Recipe: Ginger & Honey Creme Brulee

Something magical happens to the ginger when it is infused into the cream and baked with the honey in the custard. The flavor is sweet, without being cloying, and the ginger on the afterpalate is divine. Ultra rich and creamy thick, this is the very definition of elegance and indulgence.

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Food Philosophy #15: Summer Decadence

Food Philosophy #15: Summer Decadence

This is the perfect time of year to take a deep breath, relax and decadently enjoy the lazy days of summer. What better way to do that than with a spicy fruit salad -- or better yet, with a kicky cocktail? I'm including a couple of refreshing summer favorites for lounging by the pool, as well as a challenge to those of you who claim to be uber-mixologists. Bring it on, I say!

Theme Music: Super Hot Lady Cop by Beau Hall, Grapes by Evan Stone

Skype: jiannolo
Listener Line: 845-704-7094

Featured Recipes:

Melon Ball Salad in Spiced Ginger Syrup
Fizzy Ginger

The Food Philosophy podcast is a production of The Gilded Fork.


food, food podcast, sensuality, summer, cocktail recipes, ginger, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo

A Remarkable Palate: Ruminations on Roots

We here in America have deep roots which extend all over the world; we have brought our roots with us and transplanted them in the fertile soil of the west, and continue to explore them. It is perhaps symbolic that some of the best expressions of our diverse culinary heritage are expressed through root vegetables. While potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, and onions form the basis of most of our western cooking, there are numerous other root vegetables used throughout the world in cooking and in other ways.

Among world cultures, the Trobrianders of Papua-New Guinea have one of the most unusual uses for roots. Yams form the basis of the economy of these tribes, and the main goal of every Trobriander family is to produce as many yams as possible. They store them in “yam houses,” and put simply, the man with the most yams is the richest in the village. Yam houses function as bank accounts, and yams are offered in payment for dowries. Of course, they are also eaten, but interestingly enough, after harvest, Trobriander villagers avoid eating them as daily food. There is a complex intertribal system of barter with yams at its base.

gilded fork, food, food writing, yams, root vegetables, rhizomes, ginger

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Recipe: Fizzy Ginger

There is nothing more refreshing on a hot, sticky summer day than an ice cold beverage. Reminiscent of lemonade, but infused with fresh ginger and lemongrass, this succulently sweet and spicy cooler is perfect for all of your summer gatherings. Since we included no alcohol in the base recipe, this gingery fizz is the perfect pucker for all.

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Test Kitchen Notes: Ginger Ails?

This week's Test Kitchen Note comes from our intrepid summer Culinary Intern Sandra Di Capua, (who is quite brave for sharing her story here):

As an aspiring chef at the age of, well, 15, I insisted on making everything on my own and from scratch. This included basics like salad dressing and more complicated things like challah (note to self: this was a cumbersome, tasteless brick.) One afternoon, inspired by my then favorite chef, Ming Tsai, I decided to make my own ginger ale. The slight problem I ran into was that I had only seen him do it once on TV and thought I might remember the recipe.

I found some gloomy-looking shredded ginger in the freezer and boiled the life out of it in a stockpot filled to the brim with water. It must have been on the stove for a good three hours because I distinctly remember going to play tennis for an hour, showering, having lunch, and then watching it boil for a long time. I guess I figured it would somehow taste just as good as Ming Tsai had made it look. By the end of this torturous time, I was left with half a stockpot of sallow gingery water. Sharp and spicy, it made me gag. To that ginger-infested water I added tonic (I assume that’s all we had at home, or perhaps I thought it could add a nice kick that might remedy my beverage) and a lot of sugar. I served it elegantly—ginger fibers, undissolved sugar, and all—in my parent’s finest crystal.

I’ve come a long way in five years. I still derive great pleasure from making dishes from scratch, but I’ve also learned to take some help when needed, including in the recipe department. The ginger ale that I currently make on lazy summer afternoons is incomparable to the pungent mess I made a few years back. Light and refreshing, it is a simple pleasure that reminds me of the culinary mistakes that have made my trajectory thus far both memorable and rewarding.

