ReMARKable Palate #236: The Wines of Manchuela

This week, we speak about the wines of the Manchuela region of Spain, a relatively new DO in an area that’s nonetheless been making wines for centuries. I was at a luncheon unveiling these wines for the first time to the American Wine press, and got to taste a number of their whites, rosadas, and especially their reds made from the Bobal grape.

Last week, we offered a copy of The Flexitarian Diet to a lucky commenter. Our winner is Nadine Lefkowitz from www.topanien.com! Congratulations. Contact me with your address and we’ll get a copy sent out to you, Nadine!

I’m so excited to announce that we’ve FINALLY published the long awaited Knife Skills 101 Video Course in the Cooking With Chef Mark school of our CMN Academy! It’s an 8 lesson series of videos, totaling more than 45 minutes, where I teach you the fundamentals of choosing a knife, sharpening your knives, knife safety, and how to slice, dice, and chop a number of vegetables, from onions, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and herbs. You can check it out at: http://academy.culinarymedianetwork.com.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Chef Mark pays a visit to Kauai Coffee Company, the largest coffee plantation in the United States. Marty Amaro shows us around the fields, explaining the growing process, and into the factory, where we see some of the roasted coffee being packaged.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel & Accommodation provided by the Hawaii HTA as part of the “So Much More Hawaii” tour.

We continue our exploration of Toronto’s Green Barn Market. Chef Mark speaks with Mathieu McFadden from Chocosol Chocolate, a “Pedal powered & Horizontal-trade” chocolate company, which sources all their chocolate direct from growers in Mexico and Central America, and processes it by hand in Ontario.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel and accommodation provided by Tourism Toronto. All opinions expressed are those of the participants.

ReMARKable Palate #234: In The Kitchen Cooking School

This week, I speak with my old friend Kathy Gold, who owns and runs In The Kitchen Cooking School in Hadonfield, NJ. Kathy is a former personal chef who branched out into running her own school, which gives scheduled classes, private lessons, and corporate team-building exercises. I visit her there, and we speak about what it’s like to run a cooking school.

www.inthekitchencookingschool.com

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

If you’ve followed my musings for any length of time, you probably know that I’m a first-generation American. As such, I’ve made it a mission to learn as much as I can about my family pre-emigration, so the past few years have entailed a lot of research. My mother’s Scottish side has been quite easy to trace, as our clan (Forbes) is a prominent one with a well-documented history. On my father’s Italian side, however, the road has been an emotional one, and at times quite frustrating.

I find that you never really recover from losing a parent; it simply becomes part of the fabric of your history, and at times that material can feel a bit delicate. My father died suddenly when I was 18 years old, at a time in my life when I was absorbed in college and building my future, so I didn’t have a whole lot of interest in his history. The Calabrese are also known for their hard-headedness (“testa dura”), a trait I clearly inherited, so we weren’t always the best of friends.

Now that I’m older, and traveling the world exploring food and culture, it’s as if there’s a giant question mark floating above my head; since my father isn’t here to answer my myriad questions, I’m on my own to find out more about his homeland. Oddly enough, I’ve been to almost every other region of Italy, yet I seem to be saving Calabria. Perhaps because I’m trying to prepare myself.

In the interim, I’m happy to say that the rest of the world has also, at last, taken note of Calabrian cuisine, so I’ve been able to sample some of it from American soil while gathering the information to make my pilgrimage.

On the map of Italy, Calabria is the “toe” of the boot and home to the renowned bergamot orange, used in so many perfumes, and of course as the main accent in Earl Grey tea. Calabria’s landscape is lush, and was highly prized by the ancient Greeks as well as the broad collection of invaders who chose to call the region home throughout its colorful history.

As part of Vino 2010, Italy’s showcase of its regional winemakers, the Italian Trade Commission and the Region of Calabria held a winemaker’s dinner enabling me to explore how Calabrian wines were paired with its foods. The meal was prepared by guest chef Vito Gnazzo of Il Gattopardo restaurant.

During the welcome reception, we were served some of my favorite flavors, like Bruschetta con N’duja, the spicy sausage so indicative of Calabria. We also had Piccoli Peperoni Ripieni di Tonno (peppers filled with tuna) and Arancini di Riso (rice balls filled with veal, peas and Pecorino cheese).

When we sat down to dinner, our antipasto was a welcoming remembrance of childhood: Carciofi e Patate in Tortiera. Though this particular combination paired braised baby artichokes and potatoes, when I was growing up we often had a variation of this with eggplant, peppers and potatoes (which I featured on the Culinary Media Network as Serafino’s Sofrito). I could see this was going to be an evening of comfort.

The first course took the memories a step further with Lagane e Ceci, a thick chickpea soup with pasta. The dish had a fantastic peppery kick so familiar in Calabrian cuisine, and was paired with a big red wine, Ippolito 1845 Ciro Rosso “Liber Pater” DOC 2007. Ippolito is the oldest winery in Calabria, and this particular wine had one spicy profile. I think I may have preferred with the soup with a contrasting wine rather than another layer of spice, but I would love this wine served with beef.

The ever-familiar dried cod appeared in our second course as Lo Stocco di Mammola, a cod fish salad with parsley and extra virgin olive oil from Calabria. This dish was bright and sunny, just like its home region, and would be perfect on a summer afternoon. It was paired with Statti Lamezia Greco Bianco IGT 2008.

After a lemon sorbetto to cleanse the palate, we moved on to Cosciotto d’Agnello Lardellato al Polline di Finocchio Selvatico, a lamb shank scented with wild fennel pollen. (I do love the word finocchio, incidentally, as it is a perfect representation of Italian’s melodic lingual expression.) This mild dish was paired with Cantina Val di Neto Rosso “Arke” IGT 2005.

To cap the evening, we finished with a lightly sweet dish that finished things on a lovely, mellow note: Panzarotti Ripieni di Ricotta con Gelato al Miele, a crispy, flaky pastry filled with ricotta and served with honey ice cream.

