Most bartenders are rarely known as mad scientists or magicians. Alex Ott is though. He is one of those rare mixologists that combines science with cocktails,. However he just doesn't whip up an apple-tini or a rum punch. He creates something much more - magical.
Mr. Ott was featured in an interesting write up in yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The article, written by Dining regular, Jeff Gordinier tells of the bartenders foray s into -well alcoholic alchemy. He is combing all sorts of ingredients from the usual to the unusual to create interesting - and powerful drinks. According to him. he mixes drinks that will make the imbiber feel everything from nervous to happy to even lusty. (thanks to research in the field of Druid aphrodisiacs). He has even created an anti hangover drink called Mercy that prevents hangovers. It combines thistle milk with chamomile - a known soother for stomach aches (a residual of a night of nasty drinking).
Mr. Ott is getting a following for sure with his magical potions. He was a "brand ambassador" for Svedka vodka and New Amsterdam gin, creating cocktails for these liquors. He also had his "nose" used while taking a sniff tour of the scent and flavor manufacturer Givaudon. The cast of Gossip Gil drink his cocktails and he was also featured in "Sex And The City" Beyond all this Hollywood stuff. Mr Ott is indeed a magician or something akin to a white witch. He uses barks and resins to infuse it no his drinks creating a variety of different moods. If people are hooked on him and his creations, it might be from what he has given them.
Bartenders do create magic. However none are as talented as Mr. Ott.This young man may just well be the face of modern bartending and mixology.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
DIY Foods Make Them Yourself!
DIY is very popular right now. However this is not the sort where windows or drywall is involved. It's a culinary DIY - making foods that you normally would buy already made Not only are they fresh and tasty, they surprisingly easy to make too. Another plus is there are no nasty preservative sin them -a big benefit for any foodie.
This was the subject of today's New York Times Dining section. The article, written by the great Julia Moskin , shows how any home chef can make neat stuff like butter or even Nutella. There are eleven recipes in all. She has picked the easiest to make with simple enough directions along with recipe suggestions. I like the butter, corn muffin mix and Nutella recipes. the butter is intriguing to me because it would be fantastic to have freshly made butter - not only on bread but as an ingredient also.
DIY cooking is nothing new. After all our mothers, grandmothers and great grans all created everyday foods like bread and creamed vegetables from scratch. This is a fresher, much more healthier way to eat. Take the recipes I've mentioned. Both the Nutella and corn muffin mix would come with a variety of flavor enhancers and preservatives. Make them fresh and they're good for you. It's also cheaper to make your own too because you can get the store brand of your ingredient.
DIY cooking is a pretty good way of making foods that you normally would buy. They;re fresh amid wholesome along with being fun to make. Try a few over the weekend for just made goodness
This was the subject of today's New York Times Dining section. The article, written by the great Julia Moskin , shows how any home chef can make neat stuff like butter or even Nutella. There are eleven recipes in all. She has picked the easiest to make with simple enough directions along with recipe suggestions. I like the butter, corn muffin mix and Nutella recipes. the butter is intriguing to me because it would be fantastic to have freshly made butter - not only on bread but as an ingredient also.
DIY cooking is nothing new. After all our mothers, grandmothers and great grans all created everyday foods like bread and creamed vegetables from scratch. This is a fresher, much more healthier way to eat. Take the recipes I've mentioned. Both the Nutella and corn muffin mix would come with a variety of flavor enhancers and preservatives. Make them fresh and they're good for you. It's also cheaper to make your own too because you can get the store brand of your ingredient.
DIY cooking is a pretty good way of making foods that you normally would buy. They;re fresh amid wholesome along with being fun to make. Try a few over the weekend for just made goodness
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sno Balls That Fun Treat
If you grew up in the States then you've had Hostess Snow Balls. They are a childhood classic ,like Popsicles and Twinkies, root beer and Rice Krispie treats. They're still just as good many years later. Anyone of any age adore them.
Sno Balls were invented in 1947 by the Hostess Company for a post war America longing for some sugary treats. Th original ones were just a rounded chocolate cupcake with a marshmallow fluff and coconut topping. A few years later the coconut was tinted pink. The creme filling was added a few years later. For Halloween they're called Glo Balls and are covered with orange tinted coconut. The his dusting is also tinted green for St paddy's Day and lavender for Easter. This last is renamed Hoppers for the season. For the baseball season there is is baseball stitching across the wrapper so the cakes look like baseballs.