Thanks to Monica Glass, Gilded Fork’s resident Pastry Princess, for this simply perfect recipe:

Ginger Ale

3 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
6 inch piece of ginger, chopped
1 Liter sparkling water, chilled

Combine the water, sugar, and ginger in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and steep the mixture for 1 hour to allow the flavors to infuse the syrup. Strain the syrup into a pitcher, discarding the ginger. Cover and chill until cold, at least 1 hour. Add the sparkling water to a pitcher with the cooled syrup and stir well. Divide among tall, chilled glasses over ice cubes and garnish each drink as desired.

-Sandra Di Capua

P.S. For a more elaborate, fanciful version of this drink, stop back for tomorrow's update!


gilded fork, test kitchen, food, cooking, recipe, ginger ale


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Remarkable Palate #49: A Taste of Spain

ReMARKable Palate #49: A Taste of Spain

Chef Mark speaks with Stephanie Mazier of the Consorcio del Jamon Serrano, who tells us about this amazing and most famous of Spanish products. She explains the difference between jamon serrano and jamon iberico, and we share some recipes. Next, he speaks with Justo Parrada of Castillo de Tabernas, an olive oil producer from Almeria, in the South of Spain. He introduces us to his two different oils, one a blend of three olives and one a single olive oil from the Picual olive. Finally, we speak with Yolanda Perez from El Quexigal Honey Producers in Madrid, and Chef Mark shares his recipe for Truchas a la Navarra, (Trout wrapped in Serrano Ham)

www.consorcioserrano.com
www.castillodetabernas.net
www.elquexigal.com



Theme Music: "Can't Hold it Down", Andy Sullivan. www.andysullivan.com

The ReMARKable Palate Podcast: A Production of The Gilded Fork. www.gildedfork.com

www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com
food, food podcast, Spanish food, Serrano Ham, olive oil, honey, personal chef, ReMARKable Palate, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

Recipe: Mixed Seafood in Ginger Broth with Confetti Vegetables

This simple and light mix of seafood is bathed in an aromatic broth infused with healing and refreshing ginger. It’s a light meal in the summer, or a warming pick-me-up in the colder months. You may use whatever seafood is freshest. When lobster and scallops are not readily available, we do it with just shrimp, and it’s equally satisfying. In fact, the kitchen elves can sometimes be heard slurping up the extra broth!

gilded fork, recipe, seafood, ginger

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Gastronomic Journey: Basilicum Tormentum

There is no way for me to say this without sounding like a complete maniac, so I’ll just come out with it: Nothing gets my blood flowing like basil. I don’t mean that it is pleasing to my palate (it is); or that it is my favorite ingredient (it is); but that I am utterly obsessed with its arresting fragrance.

As soon as the basil in my garden is ready for picking, I am out there like a wanton lover, inhaling its scent so hard that I become deprived of oxygen, and feel myself swaying in a dreamlike haze. After tearing up the leaves to sprinkle over a bowl of tomatoes, my fingers are perfumed for the rest of the day, and I can return to my basil daydreams with the mere wave of a hand.

I’m not sure I’ve experienced a lust quite like it — I simply cannot get enough. This year I’ve experimented with adding the torn leaves to my bath so I can smell its ethereal aroma in my hair; I even keep a few leaves on my desk so I can rejuvenate my senses during the workday, allowing the captivating scent of anise to coat my palate as I muddle through the tasks at hand. Perhaps some sort of twelve-step program is in order, because my greed is out of control. (read more)

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Mise en Place: A Summer Picnic

It's the perfect season for a picnic, so it's time to pack up those baskets and head outdoors. We've kept the menu and wines light and refreshing, perfect as a counterpoint to the summer heat.

gilded fork, menu, entertaining, summer picnic

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Test Kitchen Notes: Ginger or Mary Ann?

Normally, my answer would be Mary Ann, but this month, there's no question: It's all about the Ginger!

We're exploring ginger in many forms and incarnations, and you'll see us using ginger in seafood broth, desserts, and even cocktails.
One traditional use of ginger is in gari, or pickled ginger. The Japanese use it to cleanse the palate in between courses and with sushi, and in pickled form, it's a wonderful digestive aid. Why purchase the pink-dyed ginger from the Asian market, full of artificial coloring and preservatives, when you can make your own so simply? Here's a quick and easy recipe for gari:

Pickled Ginger

2 ounces ginger
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt, to taste

Peel and slice the ginger as thinly as possible. Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt to taste and bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Place the ginger in a bowl and pour the hot vinegar on top. Cover and allow to cool. Chill before serving.
The pickled ginger will keep in an airtight jar for several weeks.