This was paired with Amaro, perhaps the most indicative drink of Calabria. This rich, sweet dessert wine, F.lli Caffo Vecchio Amaro del Capo, added the perfect ending to a memorable evening.

There is much to come as I share my discoveries of the region of Calabria, but if you’d like to learn a bit more for yourself, you can visit ItalianMade.com to learn about all of Italy’s wines and regional specialties. Many thanks to the Italian Trade Commission, the Region of Calabria and Chef Gnazzo for enabling me to get a taste of it for myself, and for the comfort it brought me.

(originally published January 4th, 2009)
Winter can be a tough time for fruit lovers like me. I love simple desserts made with fresh fruits.  In North America, most fruits are non-existent, or shipped in from the southern hemisphere and taste like cardboard, since they’ve been picked far from ripe and shipped in a dark boxcar for weeks. (And you know how much we hate that!) So we must rely on tropical fruits or citrus that comes to us from more temperate climates like Florida and the Mediterranean.

One of my favorite fruits of winter is the blood orange. Native to Sicily and Spain, the blood orange is unique among citrus fruits for its intense deep red coloring, in some cases as deep and dark as blood. Like other citrus fruits, the blood orange is high in vitamin C. But what makes it unique is its high concentration of anthocyanin, an antioxidant which is believed to reduce the risks associated with many ailments, including age-related illnesses. Blood oranges diminish the risk of heart disease, some types of cancer and “bad” cholesterol build-up. They may also reduce the risk of cataracts, and aid in the body’s healing process. [wikipedia]

While in Sicily last Spring, I got to taste many fresh blood oranges in the markets of Palermo and in the countryside near the slopes of Mt. Etna, whose rich volcanic soil aids in the growing of the blood orange. There are three varieties of blood oranges, the Tarocco (a “half-blood” variety), the Moro, and the Sanguinello (both “full-blood” varieties). The Tarocco and Moro are native to Italy, while the Sanguinello originated in Spain. All three are grown and highly prized in Sicily.

So while I enjoyed the blood oranges of Sicily greatly, I didn’t expect to be able to enjoy the juice so readily here in the US. Well, recently, I received a package with samples of a new juice available here in the New York area from I.O.  Italian Organics. I.O. is a blend of all 3 major varieties of blood orange, and it’s certified organic. Curious, I drank a bit (chilled, of course), and found it to be nearly as flavorful as the freshly pressed blood orange juice I sampled in Sicily. Sadly, it didn’t have quite the same punch of freshness that you’d get from a just-pressed orange, but it does have the sharp tartness and wonderful bitterness that hits the back of the throat.

So to really test this product, I decided to make a simple recipe, a blood orange granita. I love to have sorbets and granitas as an intermezzo between courses at a long dinner, or as a simple weeknight dessert. Cold desserts have to start with an intensely flavorful base, since the cold dampens the taste buds and makes it harder to taste the subtleties. So what better way to see just what kind of punch this juice would pack?

The recipe is quite simple:

Blood Orange Granita

3 cups blood orange juice

1/4 cup simple syrup:

(2 parts sugar to 1 part water, heated to boiling, then cooled)

splash of lemon juice (optional)

grind of black pepper (optional)

Mix the simple syrup into the juice until it tastes sweet enough to you. You want it to be too sweet to drink, but not so sweet that you won’t taste the distinctive tartness of the blood orange. You may not have to use all the simple syrup. If the juice is not very tart, you can add a splash of lemon juice, or a grind of black pepper to bring out the flavors.

Pour the mixture into a wide flat metal or glass dish. You want to have as much surface area as possible to help it to freeze quickly. Place flat in the freezer for a while, then scrape with a fork to break up the ice crystals and return to the freezer and repeat until the mixture is totally frozen and granular. I prefer to serve it very granular, with “chunks” of crystals. If you prefer, you can run it through a blender, then freeze again, if you want it to have more of a sorbet consistency.

I.O.’s juice did not disappoint. I found it to be very flavorful, very tart, and with a distinctive sharpness, that served as a perfect dessert for our New Year’s Day meal of Sausage and Mussels (see our recent video shot in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia with Chef Rick Ogilvie.) Try this yourself at home, but do try to get real blood orange juice, whether you find them fresh and juice them yourself, or from a quality bottled juice.

-Chef Mark

ReMARKable Palate #233: The Wines of Navarra

This week, we talk about the wines of Navarra, the northern Spanish region from which I derive my heritage, which produces some great wines and some very special foods. Sometime in the shadow of its more famous neighbor Rioja, Navarra has it’s own rich wine heritage that goes beyond the rose it’s most famous for. We’ll taste a few and talk about the foods that pair with them.

www.navarragastronomy.com
www.romeromiller.com
www.zrswines.com
www.bodegasochoa.com

The winner of last week’s cookbook contest giveaway for Rod Rotondi’s Raw Food For Real People is…Robin! Thanks so much for your comment. Please send me your full name and address so I can have the publisher send your book! Keep listening for more giveaways.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer and Chef Mark explore the Wychwood Barns Green Market in Toronto. with Mark Trealout, a farmer and organizer of Kawartha Ecological Growers, a coooperative of farms from the area northwest of Toronto. We learn about some of the great farm-grown produce, dairy, and baked goods at the Green Barn.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel and accommodation provided by Tourism Toronto. All opinions expressed are those of the participants.

Chef Mark Tafoya visits the Sumida Watercress Farm in Honolulu, Hawaii, where Celebrated Hawaii Chef Mavro shows us how to make one of his signature dishes: Watercress Salad with Maitake Mushrooms, Sunchokes, and Watercress Essence.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel & Accommodation provided by the Hawaii HTA as part of the “So Much More Hawaii” tour.

This past week the second annual Italian Wine Week, Vino 2010, took place in New York City. It’s the largest Italian wine event held outside of Italy, and I was lucky enough to attend last year. This year, because of travel for my birthday, I was not able to attend many of the events, which was a disappointment, since the celebration is filled with grand tastings, seminars, tastings, panel discussions, and did I mention tastings?

