Foodie Field Trip- Graziano Brothers

Have I ever said how much I HATE shopping? The mall is so depressing to me. I never go there. The worst part of the holiday season- shopping. Back to school time- shopping. Mindlessly shuffling through the giant tomb of consumerism just sucks the soul out of me. 

Unless it's foodie shopping. Ohhhhhh ya. Then I am alllll about hitting the store. Not just the everyday grocery store. Foodie shopping. Gourmet groceries. Unusual produce and ingredients. Ethnic foods. Kitchen equipment. Spices and herbs. Oils and vinegars. Wines. Cookware. Knives. All the knives. Now you're talking to my heart, folks. My foodie friend Mary was in town for the weekend. We met for sushi on Friday evening and decided we better hit Graziano's in the morning so she can restock cooking supplies for her Missouri home, and I can stock up on a few things too. A few things- ha! Who are we kidding here?

So Friday night over dinner at Sakari Sushi Lounge and sake bombs Mary, our friend Angi and I munched on fabulous sushi rolls and discussed the upcoming Chocolate Affair in Hannibal. Angi and I are planning a road trip for the event- yay!! Girlie Foodie Field Trip!- and the discussion turned to Graziano's. For those of you who aren't familiar, Graziano Brothers is a landmark food store in Des Moines. Founded in 1912 by Louis and Frank Graziano, two brothers who had emigrated to Iowa from San Morello, Italy, and made their way to Des Moines. Louis opened the grocery store while Frank remained employed by the railroad company until the store was well on its feet. The grocery store sits just south of downtown Des Moines in an area that was once known as Little Italy and has supplied Des Moines with authentic Italian groceries, pastas, breads, homemade sausage, meatballs, imported deli meats and cheeses, bulk spices and herbs and some of the best olives on the planet for over 100 years.

The quaint store facade is suited perfectly for the old time feel of the store. Not a huge store, they have a small collection of shopping carts at the door. You'd think you wouldn't need one here, but if you know me...... ya, you do. The first items in the door are the bulk spices on the right, olive oils on the left. This is where Mary and I began our stock-up shopping. Graziano's house blended Italian seasoning is the best thing I have ever tasted. Herbs, garlic and bits of crushed red pepper are the perfect seasoning for any Italian dishes from pasta to pizza sauce. I grab the usual size bag for our house, it's priced at $3.25. I kid you not, there is a good 3 cups of seasoning in this bag, easily enough to last us a year or more. At home I transfer it to an airtight container to keep it fresh. I also grabbed a bag of crushed red pepper, again easily a year's supply, for $3.45. You just cannot get a better deal anywhere.

We love mushrooms at our house and in the same section of the store you will find beautiful dried mushrooms, like porcini, portobella, and woodear. I grabbed some porcini and woodear because, well, you just might need them, and at $2.75 and $1.15 respectively, I just can't say no. I also snuck a nice bag of sun dried tomatoes, soft and raisiny, not dried and crispy into my shopping cart. I am often searching the supermarket for sun dried tomatoes and most of the time find just the oil packed kind. That's not usually what I want for cooking and baking. Sun dried tomatoes that are packed by themselves like this are excellent in breadmaking.

Continuing down the aisle, Angi had lots of questions. Recommendations for a pasta sauce? Type of olive? Recipe ideas? For a first timer in the store she was suitably impressed by the variety and selection, especially when we got to the meat and cheese counter. Italian sausage was bought by all, and Angi grabbed some of the extra hot sausage. Mary tried a couple different imported salamis and cheeses that were new to her, Angi got several of the hot pepper cheeses and I went with the traditional famous Italian sausage and provolone cheese- sliced to order every time. It's hard to beat the Iowa classic Italian sausage sandwich especially with the best sausage hands down.

The pasta aisle was like an amusement park for food lovers. Every shape, every size. Every pasta you can possibly imagine in sizes from one pound packages to giant bags I'd guess to be 5 pounds or more. I grabbed some fusilli and some cavatelli as my mind had trouble focusing on just on or two types. I am not kidding when I say it's so easy for any self respecting foodie to go absolutely freakin bonkers in here. In the same aisle I was just as tempted by several different kinds of arborio rice and risotto mixes and seasonings. Bags of wandas tempted me, but I resisted. Italian cookies and candies also beckoned to me, but I was strong. After all, I did have a giant tub of Graziano's olives in the cart- a whole quart container for $4.75.

