Home Chef Goals

It's a new year and with it come new goals for everything in life. Home chefs should take these to heart . Have something to look foward to doing and then stick to doing it. It can be anything from trying a new cuisine to mastering some culinary craft.

Tis is what I have planned for myself. Caribbean cooking and baking has always intrigued me and this will be the year (and hopefully soon) to try cooking callaloo and possibly attempting a tofu jerk.This is turning a traditionally meat dish into something vegan. Another Caribbean must try is Trinidadian sweet bread. I was curious about it when I first heard about this fruitcake like bread.It has frozen coconut along with currents  evaporated milk, raisins and candied cherries in it. I have had luck with sweet breads in the past so it shouldn't be that hard to make and bake.Another home chef or rather home baker goal for me is upping my cookie game. I've had two major Christmas cookie disasters recently, probably becaused I used vegan sub in for eggs and butter. I want to create a cookie that crisp and light while packing flavor. I don't ever want to deal with a crumbly , unmanagable dough  again. A smaller goal is possibly buying cute cookie cutters in different shape and sizes and working with colored chocolate for decorating.

All home chefs should set some kind fo goal. It doens;t have to be met right away. It could involve smokingbrisket  n the grill during the Spring and summer months. You can spend these colder months reading up; on recipes and which one to try. Many look through those new cookbooks they received for Christmas and Hannukah and pick out recipes they want to try, Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be a new cookbook. There may be a cookbook you haven't looked through in years. Check the recipes out. Try the ones you haven;t attempted for something different. Another fun goal is taking culinary classes.Enroll in a course  if you're fascinated by Middle Eastern cuisine or want to learn the intricacies of French pastry making. Again check on line for classes and if they're in your area.  Some bakeries offer classes for cake and cupcake decorating while many night schools offer affordable classes on various cuisines.Sign up now before all the spots are taken. There are also one on one classes however these can be pricy depending upon the instructor's availabilty. Research first before you sign up.

It's always fun and improtant to set goals for yourelf. Carry that into the kitchen. Try a new cuisine or promise yourself to experiment with a different technique. You'll be pleased with the results.

Is The Power Lunch Passe?

 One of the most intriguing things about business history is the power lunch.It was a great way of brokering deals over good food and drinks at fancy restaurants. Yet is it relevant, especially in these post pandemic days?

Regular contributor Brett Anderson explored this in today's New York Times Food section.Power lunches usually lasted from twelve noon to almost three PM,Many used it as a chance to work and socialize, as they had for decades.Then came the pandemic which upended the restaurant industry. The business lunch was one of the first victims.There was continued uncertainty as workers left and customers fled. Most high end eateries are struggling, especially in cities that experienced record job growth after the Great Recession of 2008. That stimulation triggered the opening of many restaurants in cities across the country. Now workers are either working fully from home or spending one or two days in the office. They're not thinking of power lunches, Mostly it;s salad or take out at home, in front of their computer screens.There's also the rising cost of food that's also a factor and paying chefs twenty-five dollars an hour as Mitch and Steve Rosenthal have done with their San Francisco restaurant Town Hall.

Prices are high, especially in expensive cities like Manhattan.Even though the famed Le Bernardin has been filled to capacity every lunch hour for weeks, it still is $120 for  a prix fixe meal.  Lunches haven't resumed at other high class New York places such as Per Se, Eleven Madison Park and Jean-Georges.It does take work as chef Greg Higgins has found out at his namesake restaurant in downtown Portland Oregon. However it's changing in the suburbs. The Detroit  area businesses run by Sami Eid's family are thriving.His family restaurant Phoenicia a Lebanese eatery in Birmingham, Michigan opened as quickly as possible when it was OK to . However his restaurant Leila, a mere three blocks from the Quicken Loans Detroit headquarters didn't do well. Smaller places do better.People are reconnecting but at a slower place however as one restaurant owner, Ahmass Fakahany has noticed at his Manhattan place, Marea. They're looking at lunch to deepen relationships.It's more of a social impact lunch.