-Chef Mark

gilded fork, test kitchen, food, cooking, recipe, pickled ginger, gari

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Recipe: Ginger Lime Chimichurri

This delightfully refreshing chimichurri offers a new twist on an Argentinian classic. This verdant sauce is typically paired with meat, but feel free to serve it with grilled fish, a salad or vegetables instead.

gilded fork, recipe, ginger, lime, chimichurri

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The Indulgence: Ginger

The nubby little rhizome known as ginger has long been esteemed both for its medicinal and aphrodisiac properties; and while we are clear on its ability as a digestive aid, we are curious as to its “other” reputation. Of course, given its property as a diaphoretic (meaning it causes one to sweat), we can see in what direction the evidence points. Ginger is also mentioned in the Kama Sutra, and is known to enhance circulation, so perhaps we should just leave it at that. Besides, our interest lies in the realm of cooking. (read more)

gilded fork, food, food writing, ginger

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Food Philosophy #14: Artisan + Chocolate = Love

Food Philosophy #14: Artisan + Chocolate = Love

Last week Mark and I had the pleasure of meeting Jeff Shepherd from Lillie Belle Farms -- and of course tasting his chocolate creations. A combination of hippie/rocker and master craftsman, this is one chocolatier whose creations are not to be missed. Did I mention that he does everything by hand, from the chocolate to its berry fillings? Yes. And yum.

www.lilliebellefarms.com

Theme Music: Super Hot Lady Cop by Beau Hall, Grapes by Evan Stone.

The Food Philosophy podcast is a production of The Gilded Fork.


food, food podcast, sensuality, chocolate, Lillie Belle Farms,Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo

Recipe: Melon Ball Salad in Spiced Ginger Syrup

This light, refreshing dessert has just the right hint of spice to give it a little kick. It's also ideal for fruit that hasn't yet reached its peak of sweetness. Perfect refreshment for the summer palate!

gilded fork, recipe, melon ball salad, ginger, spiced ginger syrup

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The Chef's Table - New!

Welcome to the first of my monthly editorials from behind the scenes! Here, I’ll take off my apron and come out front to give you some insights from the test kitchen of the Gilded Fork, as well as share news about trends and developments in the food world from my own culinary perspective.

It’s appropriate that we begin this column in the month of July. While most people were trying to take it easy and beat the heat last week, we food people were convening at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City for the NASFT Fancy Food Show (the NASFT is the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade). The Fancy Food Show is the biggest convention of the year at which large manufacturers and small artisans alike unveil their new products to industry decision makers, and it’s quite a scene: Retailers, distributors, importers and food media crawl the aisles sampling products and making deals.

This year’s show featured 160,000 specialty food products from more than 1,800 domestic exhibitors, and 500 international companies from 71 countries. With so many products on the floor, it was nearly impossible to taste them all! We did try, though, managing to find several standouts. You can hear short clips from some of the many interviews I did on the ReMARKable Palate Podcast #47, with extended interviews with many more to come in the upcoming months on both ReMARKable Palate and Food Philosophy.Here are some of the standout new products...(read more)

gilded fork, food, food writing, Chef's Table, artisan products, NASFT Fancy Food Show

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Recipe: Gingered Peach Tarte Tatin

The Tarte Tatin, named after the Tatin sisters, who served the dish in their tavern in the Loire Valley, is a classic French dessert using apples. This reinterpretation uses peaches, which are in season during the summer, paired with preserved ginger, our Indulgence for the month of July. This easy yet satisfying dessert always pleases, and can be made without much fuss. The key is caramelizing the sugar to just the right point.

gilded fork, recipe, peach, ginger, Tarte Tatin, baking

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Remarkable Palate Podcast #47: Highlights from the Fancy Food Show

ReMARKable Palate Podcast #47: Highlights from the Fancy Food Show

Chef Mark makes the rounds at the Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center in New York, and brings you some short clips from a number of people he interviews. From fish to cheese, nut oils, chocolates and liqueurs, this is a taste of what's to come. Mark will have extended interviews with many of these and more in upcoming podcasts.