So while I couldn’t make the Grand Tasting, I did make it to the Thursday night regional wine dinner event at the Waldorf Astoria hotel. This was a unique event, with 4 separate winemaker’s dinners held simultaneously in different ballrooms of the hotel. Sponsored by the Italian Trade Commission, it was an opportunity for winemakers from the regions of Tuscany, Calabria, The Veneto and Apulia to show off their regional dishes and the wines made from native regional grapes.

I was invited to attend the Apulia regional dinner, while my partner in crime Jennifer Iannolo attended the dinner celebrating Calabria, since her father was born and raised there. She’ll have a report from that dinner.

The Apulia dinner was prepared by Chef Patti Jackson from I Trulli Restaurant in New York City, and hosted by wine writer Tom Maresca, who described each wine we had throughout the course of the evening. We snacked on focaccia and other nibbles before the first course, while sipping Alberto Longo Falanghine “Le Fossette” IGT 2008. Falanghine is an ancient native varietal of Apulia, not commonly found outside the Southern Italy. This particular wine had been aged in barrel for 18 months, which imparted quite a bit of oakiness which was not so appealing. Tom Maresca explained that this is not so typical for a Falanghine. I would have liked to taste a more typical interpretation of the grape, and not one that mimics a California style.

Our Antipasto course was a mixed salad of grilled “Cefalapodi”, squid and octopus, served over endive, baby brown chickpeas, and roasted baby tomatoes. I loved this dish, not only for the fresh and tender seafood, but also for the tiny chickpeas which had a nice bite on the outside, but tender on the inside. It was served with a Tomaresca Chardonnay Puglia IGT 2008. I found this a nice pairing, and the Chardonnay, unlike the previous wine, was not at all oaky.

The Pasta course was a Cavatelli with Broccoli Rabe & Toasted Almonds, which is typical of the simple, honest, rustic food of Apulia. The Broccoli Rabe was not at all bitter, and the cavatelli was perfectly al dente. It was served with Cantatore di Castelforte Primitivo de Manduria “Donna Maria” DOC 2007. Primitivo is one of the most typical varietals found in Southern Italy, and is predominant in the neighboring province of Basilicata. Primitivo is a precursor, and sort of “cousin” to Red Zinfandel.

Our main course was a roasted rack of lamb with potatoes and a puree of fava beans and dandelion, served with Sampietrana Salice Salentino Riserva “Vigne delle Monache” DOC 2004, made with the Negra Amaro grape.

We finished off the dinner with Sweet Baby “Calzones” filled with Hazelnut puree, Fried Dough Rosettes topped with Vanilla Ice Cream, and Stuffed Figs. These sweets were served with A Rivera Moscato di Trani “Piani di Tufara” 2007, an appropriately sweet Moscato typical of the sweet dessert wine style, with notes of honeysuckle an melon. It was a fitting ending to the evening.

On our visit to the Condado do Tea region of Rias Baixas, we spent the afternoon with renowned winemaker Cristina Mantilla (right), who showed us around the beautiful Pazo San Mauro vineyard before taking us inside for a tasting.

Pazo San Mauro Winery:
http://www.marquesdevargas.com/
Wines from Spain:
http://www.winesfromspain.com

We also got a wonderful lesson in wine, color and flavor from wine expert Marnie Old, whom Jennifer would like to bring with her on every wine tour from now on. She explains wine in a way that is so completely accessible and intelligent, it was like having a personal tutor along with for the trip.

You can find all of her content, including book and how-tos, at http://www.marnieold.com/.

Disclosure: This wine tour was sponsored by Wines from Spain and the Rias Baixas wine region.

In his latest ReMARKable Palate episode, Chef Mark recapped some of the delicious discoveries we made at a recent dinner at Felidia highlighting the flavors of Basilicata, Italy, which lies between the Apennine mountains and Tyrrhenian Sea (or the “instep” of Italy’s boot). The event was hosted by Lidia Bastianich and our dear friend Lou DiPalo, whose ancestral roots can be found in Basilicata.

Lou’s son Sam was recognized as an ambassador to the region that evening, and it was delightful to see the pride on papa’s face as they both enjoyed that special moment. DiPalo’s (both the store in little Italy and the online store) features the products we tasted at this event should you find your mouth watering.

We would be remiss if we didn’t share images of the dishes from the menu, as the regional flavors came together at the hands of chefs Mario DeMuro, Rocco Cristiano Pozzulo and Francesca Rondinella to emphasize the beauty of simplicity. We were very taken with the dried Senise peppers (left side of photo below), which we were initially hesitant to bite into lest they be fiery hot. Much to our surprise, they had a delicious sweetness that would replace most snack foods for us. They were crunchy like a potato chip, but flavorful and sweet like a natural food should be.

Our first course featured a selection of Basilicata cheeses including Caciocavallo Silano DOP (one of my favorites) and Pecorino de Filiano DOP, served with regional honeys, preserves and olive oil. The orange blossom honey was my absolute favorite, with acacia following at a close second. The dish was accompanied by pickled eggplant slices that packed a tart punch, so our mouths were dancing before we reached the last forkful.

Next was a dish of comfort food at its finest. Rich yet surprisingly light, the cavatelli with Fagioli di Sarconi IGP, this flavorful bowl of goodness was perfect for a chilly winter’s night. Pasta e fagioli is a classic combination (“pasta fazool” for those who insist on using a dialect…sigh).

Our next pasta course highlighted those lovely dried Senise peppers, sprinkled over stracinati pasta with cacioricotta (a sheep’s milk cheese) and toasted breadcrumbs.

A surprise awaited us with the next dish. As it said “flan” on the menu I was expecting the typical flan texture as one might find in a dessert flan; this, however, was firm, composed of Canestrato di Moliterno DOP cheese and with flavors that mimicked the taste of the inside of a ravioli. Decadently rich, the flan’s accompaniments of tomato sauce and crispy fried basil leaf provided a lovely counterpoint to make for a dish that, for me, screamed Italy.