South Union bread is sold here, and the aroma of that freshly baked bread was so welcoming. Italian rolls, breads, focaccia, loaves, so so many options. I did not get out of that aisle without a focaccia in my cart. I can't wait to eat it.

At the front of the store there are several large frozen and refrigerated cases containing fresh mozzarella, Italian sodas and beverages, more sausages like salami and others, marinated peppers and......more olives. Different types of olives. Yes, again I fell victim to the lure of olives. This time I grabbed some castelvetrano olives. If you ever get a chance to try these you simply must. In the frozen case you can find prepacked Graziano's Italian sausage in one pound hunks, pasta sauces from some of the local Italian spots, and housemade meatballs- even miniature meatballs. I grabbed a pound- they will be awesome with the cavatelli! Here again, pasta is king with probably 20 or more varieties of handmade ravioli, lasagna, cavatelli, pastas, manicotti, and the whole reason for coming here in the first place- cannoli. Oh. Em. Gee. Creamy ricotta cheese, just the right amount of sweet, chopped pistachios, bits of bittersweet chocolate and that crunchy cannoli shell. You bet I got one!

Also at the front of the store is this amazing piece of history- this beautiful and old old old butcher block. How I'd love to sit around that table with an espresso or macchiato and talk about the old days with the many people who have labored over that surface, kneading bread, rolling pasta, cutting wandas, chopping, singing, feeding their family and sharing the love. It had to be a prominent part of someones home kitchen at one time. The top is worn with years of use- Mary and I wondered about the many generations of cooks who stood beside this table and thought about all the meals prepared by hand. Kind of gives me the shivers to think about all that table has seen over the decades.

I'm happy to say Mary and I got Angi off to a good start with some Italian marinara sauce, delicious olives, some giardinera she picked out, and her sausage and cheeses. I'm pretty sure she will be back. I KNOW Mary and I will! Now........ off to go cook something............

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A New Perspective on Cooking Contests

This is a post from City Girl Country Life, centering around small own life, county fairs and kids in the kitchen. The blog City Girl Country Life is heading into retirement so many of the recipes originally shared there will make an appearance here over the next several months. This story was originally published in July, 2015.

**********************************

It's county fair season in Iowa again. This year I took a break from entering my own home canned foods and will get to try something completely different- judging. I won't be examining canned foods though. This year I have been invited to judge the Adair County Extension Office's 4H Pride of Iowa Cooking Contest. I'm so excited! I am assigned to the high school age group, and last year these kids made some pretty impressive dishes. Because part of the judging is food safety and the recipe, the kids have to make a poster that features their recipe and directions, and we will be paying close attention to all the steps and cleanliness practices.

The winners! My age group is the top row- L to R- Bailee,
Shelly and Shawna, and Alexis

I've got some pretty great dishes to sample- Meat, Potato and Egg Bake, Deep Dish Tacos, Italian Ribeye Linguine, Cornbread Casserole, South of The Border Casserole, Breakfast Lasagna, Breakfast Roll-ups and Healthy Spaghetti. What a menu! The recipes must include at least one Iowa produced product. The poster each cook makes must demonstrate that they've done their homework about the Iowa product(s) they are using, such as nutritional content. They have an allotted time to prepare their recipe and must demonstrate proper techniques, especially food safety rules. Once their dish is completed (some of the dishes go into the oven after the prep on stage and get tasted after cooking) they are judged on appearance, correct doneness and taste. 

The youngest cook in the competition, Brandon is a 4th
grader who prepared Guinea Grinder Boats. He was
awarded a blue ribbon for his recipe

Besides the award ribbons the contestants can win, they also are eligible for prizes and premiums provided by different producers and businesses, such as the Adair County Pork Producers, A.C. Beef Producers, Midwest Dairy Association, and 3 Bee Honey Farm, among others. 

Contest day arrives and I am excited!!! It's a million degrees outside but I know the 4H building has air conditioning. After a brief orientation fellow judge Karen and I make our way to the staging area and get set up at the judges' table. We have evaluation sheets for scoring the contestants and plenty of tableware for sampling. Karen  will be scoring the junior high and younger kids, grade 4 through 8, and I am judging the high school kids, grades 9 through 12.  A quick glace at the schedule and I can tell we are in for some amazing sampling.

