Rib Stickin' Vegan

Like many foodies, I often find myself going through "phases," times when I'll favor certain ingredients or eschew others depending on my mood, time of year, and food supply conditions. Trust me, the e coli spinach outbreak was painful!
In keeping with my New Year's outlook, I'm in the process of rethinking some of my eating habits, hopefully making some changes that will be more than phases. I know I'm not the only one trying to do this. Around this time of year, many people vow to get healthier, make lifestyle changes, and, in the most simple terms, atone for holiday sins.
Healthy food need not be a punishment! If you're tired of stale rice cakes and frozen diet meals that make you feel hungrier than you did before the microwave dinged, stay with me.
The following recipe will get you at least 2 of the recommended servings of vegetables in one meal. It's vegetarian, but leave out the optional ingredients to make it vegan. Hot, hearty, and perfect for a cold winter weeknight, this dish can be made in less than 45 minutes.

Savory Bean Stew over Roasted Cauliflower
For stew:
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 bag baby spinach
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Your favorite cheese

For roasted cauliflower:
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small head cauliflower, cleaned and sliced into 1/2" sheets
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In an oven proof saute pan, heat the oil over high heat for the cauliflower until it shimmers. Add the cauliflower and sear until golden on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Place the pan in the oven. While the cauliflower roasts, prepare the stew.

For the stew: In another saute pan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the minced onion and saute until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and lower the heat to low. Keep the garlic moving to prevent it from burning. Add the beans to the pan and toss to coat. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and the chili powder.

When cauliflower is tender after about 10 minutes of cooking and the bean mixture is hot, add the spinach to the beans. Cook for another 2 minutes, adding additional salt and pepper. When spinach is wilted, turn off the heat.

To plate: Place a good size "sheet" of cauliflower on the bottom of the plate. Top with 1/3 of the stew. Garnish the stew with some of the crispier cauliflower bits and a sprinkling of cheese if desired. Grab a fork and get ready to rethink vegetarian cuisine!

Remaining roasted cauliflower can be used as an omelet filling, mixed in with pasta, mashed and used as a spread or dip, or even cooled and mixed into your favorite meatloaf recipe instead of eggs.

Extra stew can be used over rice or even heated and served over tortilla chips!

Enjoy!
Chris

Saturday Survival

Turn up the heat
No second guesses
Will it all over
To the instinctive alter ego
The primitive banshee
Who swears and slams pans
Claws and gets it done

Do not question her.

Simply let her go

My inner warrior who wails her battle cry
As I am the one who
Gets the pat on the back and signs the paycheck

Virtual Foodie

So after graduating from culinary school and diving headfirst into an exciting full time job, I'm returning from my literary hiatus.

One of the easiest ways in which we can tell food culture has gone mainstream is to look at all the different medias in which food has infiltrated. Gourmandese has certainly infused itself into many forms of expression. Other than the obvious: television, magazines, and stacks of cookbooks, the form of media I thought would be the final frontier has finally succumbed to the army of the edible. I speak, of course, of video games.

Hold up...before you click to the next blog or heaven forbid read a book, hear me out. The internet is a truly powerful creation and simulation games are an easy way to avoid reality. Just think of the possibilities! Without ever leaving my desk chair, I can manage a restaurant, sail the world in search of chocolate ingredients, and sling burgers that would make both a king and a clown proud. There are plenty of food related games out there, but which ones are truly worth the waste of time?

Diner Dash - Ah, the classic. Seat guests in an ever expanding restaurant. This game was the first break out food game hit. Not only is the original now available on cell phones, but the game has launched, at time of writing, four sequels, almost putting it in the same league as many MA shooter games. While I will admit to staying up until 3am playing this game after realizing that the MSN Games 1 hour free trial was much longer than 1 hour, the game itself takes a while to get exciting. Like many games, the first few tutorial levels are overtly easy, building up false confidences. As the game progresses, it gets frustratingly addictive, as one of my roommates found out, and repeditive. Not a good combination when you have a paper to write, yet are unable to tear yourself away from the line of virtual customers. Out of the 3 of the 4 versions I have tried, the 3rd was the most enjoyable. From a professional standpoint, this game is minimally realistic.