I get a little bit excited about figs. Dessert had me writhing in my chair a little bit, as the honey dessert (described as a tart, but much more like a Madeleine texture) was served with a pistachio sauce and caramelized fig. I would trade chocolate and any other candy for these figs, and must now have them in my pantry. They would be perfection served with a light creamy accompaniment — even vanilla ice cream.

Many thanks to the region of Basilicata, Lou DiPalo, Lidia Bastianich and Felidia for inviting us to be a part of this evening. As Lou DiPalo likes to say, Italy is a region of 20 different countries, and we are learning the unique components of each as we taste our way around the boot. There is never a dull flavor moment.

ReMARKable Palate #230: The Foods of Basilicata

On this week’s show, I attend a special dinner at Felidia Restaurant in New York City to celebrate the foods of basilicata, the region in southern Italy at the instep of the boot. The dinner was hosted by Chef Lidia Bastianich and our old friend Lou Di Palo of Di Palo’s Fine foods in Little Italy, who’s great grandfather emigrated from Basilicata. We got to taste the products of this charming land. Later in the show, I speak with my pal Chris Marquardt about the 2nd Edition of our Brooklyn Cookin’ workshop.

You can register for the workshop at www.tfttf.com/bk2010

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer Iannolo and Chef Mark Tafoya head to Ontario to taste the culinary delights of Toronto. From the St. Lawrence Market to Chinatown, Greek Town, the Green Barns Market, and a slew of local restaurants, Toronto shows off its love of locally-grown produce and artisanal ingredients.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel and accommodation provided by Tourism Toronto. All opinions expressed are those of the participants.

Our first Brooklyn Cookin’ Workshop this past October was such a huge success, we decided to do it again this summer! I’ve teamed with Chris Marquardt from Tips From the Top Floor, one of the most popular photography shows on the web, to develop this parallel track workshop. Chris leads the photographers, sharing tips and tricks of photography in general, and food photography in particular. I lead those interested in cooking as we explore the kitchen, learning foundational cooking techniques, and several great recipes that help us practice these techniques. Then every once in a while we get together to shoot the food we made, and then enojy the fruits of our collective labor.

This is the perfect (and rare) workshop where couples can learn together, even if they have different interests.

There are still a few spots left. Learn more about the workshop and register at www.tfttf.com/bk2010

Brooklyn Cookin’ – Be a Chef! Be a Food Photographer! And bring someone to share… from Chris Marquardt on Vimeo.

Theme: Food Photography & Cooking
Date: July 16-18 2010
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Price: starting at $699
Language: English
Instructors: Chris Marquardt (photography) & Mark Tafoya (cooking)

http://tfttf.com/bk2010 – This workshop is for couples, or for friends who share different interests. One’s a cook, one’s a photographer. And finally they can share a great workshop experience together. Personal Chef Mark Tafoya (http://culinarymedianetwork.com) and photographer Chris Marquardt (http://chrismarquardt.com/) share their knowledge about their respective fields with the workshop participants to make them great Chefs and perfect Food Photographers. Extend your horizon and upgrade your knowledge.

Here’s my AUDIO PODCAST from this past year’s workshop, inlcuding words from many of the participants.

And the Podcast we did for TIPS FROM THE TOP FLOOR.

“I can not say enough about how much I enjoyed the cooking workshop — learned a lot and use what I learned all the time: Pork Adobo, poached pears, and having fun in the kitchen!”
-Jacqui North, 2009 Participant

“Mark was great. He is so patient, understanding and knowledgeable. Very easy to talk to.. He showed us how to pick out the proper cuts of meat and ripe vegetables. He was very helpful to anyone who asked him questions, even if they were not in the class. He was a very understanding instructor and made cooking seem simple. This was my first cooking class and Mark made me want to take another one.”
-Sally Lovers, 2009 Participant

“Mark adds so much more to his classes than “just” his expertise and love of cookery. Mark can take you through the full culinary experience, from sourcing the ingredients at local markets through to magazine-cover presentation at the dinner table. His style is informal and entertaining, but still professional and extremely knowledgeable. And if you get the chance to be out and about with him in New York City, his knowledge of the area is encyclopedic!”
-Martin McNeil, 2009 Participant

To Register, CLICK HERE

Jennifer and Chef Mark explore Toronto’s “Greek Town” on Danforth Avenue with The Greek Gourmand, Sam Sotiropoulos. From an array of Greek cheeses & olives to sweets, pastries, and even some flaming saganaki, we see just how much this little area is packed with great delights from the Grecian Isles!

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Travel and accommodation provided by Tourism Toronto. All opinions expressed are those of the participants.

It’s been an intriguing couple of months. I originally posted this on Food Philosophy, but realized that some of you may read my stuff here instead of there, so I wanted to share it here, too, because it sets up a lot of things to come this year. Hee.

At BlogWorldExpo in Las Vegas, I found myself being introduced in the following manner: I’d like you to meet Jennifer. She does “Sex on a Plate.” To my pleasant surprise, many people already knew about it — or wanted to. Marsha Collier and I talked about it on her radio show for KTRB in San Francisco, and 4 million more people were let in on the secret. I loved that.

I then spent a few days with Kelly Cline, the early inspiration for turning my blog into something more. I am drawn to her food photography like a bee to honey, as she is the only person on earth who can see inside my mind and bring my thoughts to visual, four-color reality. We’ve had a magnificent five years of collaboration, and I’m coming away from my time with her newly inspired. It also turns out she takes more than good food photos…but more on that another time.

Kelly and I breathe a tandem rhythm of sensual stimulation, but we don’t want to be the only two in on the melody — and it looks like many of you feel the same way.

On Facebook, in e-mail and at events, people are asking me what it all means. So what kind of food should I eat? What dish gets you really hot? But that, my friends, is the result, not the cause. Let me explain a bit.