Plus: Vive la Résistance! Chef Mark get the scoop, and is the first to hear Ariane Daguin of D'Artagnan on the latest in the Foie Gras Wars, and the alliance among producers and purveyors to protect their livelihood as they are under attack by activists.

The ReMARKable Palate Podcast, a production of The Gilded Fork. www.gildedfork.com

Voice Mail line: 1-646-797-3196
skype: remarkablepalate

www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com
food, food podcast, Fancy Food Show, Ariane Daguin, foie gras, ReMARKable Palate, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

From the Archives: Creamy Delights

I believe it was Julia Child who encouraged the American public to reframe their thinking around the use of cream in cooking. She was addressing concerns about the amount used in French cooking when she offered the quip: “If you’re concerned about using cream when you cook, then just add butter.” Amen.

Cream — that part of the milk that contains up to almost half butterfat in emulsion — is, and has been, one of our most common indulgences. Because of its diversity and the yield of products that come from dairy milk, including creams (heavy, light, and half-and-half — the modifiers referring to mouth texture and feel rather than actual weight), crème fraiche, sour cream, and butter, there is little that we do with cream that doesn’t somehow have an indulgent element to it. That’s nice, I think.

But it is simply an elemental component. And that is why cream, in any form, has survived as long as it has on our nutritional and gastronomic radar screen. And like any indulgence, it has a core sensory appeal: the feel of butterfat silkiness sliding along the tongue and guiding flavor to the appropriate taste receptors of the palate. At its most common denominator, cream is a transport. It becomes beguiling when its properties are harnessed in a way to encapsulate flavor and aroma, so that in its delivery, every mouth sense is called into awareness. (read more)

gilded fork, food, food writing, cream

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The NASFT Fancy Food Show

It seems this year's Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center is bigger than ever! We have had some amazing finds, great interviews with passionate gastronomes and entrepreneurs eager to bring new products to market.


We ran into our friends Alessandro Calveri and Marina Spaggiari of Nero Modena, makers of the Tondo Balsamic Vinegars you see on our Gilded Fork Boutique. Listen for a full interview with Alessandro on an upcoming podcast.



And over on the other side of the world, we met some beautiful Chilean women who have started a company making fine flavored vinegars using the best Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Veronica, on the left, is a vintner who is using her extensive knowledge of winemaking to make macerated fruit and herb vinegar blends under the label Origen. Carolina is the spokesperson, and I had the pleasure of interviewing both of them. There are some amazing things coming out of South America (not to mention the beauty of the people)!

There's one more day of the show, and we will be gathering more audio and photos (as well as great products for the boutique), and sharing them all with you here and in the pages of the Gilded Fork, and on the podcasts.

food, food podcast, cooking, gourmet products, Fancy Food Show, ReMARKable Palate, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

Recipe: Gingered Peach Trifle

Layers of sweet corn cake, gingery peaches and cream make a delectable departure from the traditional English trifle. Refreshing and full of sweet peaches and spicy ginger flavor, it’s an ideal treat for any summer day. All steps can be prepared in advance, so it’s perfect for entertaining. Partial to individual servings, we adore the idea of assembling the trifle in single glasses.

gilded fork, recipe, peach, ginger, trifle, dessert

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Food Philosophy #13: Peaches and Prosecco - Perfect Together

Food Philosophy #13: Peaches and Prosecco - Perfect Together

After a little exploration of Prosecco and its ideal counterpart, the peach (thank you, Harry Cipriani), I'm taking a little twist on the classic Bellini -- with a summery hint of ginger. First, however, we'll hear a bit of background from Dottore Ludovico Giustiniani, Vice President of the D.O.C. Prosecco in Italy, and a tale of candy sweet peaches from Mike Watts of Kingsburg Orchards in California. Oh, what an adventure I've had these past few weeks. Now it's time to sip!

Music: New York Cheesecake by Adam Buker and Grapes by Evan Stone.

New listener line: 845-704-7094

The Food Philosophy podcast is a production of The Gilded Fork.


food podcast, prosecco, peaches, Bellini, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo

Messages in a Bottle: The Cook's Wine Cellar

Whenever people find out that I write about wine, the first question is always "Wow. Do you make a living at that?"

The answer, people, is no.