The power lunch may be taking a break.It may come back but in a different way. Workers still have to eat , deals still have to be made. but maybe in a whole new way,

Three Years Without The Master Chef

 It is now three years without the Master Chef, my Mom in my life. I can't believe that even during this year time has gone by so quickly. I wonder what she would have made of this pandemic.

Actually I do know what she would have done. Stocked up and worried that what she had bought was not enough. I know she would have bought essentials like pasta, knowing it would keep for long periods of time. We may have had one too many dishes of spaghetti and penne over the weeks. She definitely would have made an excess of pesto for us and for family and friends. As far as frozen food, the freezer would have been well stocked and even organized. There would be variety too, with everything from frozen spinach to squash to peas. She may have even thrown in some pints of ice cream (real ice cream, what we eat now - the oat and almond milk types would have made her gag). As far as baking - maybe. We were never big cake and pie eaters. She may have tried baking a sourdough loaf - just to try it.  As far as eating out, which was her favorite past time in later years, that would have bothered her to no end. She loved going out to any kind of eatery - fast food, diner , restaurant.It wasn't just for eating but to try new dishes and talk with people. Staying in for six months would have done her in. We would have probably wound up in a lot of parking lots , eating from containers.

The pandemic would have definitely brought out my Mom's generosity. She was famed for it, inheriting it from her parents. She would have cooked whole meals plus desserts for friends who were sick or went through loss. Recipes would have been doubled or even tripled just so those close to us wouldn't have to go out and get their own meals or do their own food shopping. As far as shopping, no, we would do that. Surprisingly she never liked food shopping. The lines were too long. It was too tiring at times. She would have let her kids do all the work, worrying about us like crazy. She may have used services like Stop & Shop's Peapod or Amazon Prime's Delivery. She may have gone with Target's too, making sure we had more than enough staples plus toilet paper. (that would have gotten her going on some funny riffs). I'm sure she would have over ordered from these places as well, giving the extra to family and friends so they wouldn't have to go to the stores. 

My Mom would have been a pro at this pandemic, It would have worried her  - never scared her. Our kitchen pantry would have been filled. Our fridge stocked, and us well fed. She was a master chef but also a master planner too.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten The Kitchen's Bad Boy

Chefs are like maestros. They can be temperamental yet brilliant; furious yet philosophical, creating masterpieces that will leave crowds and fans breathless. This is true with the famed French chef and restauranteur , Jean-Georges Vongerichten. He may be a culinary bad boy, but he's also a master too.

Chef Vongerichten was interviewed and the subject of a lengthy article in today's New York Times Food section. The piece was written by Alan Richman, famed , himself, for reviewing New Orleans restaurants and winner of several James Beard food writing awards.  A young Jean-Georges was not destined for the kitchen, by any means. He was the typical bad boy in his native Alsace-Lorraine town, near Strasbourg. The family business was coal, thanks to his great-great grandfather coming from Holland (hence the last name). He found land along a canal and settled there The chef to be was an altar boy despite his wild nature, skipping classes at the local parochial school. He was apprenticed young and even turned down a chance to cook in the Elysee Palace for the French president. He wanted to cook on a boat instead. This got him a chef's job aboard a submarine which docked in such exotic ports as Casablanca. Here he learned about different spices such as cumin. He tried the spice with carrots and that changed his perspective completely. From there he went to the Riviera where he discovered rosemary and then off to Bangkok