Karen Schultheis also judging the contest. She lives in
Greenfield and is a school teacher

So how are the cooks judged? The judging is two-fold. First we watch the cook as they prepare the recipe they chose. We consider the recipe they chose. What is the level of difficulty? Is it appropriate for the age and skill level of the contestant? What are the Iowa ingredients used? Food preparation skills are watched closely too- did the cook use proper measuring techniques? Did they use appliances correctly and safely? How about food safety- was the cook mindful of cross-contamination and safety issues?

Then we judge the food itself. Does the dish look appetizing? Is it cooked properly and completely? How about the taste? Finally, we judge the cook's poster they made to accompany the recipe, and their knowledge of the ingredients and nutrition aspects. As judges, we get to ask questions and find out how the cook chose the recipe, what changes they made if they adapted it from another source, their cooking experience and practice, and quiz them on their Iowa ingredients.

Hank B. made this poster for his recipe demonstration.

Alexis' Italian Ribeye Linguine is explained in detail

In my group, my winners were Alexis S., a freshman, for her Italian Ribeye Linguine, third place, featuring Iowa dairy products, eggs, and beef ; a duo of Shelly B., sophomore, and Shawna A., junior, for their Healthy Spaghetti which featured spices from Tones, pasta from Barilla, Iowa-grown vegetables, Iowa ground beef and turkey, and corn oil; and the first prize winner was Bailee H., a senior, who created an amazing take on lasagna- Breakfast Lasagna, with Iowa pork (ham), turkey(turkey sausage), eggs, and dairy. 

Why did these three stand out for me? Alexis' dish was delicious and beautiful on the plate. Her steak was cooked perfectly and her sauce was homemade with Romano, Parmesan and Gorgonzola cheeses and thickened with egg yolk. She demonstrated a skill in tempering that egg that a lot of adults can't master. She had really good knife skills, chiffonading baby spinach and using kitchen shears to snip sun dried tomatoes. She plated the dish and drizzled a balsamic glaze over the top and presented a dish worthy of a restaurant. I was truly impressed. 

Shelly and Shawna worked through power outtages
to make their dish. They stayed focused and didn't
let the disruptions get to them.

The duo of Shelly and Shawna had some challenges from the get go. The power went out while they were cooking. This was their first contest but they handled it like pros, never missing a beat and just stayed focused and worked through it. How was the spaghetti? Delicious! They used herbs to bring a lot of flavor to the sauce and added lots of fresh vegetables to add nutrients and flavor, and they did something I really appreciate- they did not overcook the vegetables, leaving a slight hint of crunch and texture. In spite of the power problems the pasta was cooked wonderfully, a perfect al dente. They chose to serve farfalle instead of spaghetti and I liked that- it was easier to eat at the judging table.

Lasagna and breakfast are two words I never thought would go together but Bailee had the creativity to give it a shot and she made it work. Ham, turkey sausage, tender scrambled eggs, creamy Alfredo sauce, veggies, cheese and pasta sounds like a very unlikely combo but it really works! When I asked Bailee about how she came up with this idea she had a great story about working out the details and testing ideas with her mom. I never cooked with my mom and her story made me happy. This dish was truly impressive- the layers held up during serving, the noodles were perfectly cooked and my mind immediately thought this would be perfect for Christmas morning or a brunch celebration. She's got a real hit with this recipe, and that made it, for me, a point or two above the rest.

Brandon concentrates on his recipe

The fair printed a cookbook with all the recipes we judged and I'm going to share them with you! I plan on cooking all the dishes I sampled because they really were very delicious, easy to prepare and all used real food ingredients and not a lot of convenience products. The first recipe is one prepared by Cody M., a freshman. Cody was fun to chat with. He enjoys cooking and like to grow his own food. He told me he fashioned a container herb garden by recycling 2 litre soda bottles and even grew vegetables in these containers. Cody found this recipe online and made a change- the original used bacon, he switched to breakfast sausage links and it works! This reminds me of pigs in a blanket and is a fun take on French toast.

