to wonder, with the popularity of these uber-expensive doll-sized snacks, how much harm is convenience doing?
Here's my solution: stop buying these snacks and start recycling. Learn what a portion of your favorite snack is and stick to it. Reusable containers will save the earth and your wallet when used instead of baggies.
By limiting the amount of packaging you waste, you truly can make a difference.

Get Lost

Before gas prices got too bad, one of my favorite things to do was get lost. Not in a literal sense, but simply answering the question,"what if?". "What if I go straight instead of turn here?" "What happens if I try to find a new way home?" The rules were simple: no map, no crazy turns, and turning around was only allowed as a last resort. Once I got lucky and managed to shave over three miles off of my commute. Other times, I enjoy the ride, make a few discoveries, but know the route is impractical.
Food is the same way. Think of a dish as a starting point. This is the familiar, perhaps a classic dish, something you've created and consumed plenty of times. Now, make a different turn. Add red wine instead of white. Use salmon instead of tuna, rice instead of pasta. Omit ingredients. Take what you've seen before and make it your own. After all, isn't that where making food becomes truly cooking?
So grab that basic milk chocolate mousse recipe and try something different. Dark chocolate standing in for milk. Up the number of egg whites. Scrap the vanilla extract in favor of creme de menthe. Above all else, enjoy:

Mint Chocolate Mousse

4 egg yolks

7 egg whites

6 oz bittersweet chocolate.

*note: Start with decent chocolate, not Tollhouse morsels.
4Tbsp sugar

3 tbsp unsalted butter

2Tbsp Creme de menthe or mint extract
1/2 C heavy cream

Using a mixer, whip the whites and half of the sugar to soft peaks.
Meanwhile, heat a large pan of water until it simmers. Add the yolks, mint, and rest of the sugar to a metal mixing bowl. Beat the mixture constantly until sugar is dissolved and the yolks are cooked. You can tell the mixture is ready when the bowl is clean when a whisk is used to scrape the bottom of it.
Remove the bowl from the heat and add the chocolate and butter. Slowly stir the egg chocolate mix until all the chocolate is melted. Put the bowl back over the simmering water if needed.
Carefully fold in the whites 1/3rd at a time. Whip the cream to almost firm peaks and fold it in. Chill the mousse for at least 2 hours. Serve with additional whipped cream and mint sprigs as desired.

A Soup for All Seasons

It's finally starting to feel like spring in northern New Jersey, cold in the mornings, but warm enough for me to have my windows open on my way home from work. It's a slightly fickle time for foodies. Here we are, ready to fully embrace the bounty of spring, but not quite comfortable giving up our coats. Lately, I've been craving an almost oxymoronic dish: hearty, healthy, and warming, yet with just a tease of spring. The answer is nothing short of sublime and simple: soup au pistou.
Soup au pistou hails from the south of France, the regions closest to Italy. It will come as no surprise that many of the ingredients, from the pasta to the pesto-like garnish, give the soup an Italian feel. What follows is a basic recipe, but don't hesitate to add your favorite vegetables or leave out others. I've used chicken stock as a base, but omitted any additional meat. If you prefer, use vegetable stock to keep the soup vegetarian. For a main course soup, add diced chicken with the onions in the first step. Serve with breadsticks and round the meal out with a seasonal fruit crisp for a hearty, yet healthy way to wait for spring.

Soup Au Pistou - Serves 4
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, cleaned but whole
2 ribs celery, peeled and sliced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 Idaho potato, peeled and diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small zucchini, seeded and diced
3 quarts chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup French green beans, cut into soup spoon pieces
15 strands dried linguine pasta, broken into matchstick size pieces

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft, but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic clove, celery, potato, and carrots. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the zucchini. Mix the vegetables before adding the stock and the bay leaf. Season to taste. Add the beans and bring the soup to a boil. In order for the pasta to cook properly, the soup must be boiling. Stir the soup every so often until the pasta is fully cooked. Serve garnished with pistou.

Pistou
1 bunch basil, stems removed
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tbsp each parmesan cheese and sun dried tomatoes

In a food processor, grind the garlic and nuts until minced. Add salt and pepper to help break down the garlic. Add the basil and grind until minced. Drizzle in the oil to form a paste. Finish with cheese and tomatoes if using. Extra pistou will keep one week if keep chilled.

Notes: for a heartier soup, add 1 cup of tomato juice with the stock. For a lighter soup, omit the potato and use vegetable stock.