Now Chef Vongerichten is known around the world. He has restaurants throughout the world, being well known here in New York. His mark is everywhere , including Madison Square Garden where he has a chicken-centric Simply Chicken. Here, Chef Vongerichten elevates both the simple chicken salad and sandwich to another level with pickles and a spicy aioli. There is also the extremely elegant Jean-Georges that's decorated all in white with signature tasting menus. His empire, here in the States, stretches to Las Vegas and California, along with eateries in Miami Beach and Philadelphia. He has created restaurants also in Bridgehampton, the start of the Hamptons on Long Island and in Pound Ridge near where he lives in Waccabuc with his second wife and youngest daughter, Chloe. Despite the success he did have failures, namely the V Steak House in the Time Warner Building in Manhattan. The formula worked well with his steakhouse in Las Vegas but somehow the idea didn't translate to New York City. The same was true with his Chicago restaurant where he charged fifteen dollars for fried rice with fresh crab. Diners could get the same dish with frozen crab for $3.50 down the road. Still he will always have success.It's evident in his many successful restaurants here in New York alone.

Being the bad boy can be a good thing. That rebellious attitude has worked well for Chef Vongerichten. It's given him one of the mist successful culinary careers in modern times.

Discovering A Culinary Gem

Doreen Gamboa may not be known to many American chefs, yet she was a force majeure in Filipino cooking.  She was not a chef or a restaurant owner. She was a food writer who not only helped fellow Filipinos fighting for a better government but also one who captured the best of her country's cooking.

Ligaya Mishan, a regular contributor and restaurant critic for The New York Times food section wrote this informative piece in yesterday's Food section. Ms. Gamboa was , in a way, unusual for a food writer.She helped the National Democratic Front, the anti- Ferdinand Marcos government in the 1980's, tending to their bullet wounds and letting them recuperate in her yard. She also fed them elaborate meals in a lush , art filled dining room as she wrote amazing descriptions of all sorts of native.Even though she came from money and always had chefs and cooks at home , she wrote about all aspects of Filipino cooking. She was no snob as she rhapsodized about a wide variety of dishes. Some put her on a par with another great food writer, M.F. K. Fisher, Her writing style could be considered poetic and direct. Ms. Gamboa once described as having "a distinctive rasp and whisper" while in another essay she cataloged the textures of the giant fluted clam. Sadly she died relatively young at the age of 67 in New York City.

Even though she wrote for Filipino newspapers and magazines Ms Gamboa is still not widely known among Filipinos here and back in the Philippines. Yet a new generation of Filipino-American chefs are looking to her writings for guidance. There's only problem. Many of Ms. Ganboa's books are out of print. Luckily, one, Tikim is coming back into print. It offers a compilation of all sorts of Filipino cooking, from home recipes to traditional street food from vendors. The book can be found on Amazon and expensive (the hardcover is $198 on Amazon while the paperback is a whopping five grand!!!!). Her works were only published in the Philippines so finding them in the States is a rarity.  ,Filipino-American chef and owner of Bad Saint, Genevieve Villamora scoured used books sites to buy up every book that Ms. Gamboa wrote. Another chef, Charles Olalia of Los Angeles' Ma'am Sir found imported copies at No Serving, an LA cookbook store. There will be  a new printing of Tikim by the Danish publisher , Brill, thanks to lobbying from Filipino chefs.

Thanks to a vanguard of Filipino chefs, Ms. Gamboa's work is now coming to light. It is a fascinating insight into centuries old recipes and the people who created them. Her light will always shine on in kitchens around the world.

Baby Chefs

With Mother's Day around the corner  a lot of little ones will want to make her something special. The question is are they old enough to cook or bake ? When can they put on the apron and wield that spatula? Is the age or a child's maturity that decides?

Surprisingly you can put a two or three year old to work in the kitchen. Mind you, it's just simple safe, stuff but it's a start. They can help you squeeze lemons and spin the salad spinner. Those tiny  hands can also aid in picking leaves off of herbs and gently mashing squash and potatoes.At the ages of four and five, their motor skills are more defined and they can focus better on tasks.The problem is they could either be advanced , doing what older kids can do or lagging, doing the simple kitchen chores a toddler can do. My advice is gauge their enthusiasm. They may be more interested in playing  so don't push them . If they're enthusiastic , then see what they're good at and give them that job to do. What can those six and seven year olds do? At this point, children's motor skills are becoming more refined so they can take on more detailed work. They can help with grating and peeling but express that there could be accidents, namely scraped or cut fingers . Dicing and mincing are ok as long as the food is a soft textured one like strawberries. They can also slice and scoop avocados and grease pans before baking. They can also zest, using a microplane grater along with rinsing canned beans