There are even recipes for Sno Balls. One cute one involves cutting th ecake in half and them surrounding it with malted milk ball penguins. This would be perfect for the holidays or a winter birthday party. You could also turn them into bases for cookie pop place card holders. Another idea is frosting two together and then decorating with gum drops and , licorice and sprinkles for Sno ball ornaments Put a sugar cone on top and you can have a clown or a wizard cake. Sno Balls can bring out the creativity in anyone. You could even put them together to form a Sno Ball cake.
Sno Ball s have been a fun part of the American snack landscape for a long time. They're still enjoyed by young and old. Let's face it - who can resist that moist chocolate cake , gooey filling and yummy coconut marshmallow covering?
Sno Balls were invented in 1947 by the Hostess Company for a post war America longing for some sugary treats. Th original ones were just a rounded chocolate cupcake with a marshmallow fluff and coconut topping. A few years later the coconut was tinted pink. The creme filling was added a few years later. For Halloween they're called Glo Balls and are covered with orange tinted coconut. The his dusting is also tinted green for St paddy's Day and lavender for Easter. This last is renamed Hoppers for the season. For the baseball season there is is baseball stitching across the wrapper so the cakes look like baseballs.
There are even recipes for Sno Balls. One cute one involves cutting th ecake in half and them surrounding it with malted milk ball penguins. This would be perfect for the holidays or a winter birthday party. You could also turn them into bases for cookie pop place card holders. Another idea is frosting two together and then decorating with gum drops and , licorice and sprinkles for Sno ball ornaments Put a sugar cone on top and you can have a clown or a wizard cake. Sno Balls can bring out the creativity in anyone. You could even put them together to form a Sno Ball cake.
Sno Ball s have been a fun part of the American snack landscape for a long time. They're still enjoyed by young and old. Let's face it - who can resist that moist chocolate cake , gooey filling and yummy coconut marshmallow covering?
Monday, March 14, 2011
Sweet Testing
Picking a sweetener is always a hard choice. Do you go with the all natural or do you try the new and improved stuff. Do you count calories or tally up the health risks associated with some artificial sweeteners? That was my dilemma when I received my agave sample the other day.
I was curious about this all natural sweetener since I wrote about agave a week ago , I sent away for my free samples and was super excited when they arrived in the mail . I tried it in a cup of hot tea .It wasn't bad, being almost the same color and consistency as honey (which I'm not a big fan of).It wasn't bad. It did sweeten without honey's cloying muskiness. I don't think I would use it in baking as other foodies would do. For me it's just one of those sweeteners and flavor enhancers that I would put in hot or iced tea.
There are some health risks associated with this natural sugar however they're minor. I still prefer regular or raw sugar despite their calories. I just feel they add the right amount of sweetness. Besides it's also easier to bake with regular sugar and it doesn't throw off the texture or taste of whatever you're baking. Once in a while I will use Splenda which is OK and again is also naturally sweetneed.
Finding a sweetener you like can be a tough choice. It's best to sample what's out there and then make your decision based on what you need, and of course what you like. No matter what you choose, it's usually the right option.
I was curious about this all natural sweetener since I wrote about agave a week ago , I sent away for my free samples and was super excited when they arrived in the mail . I tried it in a cup of hot tea .It wasn't bad, being almost the same color and consistency as honey (which I'm not a big fan of).It wasn't bad. It did sweeten without honey's cloying muskiness. I don't think I would use it in baking as other foodies would do. For me it's just one of those sweeteners and flavor enhancers that I would put in hot or iced tea.
There are some health risks associated with this natural sugar however they're minor. I still prefer regular or raw sugar despite their calories. I just feel they add the right amount of sweetness. Besides it's also easier to bake with regular sugar and it doesn't throw off the texture or taste of whatever you're baking. Once in a while I will use Splenda which is OK and again is also naturally sweetneed.