Breakfast Rollups

6 slices fresh white bread
1 package fully cooked sausage links
1 teaspoon butter
1 large egg
2 teaspoons whole milk
pinch of salt
3 Bee Honey
maple syrup

Cut the crusts off the bread, then flatten with a rolling pin. It will become a bit sticky. Combine egg, milk and salt in a dish and whisk to combine. Heat the sausage in the microwave until heated. Place one sausage in the middle of each piece of bread and roll up. Press the seam to seal.

Melt the butter in a skillet. Dip the rollups in the egg mixture to coat. Shake off the excess. Place in hot pan and cook, turning every few minutes until all sides are golden brown. Top with a drizzle of honey and maple syrup.

I really enjoyed this experience. I was a little nervous at the mic announcing my winners at the end of the contest but I did ok. I was so happy to be part of this great competition and hope to come back again. The Adair County Fair is in west central Iowa, in the town of Greenfield. There is no better representation of life in rural Iowa than to visit a county fair. I hope you get to experience this in your lifetime.

Sitting Down With a Good Book- The French Laundry Cookbook

A while back I spent the night at my daughter's house. I never pass up a chance to spend the night and watch over her "kids"- Napoleon the Chihuahua and Sebastian the Siamese cat. It was a mini-vacation of sorts, a time for The Chef and I to have some necessary alone time and a chance for me to unwind with a really really good book- Thomas Keller's The French Laundry Cookbook.

You might remember meeting my daughter Laura in a prior post about all the food industry pros in my family. She manages a popular restaurant downtown Des Moines and, just like her mom, has an interest in enjoying good food of all kinds and learning as much as she can about the culinary field. I was beyond delight when I found out she had this amazing cookbook and couldn't wait for the next overnight. I thought I had my chance back on Valentines Day, but Mother Nature threw a wrench- and a snowstorm- in my plans and caused my daughter to abandon her plans to travel. 

Staying in her adorable little bungalow is a real treat. Nestled in the historic Beaverdale neighborhood in Des Moines, the house is so cute, decorated beautifully, and a true oasis from an otherwise hectic world. Warm hardwood floors, soft and soothing wallcolors, modern and eclectic art on the walls and contemporary furniture bring it all together in a very inviting way. No heavy curtains dragging the windows down, she instead chose the clean lines of wooden blinds, in white to match the wood trim. Scented candles ensure her home has a welcoming fragrance, even if they aren't lit. 

What makes this house such a respite from the chaos outside? It's quiet. There is no cable tv, no satellite tv, no internet. No distractions. No noise. No commercials, no sitcoms, no bad movies. Why is this so wonderful? In her life, particularly, noise is part of the job. As a busy restaurant manager she s always on the go, always putting out fires, dealing with employee and customer needs, back office, front of house, customer service, scheduling, labor costs, overhead, ordering- you get the idea. So here I am, in this little haven, just me and the fur kids, and THAT cookbook.

The French Laundry is a restaurant in Napa Valley, California, but you probably already knew that, and Thomas Keller is the owner/chef. The son of a restaurateur he began his career working for his mother in her restaurant and drawn in by the magic of Hollandaise sauce he took off, cooking and apprenticing at some of the most incredible restaurants in the world. Many awards have been bestowed up Chef Keller. In 1999 he published The French Laundry Cookbook and the world has not been the same since.

And so I finally got my chance to settle in to the corner of that comfy sectional ouch in that quiet little bungalow with no electronic distractions, and slowly turn the pages. I am immediately drawn in. I had heard from other food nuts that the cookbook is pretentious and unrealistic- that no home cook could or would ever prepare these recipes. Pure nonsense. Honestly, with the exception of a few recipes involving an entire whole foie gras roasted or poached (and who can afford that??) everything in the book was very accessible to the regular cook like me. I am quite obsessed by canapes, hors d'oeuvres and cocktail party foods, and the first chapters filled my heart with joy. Pastry cornets filled with salmon tartare- the only way I can stand salmon is raw, and pastry work is my niche, how can I possibly NOT want to make this recipe? Quail eggs and bacon- a no brainer. Yukon Gold Potato Blini. Again, this is absolutely something I would make. 