The second question (if I get one and people don't smile knowingly and start discussing the weather) varies, usually with the intellect and sensitivity of the individual. Inevitably, no matter how subtle a conversationalist or how knowledgeable a wine lover, the questioner poses some variation of "So what do you like to drink?"

Which really, most of the time, means "So what do you recommend for me to drink?"And this is the question that I almost always try to avoid answering – and always fail miserably, guilt inevitably pushing me to offer some advice, even against my best instincts. It's not that I don't want to be helpful, it's that I'm afraid I can't really be very helpful. Wine is such a subjective thing that even with the time to sit and find out what wines people like and don't like (they usually can't remember), it's hard to make a recommendation.

But people still want them; and in particular, the folks who cook really seem to want them.

So here we go. I'm caving in. I don't know you at all, except for the fact that you like to cook, and you want something to drink with dinner that will go well with food. (read more)

gilded fork, wine, Alder Yarrow, wine cellar, cooking

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Recipe: Grilled Peaches with Coconut Milk and Cinnamon Sugar

This simple preparation for fresh fruit is a great way to utilize the grill for more than just charring meat! The natural sugars in the fruit are enhanced by the cinnamon sugar, which caramelizes on the grill to create gorgeous, sweet grill marks. Dress them up, or eat them as-is: either way these sweet peaches will sing a sweet song of summer!

gilded fork, food, recipe, peaches, grilled peaches, coconut milk, cinnamon

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The Main Ingredient - Peaches: Summer's Sweet Signature

Like many of our favorite main ingredients, peaches have a pretty interesting geographic history. First cultivated in China around 4000 years ago, they eventually made it to Persia (now Iran) and the Mediterranean via the Silk Road trading routes. From there the Greeks and then the Romans spread the joy of peaches to Europe, and the “Persian apple” misnomer was born. Peaches made it to the western hemisphere by the 17th century on Spanish and Portuguese ships, and today two-thirds of U.S. states grow peaches. California and South Carolina grow the largest crops; Georgia, the famous Peach State, actually comes in third in continental peach production.

The pleasant peach plays some important non-gastronomic roles, too, and is actually suspected of being the real "forbidden fruit" referred to in the Old Testament. Ancient Egyptians used peaches as offerings to beseech tranquility and peace from their gods, and in Chinese Taoist illustrations, old men appear with their fingers stuck in fuzzy peaches, a symbol of long life. Chinese lore also describes the peach fruit as the key ingredient in an elixir for immortality, and often appears in sexual mysticism. The peach’s sexy reputation followed to the West where Romans believed it to be Venus’ prized fruit — and an aphrodisiac. (read more)

gilded fork, food, food writing, peaches

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Recipe: Spicy Peach & Ginger Grilling Sauce

The luscious blend of peaches, red peppers and ginger seasoned with brown sugar and spices creates a deliciously sweet and spicy barbeque sauce that can be used over a variety of meats and seafood. We developed this recipe in the field, under real camping conditions, and something about grilling out in the woods made us fall in love with this sauce.

gilded fork, recipe, peach, ginger, grilling, barbecue sauce, BBQ

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Monthly Meditation: Behind the Gilded Curtain

Mark and I shared a chuckle the other day, as we learned that our recent expansion of Gilded Fork activities has led some people (and other companies) to believe we are a big corporation. In many ways we find that very flattering, as it means that our work here is professional and worthy of an audience. In others ways we share concern that you, our readers, might not know it’s still us behind this gilded curtain.

The work you see here at the Gilded Fork – all of it – has been put together by a very dedicated, passionate group of volunteers who want to talk about food in a new way: Mark and I have continued our day jobs while plugging away at our vision for this place during every spare waking moment (and many times the ones that should be spent sleeping). (read more)

gilded fork, food, food writing

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Recipe: Tipsy Pork Chops with Bourbon-Laced Peach Chutney

Everyone knows that pork chops go with applesauce. Well, we happen to love the combination with peaches equally well, especially when they both get drunk and party with a little bourbon! Try this recipe in July or August when the peaches are at their peak and plentiful. You can make the chutney on its own, reducing it further until it cooks down and becomes like a jam. It will keep for a few days, and can be served hot, cold or at room temperature over meats or grilled vegetables. Our kitchen elves are sometimes guilty of eating it by itself!

gilded fork, recipe, pork chops, peaches, bourbon

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