Finding a sweetener you like can be a tough choice. It's best to sample what's out there and then make your decision based on what you need, and of course what you like. No matter what you choose, it's usually the right option.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A Grateful Nod To Japan
As our hearts and prayers turn towards Japan we have to thank this ancient and interesting nation for their culinary gifts. They have contributed so much to the international table. They've brought to us favorites that are a big part of our lives . After all there's nothing like a Japanese dinner.
One of the biggest and most popular dishes from the Japanese islands is sushi. Everyone around the world has take the savory rolls to their hearts. Ironically enough the dish first came from China and made its' way over to Japan. Sushi became big int he last two centuries and it was first eaten as fish wrapped in rice. there was no artful presentation to it. That changed when the inventor of modern sushi, Hanaya Yohei, decided to put the fish on a little bed of rice. Now it;s fused with the west to create California rolls and variations using avocado and scallions. Sushi is a staple in every mall nowadays and its' garnered a worldwide cadre of fans.
The Japanese also give us the fragrant and delicious miso soup. This is simply a broth made with tofu and miso or dasho. it can be flavored with shiitake mushrooms kelp, sardines , bonito or seaweed. It's usually starts off a meal in a Japanese restaurant. Of course there are the two classics. tempura and teriyaki. tempura which comes from the Portuguese missionaries and from the Latin meaning times was eaten during the Lenten period. it is simply vegetables (and sometimes fish and meat such as chicken ) dipped in a fine coating and then fried. Teriyaki is grilled chicken or fish after its'; been soaked in a soy sauce marinade. It's usually served with rice.
Japan has given us a multitude of culinary gifts. Their food has given the world table some much beloved dishes over the years. Our thoughts are with them now.
One of the biggest and most popular dishes from the Japanese islands is sushi. Everyone around the world has take the savory rolls to their hearts. Ironically enough the dish first came from China and made its' way over to Japan. Sushi became big int he last two centuries and it was first eaten as fish wrapped in rice. there was no artful presentation to it. That changed when the inventor of modern sushi, Hanaya Yohei, decided to put the fish on a little bed of rice. Now it;s fused with the west to create California rolls and variations using avocado and scallions. Sushi is a staple in every mall nowadays and its' garnered a worldwide cadre of fans.
The Japanese also give us the fragrant and delicious miso soup. This is simply a broth made with tofu and miso or dasho. it can be flavored with shiitake mushrooms kelp, sardines , bonito or seaweed. It's usually starts off a meal in a Japanese restaurant. Of course there are the two classics. tempura and teriyaki. tempura which comes from the Portuguese missionaries and from the Latin meaning times was eaten during the Lenten period. it is simply vegetables (and sometimes fish and meat such as chicken ) dipped in a fine coating and then fried. Teriyaki is grilled chicken or fish after its'; been soaked in a soy sauce marinade. It's usually served with rice.
Japan has given us a multitude of culinary gifts. Their food has given the world table some much beloved dishes over the years. Our thoughts are with them now.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Tijuana Revisited
Tijuana , Mexico is not exactly associated with gourmet food or even good food. Yet one of the world's most famous dishes, the Caesar salad was invented here. At one time this Mexican border town was the fun place to go to for Hollywoood royalty of the Forties and Fifties. Sadly it took a down hill turn later on . Luckly though it's trying to recapture a of its' past culinary glimmer.
The man behind that is Javier Plascencia, the chef at Mission 19, Tijuana's most famous go to restuarant. He was featured in Josh Kun's article in Wednesday's New York Times Dining section. Even though he attended San Diego schools, finishing up at that town's culinary college, Mr. Plascencia went back to his family's native city to start something of a revolution. He reintroduced the Baja region cuisine as Baja Mediterranean which combines Mexican cooking with the Mediterraean ingredients found in So .Cal such as olives, arugula and abalone. The result is stunning. He combines mole sauce with figs over short ribs to create a sweet and smoky dish.
His is a different type of Mexican than what Americans are used to and a much better one at that. Yes, Tijuana does have its' share of taco stands for tourists. However there's a new wave coming to this city. Octopus, also a Mexican favorite, is combined with prickly pear cactus over risotto. This is almost like a Sardinian version of the dish, also redolent with fresh octopus. There's also a duck skewered with licorice and dusted with guava dust. To be honest it's this type of cooking that will attract foodies ot Tijuana.