I made a list. Things I Am Going To Cook From The French Laundry Cookbook. You better believe I did. First on the list? The Lobster Broth. The technique is fairly simple, not unlike stock-making,and the ingredients are not that out of line for a regular person like myself. I can come up with lobster bodies. Tarragon is growing in the garden. The rest is easy peasy. I wonder if I will be able to find anyone to volunteer as a taste-tester?

Thomas Keller's Creamy Lobster Broth

1/4 cup canola oil
3 lobster bodies, cut up
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 bunch fresh tarragon
2 cups heavy cream

Heat the oil in a large rondeau or deep straight-sided braising pot. Add the lobster bodies and sear over medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until they turn red. Add the tomatoes, carrots, and tarragon, cover the shells and vegetables with water, and bring to a boil. Skim off any impurities that rise to the top. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. Strain the stock through a large strainer, pressing on the lobster bodies with a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Strain again through a chinois into a saucepan. Return the strained stock to the heat and simmer until it is reduced to 1 cup. Add the heavy cream. Return to simmer and cook until reduced to 2 cups, skimming as necessary. 

To serve, heat in a saucepan, whisking to a slight froth. Serve in demitasse cups as a light hors d'oeuvre. 

Sounds amazing, doesn't it? My dream vacation would include a meal at The French Laundry, among others. This sounds like an extravagant dish to prepare but really, 3 lobsters aren't all that expensive if you catch them on sale. I've seen them in our local gourmet market for under ten dollars for a lobster- which would be perfect for a nice lobster dinner, and reserving the bodies for this recipe. Even the technique is not too technical that even a beginner couldn't reproduce this beautiful soup with ease. This one is destined to be a favorite around here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Foodie Field Trip- Iowa Blogger Tour Part 3- Country Club Market and Main Dish Media

Shawnie and Josie, from the Iowa Pork Producers Association really put together a fantastic agenda for our group of bloggers. After yesterday's tour and incredible dinner at Splash we spent a quiet night relaxing at The Wildwood Lodge in Clive. The hotel was great, with a cabin in the woods theme. Wednesday morning we had a leisurely start to the day and around 10 a.m. headed over to Country Club Market in Clive for some awesome cooking with Chef Terrie Kohl, the owner of Country Club Market and a food styling workshop with Sue Hoss from Main Dish Media.

Jenni and Chef Terrie

Chef Terrie reads through a recipe

Chef Terrie is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute with an impressive resume of culinary positions and experiences. She is living her dream, and mine. She runs this awesome business from her home, and holds cooking classes and demos for clients, and caters events. She has been a judge at the Iowa State Fair for the past fifteen years, and is a cookbook collector like me. Her collection, however, makes mine pale in comparison- she has over 3,700 volumes! 

Our afternoon with Chef Terrie was going to be a blast! She greeted us with a trio of appetizers and nice cold beverages, including local wines from Penoach Winery. We nibbled on Marinated Chilled Shrimp, Tomato and Cheese Tortellini Skewers; Fresh Fruit and White Cheddar Skewers, and Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus with Parmesan. We heard about Chef's culinary school years, her meeting Julia Child (I died... I melted.....I did!!) and learned a lot about Country Club Market and why Chef enjoys sharing food with so many people. 

Yes, it's a picture of a picture. I'm a dork like that. But look
at who it is !!!! Chef Terrie and Julia Child !!!!

So, four fantastic recipes with, you guessed it, a pork theme, a bunch of very experienced cooks and loads of cameras clicking away made a very exciting class. The menu included Maple Bacon Wrapped Pork with Rosemary Cherry Sauce; Cabbage Apple Salad with Maytag Bleu and Bacon Dressing; Portobella Risotto with Bacon, Manchego and Asparagus, and Chef Terrie's Famous Bananas Foster Flambe with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. We paired up to make the recipes, with Kristin and Kelli working the salad, Alicia and Cristen made the risotto, Jenny handled the Bananas Foster, and Jenni and I tackled the pork loin. Talk about fun! It was really a great experience cooking with so many other talented cooks. 

Between the chopping, prepping, sauteing, sizzling, laughing we all really had a great time. Many of us have never met in person before so this was a wonderful way to get to know each other doing what we all love. Some of the girls made short videos and live streams, loads and loads of pictures were taken, and before we knew it, lunch was ready!