Cake Mania -Help Jill run a bakery by completing cake orders for your line of guests. Get ready to release your inner baker! Unlike Diner Dash, this game somehow struck a cord. Just like in a real bakery, you need time management and a strong sense of sequence. There is some room for creativity in this game, as a cake stand allows you to showcase a cake in hopes of selling it. Just like Diner Dash, the first few levels are basic, but it does get harder. Cake Mania 2 is practically identical to the original.

Burger Rush - For fans of both food and matching games comes Burger Rush. Fill customer orders by matching adjacent shapes. Feel free to try it, but I beat this one easily. For a better challenge, try BeJeweled or Chainz.

Sushi Chef - As a raw fish fan, I really wanted to like this game, it just never happened. According to what your customer orders, click the food as it spins around a sushi bar. There was no excitement; the game kind of made me dizzy. Save your time.

Chocolatier - This game is more of a stategy game than an arcade game. Start as a lowly chocolate maker and work your way up to a global confectionarian. I like games with stories, and this one certainly has an interesting story. Buy low, sell high, and keep your factories stocked with exotic ingredients. Fans of the Tradewinds series will eat this one up!

Stand o'Food - I admit it: I tried it because the name made me laugh. This game is a combination of matching games and fast paced arcade action. The pace picks up quickly and although it is repeditive, I didn't get bored.

Cathy's Caribbean Club - Pretend to run an upscale smoothie bar. This game was frustrating; there was no way to be efficient! Club upgrades only made things worse, rather than better like in other games. From a professional standpoint, this game is even more unrealistic than Diner Dash. I am grateful that my experiences as a server were never this bad!

So take the time to enjoy some of these distractions. Just remember to get up once in a while and play with some real food!

Until next time,
Chris

Thinking Thanksgiving

As an avid reader and saver of food publications, I've grown accustomed to expecting certain magazine covers at specific times of the year: barbecue for the 4th of July, cookies for December, and of course, turkey for Thanksgiving. My mailbox has recently become plagued with pictures of perfectly roasted fowl set in "Grandma's" kitchen. These issues were written last year, when cranberries, pumpkin, and root vegetables were still in season, but other than the advertising copy, the years are indistinguishable.
Each year, every Thanksgiving issue proclaims it holds the secrets for perfect turkey, world's best side dishes, and pumpkin pie - better than ever! I'm starting to wonder now: if last year was so wonderful, why do I need another recipe for some variation of cranberry relish? And considering how popular fast food and ready made meals have become, how many of us are simply grabbing a can of jellied cranberry sauce off the shelf?
Thanksgiving is a tricky holiday for foodies. For those of us who cook professionally, it could be a time to show off to our extended family and cherished friends. After all, these people seek us out for dinner parties, is this not the perfect opportunity to solidify that reputation?
For my Thanksgiving feast, I'm going in the opposite direction. Sure, maple praline crusted breast of turkey with a spicy chili sauce and a side of braised endive would be tasty, but that's not tradition, and certainly not what my family expects. Part of being a great cook is knowing what will resonate with the diners, your audience.
For me, Thanksgiving will consist of the traditional lovingly roasted free-from-the-local-supermarket with coupon turkey, kid-approved vegetables, and slightly lumpy creme fraiche free mashed potatoes. After all, I'll be back in the restaurant soon enough!

Sqroppino say what?

A few months ago I had the opportunity to visit Italy as part of a school food and wine seminar. Italy is even more beautiful and delicious than I ever imagined and I fully plan on writing numerous posts about my time there. My first one, however, must be from Venice.
As one can easily guess, much of Venician cuisine focuses on fresh seafood. Although the romantic canals aren't used for fishing, the city itself is on the Adriatic Sea, giving the locals access to plenty of fish. As hauntingly beautiful as the city is, it provides the perfect backdrop for amazing food.
Many people are familiar with the name "Harry's Bar", the birthplace of Bellini. If you have 20 Euro (currently $35!) to spend, you can enjoy your very own Harry's Bar peach cocktail. But that's for the tourists!
One of the local secrets is sqroppino, a light aperitif. I can assure you my spell check is having fun with this word. Pronounced "scrow-peen-oh", this classic drink contains only 3 ingredients and can easily be made on this side of the pond.