On Food Philosophy #87 I talked about experiencing Zumanity, the Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil. I’m eternally grateful to Jess Berlin for offering me a ticket, because seeing the show brought all my recent thoughts together in a flash of inspiration. Zumanity artfully and powerfully evokes the sensual desires in our minds — even the ones we hide in the light of day — and strikes a chord so deep it’s impossible to leave the theater without an overwhelming need to satiate them. Whether we shiver at the sight of light blue silk rippling in the breeze, or feel a rush of desire at the crack of a whip, something in that show triggers our senses until the hunger in the room is palpable. Every body shape, every sexual preference — every fantasy — is captured on stage, drenched in perfect lighting and pulsating rhythms.

I found myself in such a heightened state of sensory indulgence, I actually purred. Out loud.

After walking out of the theater I realized that if the world could step inside my head in that moment, they would get the idea of Sex on a Plate at its core. It’s not the food, you see, though that is a magnificent component of the satiety; it is what I’ve awakened inside that enables me to feel that kind of passionate arousal in such a moment, and see the world exploding with color and texture all around me. Imagine feeling like that on a regular basis. Oh yes.

The good news is that I’m not an anomaly — I’ve worked to get my senses to this place, but there are lots of you out there, even if you don’t know it yet. I’ve discovered that some of you took my tips to heart in getting started, and are beginning to see food in a whole different way. That excites me. Some of you have taken the tips into the bedroom. That excites me more.

If you haven’t yet started on the road toward Eden, I’m putting out a personal challenge to you, because it’s no fun here with just a few of us: Do something today to satiate your senses. Take a few extra seconds when you nibble that bite of chocolate, and feel its silkiness as it melts on your tongue. Run a finger down your lover’s spine. Drink in a moment of beauty, whether it’s a perfect flower or an exquisite woman.

Do this and you will soon be rewarded in the Garden, because things are in motion to bring Sex on a Plate to life, off the digitized page and right in front of you. Do you want your senses to be tickled? Titillated?

If the answer is yes — and I hope it is — I’ll need you to prepare.

Top photo: Kelly Cline
Bottom photo: Cirque du Soleil

Jennifer and Chef Mark pop in for a spot of afternoon tea at the Lower Slaughter Manor in the Cotswolds. One of the fine hotels of the Relais & Chateaux network, they know how to put out a spread!

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #227: Christmas Food Traditions

On this week’s show, Jennifer and I discuss our family holiday traditions, and what it was like growing up making our favorite holiday foods. I grew up in New Mexico, and talk about my love of posole, tamales, and biscochitos, and Jennifer talks about making both lasagna and Cloutie Dumpling for Christmas growing up in an Italian and Scottish household!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer and Chef Mark pop in to the Jesse Smith Butcher Shop in Cirencester, England, which has been in business since 1808. Manager Perry Meredith gives us a tour of this historic shop.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #226: The Red Wines of Long Island

On this week’s show, we take a trip out to the east end to visit 4 different wineries in Long Island. We tasted a couple dozen red wines in one day from just about every producer in Long Island, and got to meet the folks from the Merlot Alliance, as well as get tastes of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and even BlauFrankish!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #224: History in a Glass – New Orleans Cocktails

Chef Mark visits the Museum of the American Cocktail, part of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum, for the History in a Glass seminar. Elizabeth Pearce led us through the history of New Orleans as told through the stories of 3 of it’s most celebrated cocktails, The Sazerac, The Hurricane, & The Cafe Brulot. Of course, we just had to sample them while we studied!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

My tasting tour of Rias Baixas led to a wonderful discovery: The female winemakers in this region have made an indelible impression upon the quality of the wines and the respect Albariño grapes have earned internationally.

I spent an afternoon at Pazo de Señoráns with Marisol Bueno, one of the founders of the Albariño D.O., along with her daughter Vicky and their team to learn the history behind the creation of the appellation. Like many of the smaller wine regions around the world, Marisol wanted to showcase the grapes inherent to Rias Baixas, taking advantage of the terroir of Galicia and its unique qualities to craft what has become one of my favorite wines.

Winemakers often become philosophical about the “struggle of the grapes” and how it lends character to their flavor profile. In Galicia the grapes do indeed face difficult conditions, as the climate is consistently moist, presenting the ever-present danger of mildew. Albariño grapes must be coaxed to grow in a manner that enables sunlight to penetrate the vines and keep them dry, which winery manager Javier Izurieta Romero explains in detail in the following video.

Note: This wine tour was sponsored by Wines from Spain and the Rias Baixas wine region.

Pineapple Meets Big Apple

I had the pleasure of being the special guest this week on “From Hawaii With Love” a podcast hosted by Jenny Fujita and Joy Koerte which celebrates the beauty and culture of the Aloha State.

The topic was “Pineapple meets Big Apple”, and we spoke about my recent adventure discovering the foods of Hawaii, and how Hawaiian cuisine has influenced foods on the mainland. I also spoke about our Gilded Fork Cookbook and offered some entertaining tips.

You can find all their shows on www.fromhawaiiwithlove.com

Chef Mark takes one last look at Wales through the grounds of the Cardiff Castle, a gem at the center of the old town of Cardiff.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #220: Innovative Japanese Cuisine

This week, I go from Maui to New York City as we speak with 2 restaurateurs about their modern Asian style eateries. First, I chat with Chef DK Kodama of Sansei and other restaurants all over the state of Hawaii about his modern Pacific Rim style cuisine, and his support for local farmers in the state of Hawaii. I then speak with James Du, co-owner of Akai Lounge on New York’s Upper West Side, which is doing it’s part to offer innovative sushi and interpretations of Japanese classics.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

I travelled to Hawaii as part of The “So Much More Hawaii” Press tour sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and my travel expenses were paid for by the HTA. My meal at Akai lounge was a complimentary tasting menu. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

ReMARKable Palate #219: Food and Photography

This week, I bring you special audio from the participants in my
Brookyn Cookin’ food and photo workshop. You heard me talking about it the past months, well it finally took place this past weekend, with Chris Marquardt from Tips from the Top Floor co-teaching with me. We speak with the participants, and then afterwards I speak with my good friend and fellow food blogger Jaden Hair from www.SteamyKitchen.com about doing the food photography for her own cookbook.

photo by Chris Marquardt.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CHIC Podcast #200: Chef Herve Chabert

Chef Herve Chabert joins us this week for the CHIC podcast. He has a strong resume in pastry and education. He gave us demonstrations on brioche and puff pastry. We talk about his upbringing and his career. He also tells us what to look for when visiting Chicago.