Jenni and I worked on the bacon wrapped pork loin

Tart dried cherries, rosemary, garlic, onions- such
a delicious combination!

Slicing the pork and getting ready to plate it

"Keep it casual" according to Sue

This is where our food styling workshop comes in. Like we all do in our own homes when we make a recipe for our blogs, we cook, we plate, we take pictures, and then after all that- we eat. So Sue Hoss came armed with her toolkit of brushes, cotton swabs, tweezers, skewers and a kitchen torch, ready to show us how to make our food photography better. Sue works with lots of clients and some really big names- Better Homes and Gardens/Meredith Publishing and HyVee. Sue talked about the importance of keeping our plates casual, so they are more appealing to the readers we are trying to connect with- real people in real homes we hope will cook our food.

Sue discusses all kinds of photo ops with food- like catching
your dish fresh from the oven and still a little messy,
more realistic and readers can identify

Sue had an entire tool bag of tools used for arranging
food or garnishes to get the right look.

Overdoing it can put off some readers, making the recipe look too fussy and complicated. I completely understand this. Because I often "think like a chef" I see that as a challenge but if I am making dinner on a weeknight, it might be a deal breaker for me. Sue worked with all of our dishes, except dessert, and gave us loads of hints on making each course look the best on the plate, in the bowl, and in the photo.

Now it's time to eat! Everything was so so delicious! The apple and cabbage salad was fresh and crunchy- loads of texture with a warm bacon dressing and bites of creamy bleu cheese. 

The risotto was perfect- the mushrooms were left in large pieces for a more substantial bite, the asparagus was still slightly crunchy and the Manchego cheese was creamy, salty and even better than Parmesan.

The pork loin was so tender and delicious, wrapped in crispy bacon, draped with a sauce of dried cherries, sauteed red onions, garlic and rosemary. The dried cherries plumped up perfectly in the sauce. A splash of red wine vinegar adds the acid we needed to cut through the richness of the bacon.

Dessert was pretty fantastic. Chef Terrie's Famous Bananas Foster is everything I expected it to be- rich, decadent, creamy, buttery, rummy.....naughty!

Chef Terrie says keep the banana slices thick so they
don't break down during cooking.

That rum was some high octane stuff!

Beautiful! What a wonderful party dessert

These dishes were both elegant and homey at the same time, and would be equally wonderful for a holiday meal, or a weekend dinner at home. We all got a copy of every recipe so we can recreate this menu for our families.

Not surprisingly, we are, once again, too full to move! Country Club Market, and Chef Terrie, are a wonderful resource to have here in central Iowa, and would make an awesome outing for a group of friends, a team building activity for a group of coworkers or a great way to meet new friends if you join an existing class. As lunch draws to a close we say our goodbyes to some of the girls who have to head out, and the rest of us head back to the Iowa Pork Producers office to end our day, so stay tuned. We'll have a wrap-up of this fabulous tour and those amazing hamballs!

Remember, please visit the blogs that all these wonderful women devote so much love to. There is something for everyone- crafts, fitness, farming, and of course, food!

Food and Swine by Cristen Clark

Fit and Farm by Alicia Schmitt

The Gingered Whisk by Jenni Ward

Make the Best of Everything by Kristen Greazel

In The Kitchen With Jenny by Jenny Unternahrer

Midwest At Its Best by Anna and Sam Konchar

The Sustainable Couple by Kelli Lane

Don't forget- stick around for the tour wrap-up, some odds and ends and, as promised, those hamballs!

**photos by the girls from Iowa Pork Producers, all the blogging girls, and myself

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Culinary Homeschooling- Part Two

I thought this was going to be just oh so fun. Things took a dramatic turn for the worse today, as I began reading a most horrific set of chapters. Math. Restaurant math. Food costing. Breaking recipes and ingredients down into servings and cost-per-serving. Establishing menu prices based on math formulas taking into consideration cost per unit and servings per quantity. Now I need a drink!

Thankfully this is just for fun, and I won't be tested on any of these things. I'll be honest, math is NOT my friend. Three pages into how to calculate these things and I was really in over my head. If the raw food cost for one sandwich is $1.70 and the desired food cost percentage is 23%, the selling price must be at least $7.39. Huh?