This Mexican border town has undergone a lot , especially with the rise in crime. However for chefs like Mr.Plascencia it's also a city on the edge of a culinary rebirth. He and others can take Tijuana and bring it around to the glory it once had.
The man behind that is Javier Plascencia, the chef at Mission 19, Tijuana's most famous go to restuarant. He was featured in Josh Kun's article in Wednesday's New York Times Dining section. Even though he attended San Diego schools, finishing up at that town's culinary college, Mr. Plascencia went back to his family's native city to start something of a revolution. He reintroduced the Baja region cuisine as Baja Mediterranean which combines Mexican cooking with the Mediterraean ingredients found in So .Cal such as olives, arugula and abalone. The result is stunning. He combines mole sauce with figs over short ribs to create a sweet and smoky dish.
His is a different type of Mexican than what Americans are used to and a much better one at that. Yes, Tijuana does have its' share of taco stands for tourists. However there's a new wave coming to this city. Octopus, also a Mexican favorite, is combined with prickly pear cactus over risotto. This is almost like a Sardinian version of the dish, also redolent with fresh octopus. There's also a duck skewered with licorice and dusted with guava dust. To be honest it's this type of cooking that will attract foodies ot Tijuana.
This Mexican border town has undergone a lot , especially with the rise in crime. However for chefs like Mr.Plascencia it's also a city on the edge of a culinary rebirth. He and others can take Tijuana and bring it around to the glory it once had.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Modernist Cuisine Defined
A new set of cookbooks has come out and they ar e not your mother's Fannie Farmer or Betty Crocker ones. It doesn't even come into the same catagory as Chef Escoffier's.It's Modernist Cooking, which breaks cooking down to exact science . The methods used are for science but not for cooking.It's wild .wacky and informative.
It was the main subject of yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The piece , written by Michael Ruhlman, is about a huge compendium of recipes (1,500 in all) and has the mark of modernist cuisine chefs, the American Grant Achatz, Britain's Heston Blumenthal and Spain's famed Ferran Adria who created foamed food. This is not for the average foodie who occassionally likes to experiment in his or her kitchen. This is for the serious restaurant chef and food geek who is interested in the scientific side of cooking. It's also for those who like to experiment with new cooking techniques.
I don't know if I would recommend these volumes . It does sound like a great however it's geared for the professional. The appliances needed range from a simple pressue cooker for cooking chicken to a rotary evaporator which costs a grand. The books themselves go for $625 .There are five books in all , with them dealing with an overview of food history the chemical processes of cooking, along with the science of cooking meats and vegetables and , adding thickeners and foams. The fifth voulme has all the recipes and again they are elaborate and require not so ordinary appliances.
Is this series worth it? Yes, if you are a very serious foodie, wanting to reconstruct Mr. Ferran's foams. I would rather see professional chefs buy this and experiment in their kitchens. It would add to their restaurants. Just remember , however, some of the world's best dishes are cooked simply in a plain oven or over a burner.
It was the main subject of yesterday's New York Times Dining section. The piece , written by Michael Ruhlman, is about a huge compendium of recipes (1,500 in all) and has the mark of modernist cuisine chefs, the American Grant Achatz, Britain's Heston Blumenthal and Spain's famed Ferran Adria who created foamed food. This is not for the average foodie who occassionally likes to experiment in his or her kitchen. This is for the serious restaurant chef and food geek who is interested in the scientific side of cooking. It's also for those who like to experiment with new cooking techniques.
I don't know if I would recommend these volumes . It does sound like a great however it's geared for the professional. The appliances needed range from a simple pressue cooker for cooking chicken to a rotary evaporator which costs a grand. The books themselves go for $625 .There are five books in all , with them dealing with an overview of food history the chemical processes of cooking, along with the science of cooking meats and vegetables and , adding thickeners and foams. The fifth voulme has all the recipes and again they are elaborate and require not so ordinary appliances.
Is this series worth it? Yes, if you are a very serious foodie, wanting to reconstruct Mr. Ferran's foams. I would rather see professional chefs buy this and experiment in their kitchens. It would add to their restaurants. Just remember , however, some of the world's best dishes are cooked simply in a plain oven or over a burner.
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