Jennifer and Chef Mark enjoy a tour of the Stroud Brewery in the Cotswolds. Greg and Ian show them how they make their small batch craft brew, and tell some stories of the historic location they’re in.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

There’s a whole lot happening in this episode, from my trip to BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas to my journey through the Cotswolds in the UK. I’m also continuing my Sex on a Plate adventures, so please do join me for a little stimulating conversation.

Among other things, I was invited to see Zumanity in Las Vegas — the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil. Suffice it to say, the show’s sumptuous, erotic display gave me much inspiration for what is ahead. Today’s show also features interviews with Sally Jarrett from Prince Charles’ Highgrove shop and Chef Shane Kisby from The Priory Inn, both in Tetbury, England.

I’m also sharing a little love for my dear friends C.C. Chapman, Laura Fitton and Jen Kushell, who were all with me for some tasty meals in Las Vegas.

And hey, have you purchased your signed copy of the Gilded Fork cookbook? (shop.gildedfork.com)

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com), George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal (www.georgefletcher.com)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com)

ReMARKable Palate #218: Stroud Brewery

This week, it’s back to the Cotswolds region of England, where we recently had the pleasure of meeting Greg Pilley from the Stroud Brewery. The Stroud brewery is truly a local microbrew, making small batch craft beer in the village of Thrupp in Gloucestershire. Greg tells us about his unlikely path to running a brewery, and we also learn about why the spot in which they brew has a unique place in history.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

As promised, we’re going to be running a different contest each and every week until the end of the year, as as a prize, you can win your very own SIGNED copy of our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home Cookbook!

This week, we’re in Las Vegas attending Blog World Expo ‘09, the largest gathering of bloggers, podcasters, and other New Media types around, and having a great time connecting with friends both old and new. Among others we’ve had the chance to hang out with Grammar Girl, CC Chapman (one of the photo contributors to the book), Ariel Hyatt from CyberPR, Jason Van Orden, Chris Brogan, Rob Blatt, Howard Greenstein, Jim Turner, Rick Calvert (The head honcho of Blog World), Jen Kushell from YSN.com, and so many more. One of the things that we’re reminded of at these events is just how many enormously talented people are out there producing great content, and helping others perfect their own use of the media.

In particular, Christine Lu and Chris Noble are spearheading an effort this week at Blog World to beat cancer! By promoting the use of the hastag #beatcancer on twitter, they’ve managed to get a number of big companies, including eBay, PayPal, and Miller, to donate money to the effort, and in the process, they’re trying to beat a world record for most mentions of a single hashtag in one week.

So we thought we’d ask you: Who do YOU think is doing a great job in this cyberworld? Who do you admire for their great content, their commitment to a cause? Who puts out amazing shows on a regular basis that you love to consume and can’t imagine living without?

Add a comment to this post with the ONE person you admire the most, and give them some link love. And while you’re at it, be sure to pingback this post with one of your own so the person you’re giving love to knows you think they’re great. We’ll take all the comments and pick one at random on Monday October 19th at Noon EST, and that commenter will win a copy of our Gilded Fork Cookbook.

Of course, we know you’ll comment just to show appreciation for someone cool, right? But who knows, you just may win a signed cookbook!

ReMARKable Palate #217: The Cotswold Food Store

This week, I speak with Richard Brooks from the Cotswold Food Store & Cafe, a new business in the UK which brings together dozens of local and artisanal food products made in the region, and which serves as an example of how a local business can bring specialty foods together and make being a “locavore” an easy task. Richard took me through his shoppe and introduced me to so many local specialty products, so get ready for a quick intro to the foods of the Cotswolds!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

This summer I was invited by Wines from Spain and the Rias Baixas wine region to explore their viniferous offerings. I came away from the trip with a lot of new thoughts on white wines, as they hadn’t held much excitement for me — until I discovered why. A big part of enjoying wine comes from finding out what you like, the reasons you like it, and building from the flavor notes that attract your senses, so much was revealed to me in the span of this tour. With 3 winery visits a day for the better part of a week, I really got to know the nuances of Albarino grapes and Rias Baixas winemaking, so I now feel more empowered and knowledgeable in my search for the flavors that awaken my palate. I hope my findings will help you to discover the sparks that awaken your own.

During my trip I toured the 4 sub-regions of Rias Baixas exploring both large and small winemakers, including Pazo de Señoráns, the winery of the D.O.’s founder, Marisol Bueno. The region is known for the fortitude of its female winemakers, which I have to admit, made me smile.

I’ll be releasing a series of videos and stories about the region, but for now here’s a little taste of my arrival in Santiago de Compostela, a site of pilgrimage for many Catholics. You might hear a sound that is quite unexpected coming from Spain. (Please pardon the video quality — been working out bugs with the conversions.)

A production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Full disclosure: Travel and accommodations for this trip were provided by Wines from Spain. Any opinions expressed, however, are my own.

CHIC Podcast #198: Southwestern Food

Just back from Santa Fe, New Mexico we talk about Southwestern food today. We ate some great food and had some great hospitality from the folks of New Mexico. We had everything from street food to the finest dining experiences. Come with me as we explore everything with green chiles.