          1.70 divided by .23 = 7.391

Ok, sure. Whatever you say (insert confused face). On to things that are much more entertaining. Like mise en place. Now I knew what that meant years before ever getting this book. Everything in it's place. In other words, get all your ingredients out, measured, and ready to use so once you start a recipe you don't have to stop and dig through the pantry for ingredients. No brainer, right? 

I read the chapter on knife skills. I love knives. Really. Kitchen knives are my obsession. The book set out the parts of a knife (I knew this), talked about different metals and why some are better than others (I knew this), why a full tang is better (I knew this) and broke down the differences in knife sharpeners and why people choose the different kinds for different uses. I now need to obtain a whetstone sharpener. And more knives.

The knife chapter also included a primer of knife skills and cuts. Rondelles. Chiffonade. Julienne, Batonnet. Brunoise. Dice. Paysanne. Tourner. I am going to get a couple carrots, some basil or small leafy green and a couple potatoes and spend a hour or two brushing up on my cuts and techniques.

I learned about calibrating a thermometer. Never thought I needed to do that, but I now have a new skill filed away in the brain for future reference. Oh coffee- an entire chapter devoted to coffee, all the different roasts, types of grinds, the how and whys. I never knew these things, so I did gain lots of new knowledge from this chapter especially. Did you know that in other countries American Roast is known as City Roast? Neither did I! 

I often play with French recipes and many times they call for creme fraiche. Living in a rural area means I often cannot find ingredients like this. Lo and behold....... this textbook reveals how to make it myself. This changes everything. I'll be a creme fraiche-making fool!

One notable section of the book covered butter and margarine. Everyone who knows me knows my utter disdain for margarine. I am not alone. This point is driven home in great detail in culinary school, and this textbook details the chemical composition of margarine, the history, the nasty stuff, the gross stuff, the hydrogenation process...... things that make the case for Just Say No To Margarine. I feel validated.

I am approaching the food chapters, so I hope you will continue to follow along. Now that I'm getting into the real food nitty gritty I can have some fun with demonstration and really testing my skills.

Cooking with George

It's really great to reconnect with a friend you haven't seen in forever. I'm very fortunate to have friends that share a lot of my interests, especially food and drink. It's been a long time since I've seen my friend Vivian. We met at church a good ten or more years ago and stayed in touch all these years through the wonders of social media. We've had kids grow up, lives take very unexpected and shocking turns, and the miracle of grandbabies, and here we are- two girls on the town with something really fun planned!

Vivian, Chef George, and me

I absolutely love taking cooking classes. Even if it's something I already make, I love it. Love meeting people, learning new techniques, seeing the food from a different chef's perspective and tasting new dishes. I was browsing the internet a couple weeks ago, visiting some of the many pages I follow all the time and read that my favorite new Latin restaurant, Malo (you've seen us visit Malo before and after opening), is hosting a series of demonstrations/classes called Cooking With George. 

George Formaro is the executive chef and restaurateur who owns this fantastic new restaurant and the menu sounds absolutely fantastic. I was fortunate enough to watch George do a demonstration at The World Food Festival a couple years ago and really enjoyed his presentation. He prepared barbecoa and HINTED at a new restaurant in the works with a Latin twist. 

So the series- four different menus on four different days; a four course dinner with wine pairings and George's expert tips and techniques. What were the options?

January 10- Mexican Bistro- Crab cake with chile and cilantro slaw; mixed greens with agave jalapeno vinaigrette with diced apple, crispy bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds and queso fresco; street style roasted chicken with tomatillo salsa, bacon, and corn relish and the Chef's Choice for dessert.

February 13- George's Latin Flavors- Chipotle shrimp with garlic sauce and mushrooms; mixed greens with cilantro lime dressing, corn relish, queso frescoand tortilla strips; short rib birria with salsa borracha, hominy, crispy prosciutto and spinach; and Chef's Choice dessert.

March 17- Modern Mexican- Lobster and Brie quesadilla with corn salsa; mixed greens with pumpkin seed crusted goat cheese, radish, onion, cucumber, honey, tomatillo and jalapeno vinaigrette; chile-rubbed ribeye steak with mashed potatoes, demi glace and smokey green beans and Chef's Choice dessert.