As the baby chef's become tween chefs, you can increase their tasks and responsibilities. At this point they can help in reading the recipe and teaching the younger ones their  former duties.it is up to the parent to decide if the young cook can use the stove. The best bet is breaking him or her in on the toaster oven  using an easy recipe like English muffin pizzas. These older ones can also use a pizza cutter too, either cutting into Mom's homemade or pizza parlor pies. Tweens can also be allowed to use a can opener as well as filling muffin tins with batter, scraping it from the bowls and using a mixer. Young chefs can also pound chicken, skewer food and make sandwiches and wraps. Knives are allowed but only small paring ones or ones with serrated edges. Twelve year olds can start making pancakes and scrambled eggs. They can also try their hands at microwave bacon too. Frying it may be a little too dangerous, especially with spattering fat. No matter what age they are, keep a supervisory eye on them. As for barbecuing, wait until they're fourteen or fifteen before they start pouring lighter fluid and flipping burgers.

Nothing beats a kid made Mother's Day meal. Just make sure dad or even mom is there to watch and even lend a hand. The result will be moms brimming with pride over their baby chef's first cooked meal.

Lou And His Special Diet

Kids today are beset with a plethora of allergies.They suffer from everything from gluten to nut allergies. Many along with their parents r don't know what to do or how to refuse. Luckily, there's a brand new book out there to help along. A smart boy, named Lou can help them.

The children's book, Lou Knows What To Do; Special Diet "Boystown Press 2017) was co-written by Kimberly Tice,MS CCC-SLP and Venita Livack MA, CCC-SLP who have encountered children who have had allergies. It is a plague of the modern world, with more and more children (along with adults) being diagnosed with severe food hypersensitivity. This book is a gentle tale about a young boy , named Lou who has to deal with the double onus of a peanut and gluten allergies. This wide eyed boy, expertly drawn by Andre Kerry ,discovers he has to change his diet. His magic bubble wand (and what kid - or adult for that matter wouldn't want this) shows him the type of foods that he can't have. There is a bubble depicting a table full of doughnuts, cereal, bread and cake along with a bubble showing Lou looking fretfully at a jar of peanut butter.There are also pictures of him checking out boxes with his mom in the their local supermarket. Another shows hin at a restaurant, scanning over a menu along with thanking a chef for creating a "safe" meal for him. More illustrations show Lou  at school , with him saying no to trading questionable snacks,. There's also him with his teacher and the explanation of how to use an epi pen.

This is the must have book for both parents and teachers. What I like about it is that every page starts with the red ink highlighted Lou knows. Ms. Tice and Ms. Livack also know not to talk down to kids, and explain everything in simple, uncomplicated terms. They  have written other "Lou" books" that features the hero at the supermarket and at a party.Another plus is that they stress the seriousness yet liveability of severe allergies without also showing the sometimes dire consequences. This book is definitely a learning tool, allowing for a dialogue to take place between teachers and students. There is even a page of tips for educators.It can also open a conversation  for healthy eating and what foods are good or bad.There's also a quiz at the back too to see if the kids really understood the story and if they retained anything.A nice bonus would have been a section on recipes that feature gluten and nut free dishes and snacks. Hopefully the authors will consider this in this future and include recipes for sunflower seed butter as well as for gluten pizzas and cupcakes.

Lou Knows What To Do, Special Diet, is a great book for kids with allergy. It is smartly and sensitively written by two authors who have a keen insight into children. This is a must have for any young person's library.,

The Pantry Is Open!!!!