ReMARKable Palate #216: The Foods of Peru

I speak with Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, one of the vanguard chefs of Lima Peru, who is trying to highlight the native foods of the Amazon at his Malabar restaurant in Lima. I then speak with Moises Olivares, at the Sol y Luna Lodge & Resort in the Sacred Valley, high in the Andes Mountains, where Chef Schiaffino is the Executive chef and oversees the culinary programs. I learn all about the unique dishes of this truly food-obsessed country!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Full Disclosure: Our attendance at La Mistura, travel to Peru and accomodations were sponsored by PromPeru, as part of a Press Trip of North American journalists to learn about many foods of Peru.

It’s back to Cardiff for an unexpected extra day of exploration. Chef Mark runs around the town discovering the covered 19th Century arcades, then stops in for a bite at the Victorian-era Central Market.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #215: Rob Rees, The Cotswold Chef

This week, Jennifer and I speak with Chef Rob Rees, who is known as The Cotswold Chef because he is a champion for the foods of this adorable region in the UK. Rob helped us to get acquainted with the foods of the Cotswolds by arranging for a number of visits with local food producers, cheesemakers, and brewers. But first, we stopped in to Rob’s cottage on a rainy day and he made us lunch! His cute little girl even got in on the act!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

After several days here in Peru, one thing has become apparent: This is a culture deeply in love with its food. Nowhere else have I seen such a strong emotional connection to the kitchen and table. In kicking off La Mistura, Peru’s annual culinary festival, Chef Gaston Acurio talked about the state of the economy, and how food is the one sector that is growing in this country — because the emotional connection Peruvians have with their food is the last thing they’re willing to let go. Instead, they are spending their scarce funds on high-quality food products and ensuring that one integral piece of their lives remains intact.

There is something to be learned from this. To eat in Peru is to take the pleasure of dining and hospitality to a level we rarely see in the U.S. Even the fast food here is of better quality — and I’m happy to say that Bembo’s, the national burger chain, is outselling the golden arches, simply because the food is better.

Service is also prized here, and Peruvians demand the very best. The quality is evident at every level, from street foods like anticuchos (hearts, liver and intestines), papa rellena (a mixture of beef, onions and olives deep fried in a mashed potato crust) and picarones (fried dough) to the more exotic fare found in the city’s best restaurants.

With such a rich choice of ingredients, my palate has been surprised a number of times with new textures and flavors, including some from the Amazon that I’ll detail in a later post. We’ve practically gorged ourselves on ceviche and pisco sours, both national treasures. We’ve even sampled cuy (guinea pig), which is surprisingly good, especially when the skin is crisped to a crunchy finish.

It will take me a while to really absorb and share what I’m experiencing here, because it’s life-changing. I’ve never had so many new flavors in a matter of days, so my palate is still reeling from the experience.

We are now in the Sacred Valley in preparation for our trip to Machu Picchu, and it seems that everywhere I look the landscape is bursting with colors and textures — my senses will remember this trip for many years to come. We’ll have videos, photos and podcasts in the months to come, and can’t wait to share it all, but for now we’ll post as much as we can. It’s difficult when we’re always on the go (I’m supposed to be sleeping right now, as I have a 6:45 AM train to Machu Picchu), but at the very least you can take a peek at my Facebook albums:

La Mistura Culinary Festival
Lima Market Visit & Ceviche Lesson
Lima: Photos of the City
Museum of Archaeology (and Erotica – my fave!)
Sacred Valley & Pisac Market (and me on an ATV – w00t!)

Top two photos by Jennifer Iannolo
Bottom photo by Mark Tafoya

We’re visiting the amazingly diverse city of Lima Peru this week, and attending “La Mistura“, Peru’s 2nd annual gastronomic festival, celebrating all things Peruvian & food in one huge party. Combining a food fair with tastes from fine dining restaurants, street vendors, and everyone in between. There’s also a conference on sustainability, the cultural identity of Peru’s cuisine, contests, and demos by famous chefs. We’ll have extensive audio and video coverage of the events of La Mistura, as well as our discoveries of this beautiful country, coming soon. In the meantime, here are just a few images from the festival.

Chef Gaston Acurio, Peru’s star chef, and the chief force behind the organization of La Mistura, showing press around the festival before the official opening.

Foods of the Amazon. Did you know that over 60% of Peru is Amazon Forest?

Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York speaks to the Peruvian crowd about methods he uses to produce the majority of the food he serves in his restaurant. Chef Barber spoke of his newfound love for the foods of Peru, and said that he thinks Peruvian food will be the next big cuisine worldwide.

Jennifer gets jiggy with some of the MANY aji peppers found in Peru!

Chef Mark enjoys anticuchos (little bites) of cow’s heart on a skewer, with chicken livers and tripe.

Cayo, sous-chef at Fernando Pacheco’s Caplina restaurant, presents his ceviche, which we learned to make. We’ll have a video of Chef Pacheco showing Chef Mark how it’s done!

Chef Mark’s facebook photo albums from Peru:

Lunch at Madeira Restaurant

Visit to the International Potato Research Center

Dinner at Astrid & Gaston Restaurant

Dinner at Malabar with Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino

Lima Market & Making Ceviche

Lima Cityscapes

Jennifer’s Facebook photo albums:

Photos around Lima

Market Visit & Ceviche Lesson

Restaurants: Astrid y Gaston & Malabar

La Mistura Culinary Festival

Full Disclosure: Our attendance at La Mistura, travel to Peru and accomodations were sponsored by PromPeru, as part of a Press Trip of North American journalists to learn about the fair and the many foods of Peru.

]]> http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/images-of-la-mistura-perus-gastronomic-fair/feed/ 0 http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/video-prince-edward-island-seafood-with-chef-michael-smith/ http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/video-prince-edward-island-seafood-with-chef-michael-smith/#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:01:07 +0000 Chef Mark Tafoya http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/?p=5766

CMN Video: Prince Edward Island Seafood with Chef Michael Smith

Chef Michael Smith joins Chef Mark for a discussion of the bountiful foods of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and shares 2 quick and easy recipes using the amazing fresh seafood of the province: Beer steamed mussels and Creamy dilled pasta with smoked salmon.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Prince Edward Island Smoked Salmon with Pasta and Simple Lemon Dill Cream Cheese Sauce

This is one of the most popular dishes on my table. Our friends love its bright, familiar flavours and we love how easy it is to make. You can toss steaming, wet, just cooked pasta with melting cream cheese to form an incredibly smooth luxurious sauce. The smoked salmon adds extravagance balanced by other familiar flavours: dill, lemon, onion, mustard and capers. A five star dish for sharing!