April 10- Old School Classics- Modern Manchego cheese dip "fondue" with Pacifico beer, chorizo, corn and green chiles; Mexican street snack with cucumber, mango, pineapple, papaya, jicama, chile and lime; Pork carnitas with salsa verde, cheddar grits and chioptle onion demi glace and Chef's Choice dessert.

Amazing, right? I want to go to them ALL really........but so far I have had to pick just one. So January 10 is my day. I'm super excited to see George's take on crab cakes, one of my very favorite foods, and I'm already hungry for dessert! 

The setup was great- a private room gave the group a lot of privacy and space and George had the perfect demonstration set up- even included an overhead camera with a television monitor so we could see the action in the pan or bowl. To kick off our evening of food and fun- a round of Malo house margaritas. Without a doubt, one of the best margaritas I have ever had. The recipe is a secret and I can understand why. This cocktail was just fantastic, made in a shaker and strained into a salt-rimmed glass, not on the rocks or blended. 

Chef George started off preparing the appetizer- Crab cake with chili and cilantro slaw. The slaw was the perfect blend of creamy, crunchy and a teeny bit of heat. He held back the heat a bit to make it more friendly for everyone in the group and I would use just a touch more chipotle and jalapeno. I'll definitely be making this slaw. George said it was a great topping for fish tacos, and I agree! The crab cake was plump with sweet crab and crunchy on the outside, flavorful and just perfect. 

The crab cake and salad course were accompanied by one of the best white wines I have ever tasted- a 2012 Txomin Etxaniz Getaria. I have never tasted this wine before but it was perfect. Very herby, citrusy and definitely acidic enough to easily sit next to a crab cake and light enough to stand next to the salad plate. I'll be hunting far and wide for this wine.

You don't normally think of salad when you go out for Latin food but George tossed simple salad greens with some inventive toppings and a fantastic dressing to make mixed greens with agave jalapeno vinaigrette with diced apple, crispy bacon, toasted pumpkin seeds and queso fresco. He made the dressing using an immersion blender and created this fantastic, thick and creamy dressing with citrus, cilantro, chilies. Delicious! 

For the entree George talked about brining and what kind of results you can get from this simple step or prep that a lot of people wouldn't think of. George prepared street style roasted chicken with tomatillo salsa, bacon, and corn relish. The skin-on boneless chicken got a nice bath in brine, then crisped in a hot skillet and finished in the oven. A quick fresh corn salsa and a bright and herby roasted tomatillo salsa finished the chicken perfectly, and made a fantastic sauce for the crushed and fried potatoes.

I was surprised to hear that George recommends cooking chicken, especially dark meat, to 200 degrees. I always thought that would be overcooked and dry but the brining helps prevent that. This chicken was so delicious and the skin- yes, I know it's not healthy but it is soooo delicious!

To pair with the chicken, we had a 2012 Tres Exilos Bonarda from Argentina. On the nose it was all grape, jammy and fruity. To taste, it was just slightly dry, very smooth and reminded me of grenache, one of my favorite red grapes. This wine would also be a perfect sangria wine.

Speaking of sangria, might as well start off the evening with a
glass of Malo's house sangria. Fantastic!

A quick word about the potatoes- they were a surprise! Cooked baby Yukon gold potatoes got a little smash under the chef's palm and then a few minutes in the fryer to create these crispy "raggedy" potatoes with crispy skin and tons of flavor.

Dessert was "Chef's Choice" and of course, since Malo is a Latin restaurant I was hoping and hoping it would be.....and YES it was...... FLAN!! So creamy and delicious, bathed in caramel, not too rich and not too light- just the right finish, paired with a fantastic Mexican coffee- coffee, rum, Tia Maria, a fluff of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon. I'm not a big coffee fan but I chugged that coffee! I wish I had another cup right now......

We all received a copy of the recipes George prepared this evening, to take home and recreate (and you bet I will!). After dinner was finished, and questions asked and answered, George spent time with the guests, talking about all sorts of things- how he got his start, where he went to school and where he likes to eat when he is not working. He and I had our Cookbook Conversation and Vivian and I had a great time catching up and talking about life. With three more Cooking with George events and four Malo Wine Classes coming up....... I just might be very busy!