Gastronomic Meditations: Summer Corn

With the advent of warmer weather and baseball season, I can't help recalling with great fondness the Sunday dinners at my grandparents' house when I was young. I didn't think much of it then, but now that I am a mom and love preparing family dinners for my son, husband, parents and whoever else might happen by, I realize just how much those lazy Sunday afternoons listening to the Yankees on the radio and cooking with my Nanny and mom has meant to me.

Most Sundays, my parents and I would take the short ride from our home to spend the day with my "Nanny and Poppy". Our weekly sojourn always included a trip to Adams Fairacre Farms; going to Adams was my favorite part of the day because they always had yummy cookies, cakes and candies that no typical grocery store had. My mother, Nanny and I would gather the produce and other items that we needed to make our dinner complete for that day, and I could always count on one thing -- that corn on the cob would be on the menu. (read more)

CMN - CHIC140: Great Wines with Value

CHIC Podcast #140: Great Wines with Value

Chef Mike Skuca and I were talking about the excellent wines you can get for under 10.00 at Trader Joes. We decided to do a podcast on, not cheap wines, but wines that have great value. We are joined by Chef Karyn Hofoll, a great wine lover in her own right. We talked about a lot wines on the podcast but we drank a bottle of King Shag from Trader Joes. I think you'll like the wine and the podcast. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!






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CMN - AYCE53: Crab Expedition

All You Can Eat #53 - Crab Expedition

Join me for a Dungeness Crab expedition to Salt Spring Island and take part in a contest. The prize is a subscription to La Cucina Italiana magazine.

For photos, recipes and details on the contest, visit my blog.

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 2 - Planeta

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 2 - Planeta

Chef Mark is joined by Penny Murray of the Planeta Estate in Sicily, who describes the qualities of their 3 olive oils, and their unique process for extracting the oil from their olives.

www.planeta.it



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

CMN - RP158: A Taste of Taos

ReMARKable Palate #158: A Taste of Taos

This week, I share with you two hidden gems I discovered on my recent trip to Northern New Mexico. First, we'll hear from Charlotte Ritchie-Slater from the Ritchie-Slater winery in Black Lake, New Mexico, the state's only producer of fruit wines. Charlotte's wine are characterized by a fresh, floral dryness, unlike so many cloyingly sweet fruit wines. We then speak with Chef Frederick Muller, food historian and proprietor of El Meze, a Moorish-inspired restaurant in the historic El Torreon Hacienda in El Prado, just outside of Taos. He tells us just how North Africa influenced many of the traditional foods of Northern New Mexico.

Ritchie-Slater Winery
El Meze


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

Recipe: Caramelized Apple Bread Pudding

A simple dessert to warm you up on chilly nights, there is no better way to celebrate the comforting flavors of fall than with this bread pudding. Sweet caramelized apples and toasted bread cubes sing in a warm cinnamon-laced custard. The cider caramel sauce itself is divine, but particularly so when generously poured over the voluptuous pudding.

Gastronomic Meditations: Felicia's Fignolias

Keddy lives in Houston. Her Celeste fig bears a fair-sized crop each year, and she always tells me about it. Envious, I listen. Barbara lives down the road from me in Meadowview; her Chicago fig, suitable for our Appalachian climate, produces an abundance of figlets that ripen minutes before first frost. Susan in South Carolina has a Brown Turkey that I visit when I’m down south, even if Susan isn’t home. Once I snitched a plump fig.

My Brown Turkey is the biggest tree of all; it has a place of honor in my front yard, right smack dab in the middle of the yard. Every year, its branches reach up even higher, and the leaves get even bigger than the year before; my fig tree could clothe all of Paradise. The problem is that it can’t feed a soul. (read more)

Recipe: Gorgonzola-Stuffed Steak with Prosciutto

Rich and flavorful gorgonzola cheese blended with finely minced herbs and nuts oozes out of pockets cut into thick, meaty sirloin steaks. The outer wrapping of prosciutto or pancetta adds a decadent layer of additional flavor. Although we prefer this pocket technique, you can easily place this filling on top of your steak just after cooking as a decadent topping.