Serves 4

1 lb penne or your favourite shaped pasta like bowties, long pastas like spaghetti don’t work as well
1 cup room temperature cream cheese
1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 lemon, juiced and zested
1 heaping spoonful of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup capers
8 ounces smoked salmon, or more
sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Season it liberally with salt until tastes like a day at the beach on Prince Edward Island. As the pasta cooks it will absorb the salted water and become properly seasoned. Cook al dente, until the pasta is cooked through but still pleasantly chewy.

Scoop out some of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta but not quite all the way. Leave it a bit wet. Toss the pasta back into the pot along with a splash or two of the reserved water, perhaps a half-cup or so in total then immediately add the rest of the ingredients. While the pasta is still steaming hot it will easily melt the cream cheese and form a rich creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Simply Steamed Island Blue Mussels with Three Different Flavours

Mussels are super simple to cook and travel with their own built-in sauce base. They’re easy to steam and when you do, they release a flavourful broth that many connoisseurs swear is the best part. That broth can be flavoured any way you care too so mussels are also a great ingredient to free style with.

Serves 4

Five to six pounds of mussels, rinsed well with lots of cold running water
Choose 1 of the following three flavouring groups:

A 12 ounce bottle of your favourite local beer, a sliced onion, a tablespoon of butter

1 cup of orange juice, 1 tablespoon of curry powder

1 cup of whatever wine you’re drinking, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 tablespoon of butter

Wash the mussels very well and discard any that are open and wont close with a bit of gentle finger pressure.

Pour the liquid and other aromatic ingredients of your choice into a large pot with a tight fitting lid. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the mussels and cover with the lid. Shake the pot occasionally and cook until all the mussels have opened, ten minutes or so.

Spoon out the mussels into a serving bowl. Strain the remaining liquid to remove any broken shell or lingering sand in it. Serve with the mussels and lots of bread for soaking up the flavourful juice!

Recipes courtesy of Chef Michael Smith.
www.chefmichaelsmith.ca

ReMARKable Palate #214: The Foods of Wales

This week, I take you back to Wales, which I visited earlier this summer, for a taste of the traditional foods of this distinct country in the United Kingdom. First, I speak with Carol Watts, whose family has been selling cockles and laverbread in the Swansea Market for generations, and then Jennifer Iannolo and I speak with Angela Grey, one of the foremost experts in Welsh cookery, whose BBC program takes her all around Wales to show Welsh chefs cooking traditional foods

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

During our trip to Scotland, I sat down with Chef Jason Henderson from Knock Castle to talk about his approach to fine dining. I posted my initial impressions about Knock Castle, but this takes a little behind-the-scenes look at how Jason thinks about food, and what he wants people to experience in his dining room. His able staff left me with one of my best hospitality experiences to date, so if you are going to be in the vicinity of Crieff, Scotland, I highly recommend staying here. He didn’t pay me to say that, though he is awfully cute.

I’ll also fill you in on my world of Sex on a Plate, and a peek at where I’m headed with it.

Don’t forget that our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook is now available! You can find it at https://shop.gildedfork.com.

P.S. Are we friends on Facebook? How about Twitter? Find me here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jenniferiannolo
Twitter: @foodphilosophy

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com), Evan Stone (www.asamandrummeth.com)

Doreen & Tony Duncan, of The Yellow Bird Dancers from Arizona share their music, dance and culture with the world through demonstrations. Here we see the Apache Rainbow Dance and the Hoop Dance.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #213: Native American Foods of Arizona

This week, we speak with Dawn Melvin about some of the dishes made with blue corn in Arizona. This special ingredient is sacred to many Native American tribes, and with so many tribes in Arizona, there are a number of wonderful ways of enjoying it. I get to sample 3 of them while Dawn tells me how they’re made. At the end of the show, we’ll hear some music from Tony Duncan, a talented performer who also treated us with some Apache dances at the Arizona media event where we met Dawn. Music from Estun-Bah, which means “for the woman” in the Apache language. This song is called Native Ways, and you can get the album at www.estunbahmusic.com

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We stop in at the Vin Sullivan Food Company in the Brecon Beacons in Wales, and get a special cookery demo from Angela Grey, one of the experts in Welsh cuisine. You’ll see the recipes we cooked later on CMN, but for now we chat with Angela about some of the special local products made in Wales, like Carmarthenshire Ham, Cockles, and Laverbread.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Video of our visit to the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire. We glimpse the Welsh Black cattle, and tour the unique double walled garden.

www.gardenofwales.org.uk

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #211: National Botanic Garden of Wales

While in Wales last month, we got a chance to learn about the great ranching and gardening programs going on at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales in Carmarthenshire. First we speak with Tim Bevan, Estate Manager, about the program he leads raising the Welsh Black breed of cattle, and then we speak with Malcolm Berry, the head gardener, about the unique double walled garden, which produces a number of heritage plants and trees, including a children’s allotment.

www.gardenofwales.org.uk

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We stop in at The Codfather, an authentic chip shop in Abergavenny, Wales, and we have some fish n’ chips, as well as a taste of Welsh Faggots, Wales’ answer to haggis, served with chips, gravy and mushy peas! Paul Harris from www.seewales.com explains this unique regional dish.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

While in Hawaii for the “So Much More Hawaii” New Media tour, I spent the afternoon with Lani and Ali’i, co-owner of the Ali’i Kula Lavender Company in Maui’s Kula “Upcountry” area. They gave me a tour of their lavender farm, which looks more like a zen mediation garden! Listen to the audio interview I did with them on ReMARKable Palate Podcast #209.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com