Start with one cup of good lemon sorbet in a large bowl. As lemon is the main flavor of this drink, the sorbet must be minimally bitter without being overly sweet. Whisk in one cup of cold vodka. Feel free to use a less expensive vodka as it won't be used to provide flavor. Once you have everything well blended and airy, add one cup of prosecco. Fold in the prosecco until just combined as to keep as much of the carbonation as possible. If you are unable to find prosecco, asti spumante will give a similar product.
This recipe will serve 3. Be careful as it goes down very easily! Serve after a light fish entree or even in place of dessert. Sip it slowly and imagine you're overlooking the Grand Canal.

Color War: The Art of Presentation

Consuming food has evolved from a means of nourishment to an experience involving all five senses. We taste the food, hear the scraping of utensils on china, feel the textures, smell the aromas, and see what we are about to enjoy. Arguably, the first sense we use during this practice is sight, greatly adding to the concept "eat with the eyes". If this is indeed the case, presentation is more important than ever.

One presentation trend I hope is on the decline is adding finely diced red bell pepper to finished dishes. Sure, this is an easy way to add bright red to an otherwise dull plate. But is it ever worth sacrificing the delicate flavors of a perfect cheese omelet or lightly poached fish for a scattering of color? The same holds true for adding a sprinkle of almost dried parsley across the protein of an entree. Unless this specific herb will enhance the dish, it should not be used. In no way am I advocating never using fresh herbs to finish a plate. But why use parsley just for the green when it is just as easy to use chives, basil, rosemary, even mint, for the same color impact and some exciting flavor? Perhaps it's time to let parsley cash in its 401K and retire.

On the flip side, sometimes adding color must be done to preserve flavors. According to classical French cuisine, white pepper should be used in white dishes, while black must be used in darker dishes regardless of the flavor of the finished dish. Considering the sharpness of white pepper and the mellowness of black, this classic technique seems to sacrifice correct seasoning for pristine presentation.

I once worked for a French individual who fully subscribed to this idea. Everyday when I made mashed potatoes for my entremetier station, he reminded me to use white pepper. He thought that black specks made guests believe someone had burned the mashed potatoes. As I ground the pepper for the potatoes, I vowed to use it as sparingly as possible. Now, I've been described as an aggressive seasoner, something I am particularly proud of. When I eat something, especially in an elegant restaurant, I want to know that my food was seasoned. A scattering of black pepper in my potatoes makes me smile. Visible vanilla bean in my creme brulee indicates that the pastry chef does not cut costs with imitation extracts. Please, feed my eyes!

Chris

hospitality at its best

I wrote this back in January.

It's been a rough past few weeks, most events involved proving yet again how little control I have on everything. I know, I should and am grateful for the "big things" getting back on track but the little things sometimes make me overlook the positives.
Today, though, really made me smile.
I got this e-mail from Baskin-Robbins for a free scoop on my birthday. Months ago, I had entered a contest and got myself placed on their birthday club list. I had, of course, forgotten this. Anyone who knows my eating habits knows my love for frozen desserts, so this was an unexpected surprise. I printed out my coupon and decided to go while I was running errands later.
The man behind the counter barely spoke English, but he smiled warmly when I walked over. I presented my coupon and asked him if they accepted them. He asked me if it was my birthday and I told him it was. He wished me a sincere happy birthday, which made my day better. I was used to the brush off "have a nice day" after I pay for my random collection of groceries, so a simple "happy birthday" meant so much. The man showed the coupon to his coworker as he opened the freezer doors. She asked me if I was Christine and I said I am, waiting to be asked to show proof of ID. She also wished me an earnest happy birthday.
I picked out my flavor "Swiss Chocolate Treasure" and was ceremoniously handed my free scoop and a trademark pink spoon. I thanked them and as I walked out of the store, both of them called "Happy Birthday, Christine!" after me.
I sat in my car for a few moments, just relishing being happy.

The ice cream was terrible, grainy, with chewy chocolate ribbon running through, but it didn't matter. 2 people, both of whom will most likely never remember me if I passed them on a street, cared for a brief moment, as though my having a happy birthday actually impacted their lives.

Food at its almost worst, but perhaps, hospitality at its best.
~Chris