I am more than happy to announce that Foodie Pantry has reopened!This will be a new era thanks to the new Frigidaire stove below:

This renaissance period means more pictures of different dishes being prepared, definitely more baked goods and decorating . Of course, there will be the same cookbook and product reviews as well as the usual Wednesday and Thursday Times food section analysis. It wouldn;t be Foodie Pantry without all that. Hopefully, there will be more celebrity chef and food entrepreneur interviews as well as reviews of cooking shows and cooking channels.

Welcome back!

Heat Wave Cuisine

Don't believe anyone who says he or she loves to cook during a heat wave. It's just not possible, even if there's outdoor grilling involved. There is a way to eat through these hot and sticky days - heat wave cuisine. It's just coming up with cool, oven free ideas that make for filling lunches and dinners.

One of the easiest hot weather dishes to make is salads - and not necessarily the lettuce and tomato kind (More on those a little later)Egg, tuna and chicken salads are simple to whip up .Egg salad does require a tad more work  because the eggs have to be hard boiled. As for the chicken take the leftovers from an already roasted one and chop coarsely You could also grill chicken breasts , let them cool and then cut them up .If this is too strenuous then buy canned chicken and use that. Try a dash of tarragon to liven up the salads and serve on onion rolls. Tuna salad can have the extra oomph of  chopped celery, picked fresh from the backyard or bought from the farmer's market. It's good on white bread, but even better on French  which brings to mind a pain bagnat - a Provencale treat. This  has the fish along with anchovies, tomatoes and hard boiled eggs in an olive oil soaked sandwich. This is made an hour or two before eating so that the oil soaks through everything.It's a wonderful Saturday night or Sunday lunch , especially served with a chilled wine.

As for those salads, think big , hearty ones. Try a chef's salad for a midweek dinner. You can get the necessary meats at your supermarket's deli counter. Usually they're roast beef, chicken and/or turkey and ham, but you can vary the meats with the addition of some pancetta or Genoa salami. Add some hard boiled eggs too for more protein along with some cherry tomatoes and peppers for color. A simple vinaigrette will suffice as a dressing however you can try a ranch if you want or a blue cheese one for the cheese lovers.Spinach salad is another  easy meal to make during a heat wave. This is just spinach with hard boiled eggs and bacon. The bacon can be made quickly in the microwave or you can buy the precooked slices from Hormel. Because the flavors are so intense, use a mild dressing, such as oil and vinegar. For a lighter one, nix the eggs and bacon and add walnuts and strawberries and a fruit based dressing instead. Salad Nicoise is a great summer salad, especially if you simplify it .  start off with a good head of Boston lettuce. Add some canned green beans and potatoes along with tuna and anchovy filets,then mix with sliced cherry tomatoes and chopped onion. Once done garnish with black olives and a simple Dijon based dressing. Have a slice crusty baguette on the side to sop up the dressing.

No one should cook during a heat wave. Try an easy salad or hearty salad to make  for a lunch or dinner. They're both filling but without the fuss.

The Cult of Celebrity Chef

They have millions of fan hanging on their every word. They're stalked by the paparazzi. Stores carry their products which are sold out in minutes.

Who are they?

Celebrity chefs. Thanks to America'' love of dining and cooking, we've turned everyone from Bobby Flay to Lidia Bastianich into celebuchef. They're like the Heidfi Klum of the kitchen or Leo Di Caprio of produce.

How did this phenomena come to be? There were always great chefs from Epicurus to Larousse. Throughput the centuries kings , queens presidents and noblemen have always had good cooks. Every family also had their own great cook, whether it be their mother aunt, grandmother or sister. Yet what has made today's cooks gain the kind of status usually reserved for Oscar winners?

I could say blame it on the food Channel. This is where ordinary chefs like Paula Deen have become megastars with their own line of cooking gear and magazines. I could blame it on America's desire to turn even the most ordinary person into a four star whiz.

At least it's spawned a new gneration of foode kids who spend thei rplayground hours talking about whisks and creme brules.