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 1 - Mandranova

CMN Video: Tasting Sicilian Olive Oil Part 1 - Mandranova

Jennifer learns the proper way to smell and taste olive oil from Sylvia di Vincenzo of the Mandranova Estate in Sicily.

Look for part 2 where Chef Mark speaks with Penny Murray of Planeta, also in Sicly.

www.mandranova.it



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

CMN - CHIC139:Meringues and Whipped Cream

CHIC Podcast #139:Meringues and Whipped Cream

Today's creamy episode concerns meringue and whipped cream. These two items that we make almost every day in the bakeshop, are resposible for keeping America and the rest of the world smoth and creamy. I talk about how to make all the different variations and how not to screw them up. It's a quick episode recorded at the Lincoln Park Zoo again. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!






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CMN Video: Simply Ming - Allergy Friendly Recipes

CMN Video: Simply Ming - Allergy Friendly Recipes


Chef Ming Tsai gives us some recipes for folks with food allergies.






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CMN - RP157: Personal Chefs Branching Out

ReMARKable Palate #157: Personal Chefs Branching Out

This week, we hang out with some personal chefs in Tucson Arizona at the annual USPCA conference, and learn how some chefs are branching out beyond offering dinner solutions for busy people. These enterprising chefs are opening their own cafes and cooking schools, extending their brands to help their clients with healthy lunches, and even helping them learn more about cooking. We also speak with Gail Kenagy, new President of the USPCA, about where the industry is headed.

A Sage Idea
HireAChef.com
USPCA

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

CMN Video: Fork in the Road - Tamales in Chimayo

CMN Video: Fork in the Road - Tamales in Chimayo

Chef Mark stops in Chimayo for a visit to the Santuario de Chimayo, and some red chile tamales at Leona's, some of the best in the state of New Mexico.



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

CMN - CHIC138: Kitchen Disasters and More

CHIC Podcast #138: Kitchen Disasters and More

Wook Kang and I talk about all the things that can go wrong in a kitchen. We have both worked in many restaurants and hotels and lots has happened there. Most of the stories are fun but you can learn from our misfortune. We also talk about blogs, websites and books that we are currently interested in. Let us know about your favorite food blog. Thanks for listening! Have a great week!








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CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Sazerac

CMN Video: Cocktail Hour - Sazerac

Mixologist Jonathan Pogash shows us how to make a classic. The official cocktail of New Orleans: The Sazerac. Using Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Absinthe, Peychaud's bitters, and simple syrup. It's a little taste of the past!



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

CMN - RP156: Food Stylist Denise Vivaldo

ReMARKable Palate #156: Food Stylist Denise Vivaldo

This week, it's our 3rd Anniversary show. Believe it or not, I've been producing ReMARKable Palate since August 15, 2005! Today, we continue the tradition of speaking with passionate food lovers as we hear from Denise Vivaldo, a self described food fanatic who has become one of the most sought after food stylists. We hear about her career path, from her formal culinary school training, to doing food styling for popular TV shows and food magazines, and how she helps others who dream of a career in food styling.

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

CMN - CHIC137: Rolling Pizza

CHIC Podcast #137: Rolling Pizza

Chef David Hirsch and Chef Jim DeWan join me for a talk about their new venture into wood-fired pizza on the road. They own a trailer that doubles as a pizza oven. It's an oven that gets to 900 degrees and cooks the pizzas in just 3 minutes. Join David, Jim and myself for a lively discussion on what it is that makes pizza great. Thanks for listening!






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CMN Video: USPCA Tucson Conference Highlights

CMN Video: USPCA Tucson Conference Highlights

Highlights from the United States Personal Chef Association conference in Tucson, Arizona. With a desert backdrop, and a lot of fun events, this was a wonderful conference. A hint of more to come, as we bring you the Iron Chef Competition soon!



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

CMN - RP155: The Oils of Chile

ReMARKable Palate #155: The Oils of Chile

This week, we speak with Chef Pilar Rodriguez from Chile, who specializes in creating dishes to pair with the wines of Chile. She speaks with us about some special ingredients which are indigenous to this South American land, and how she incorporates them into her cooking. We then learn about the wonderful work being done in Chile to produce Avocado oil and olive oil, and how this South American land just may sneak up on the Mediterranean countries to become the preeminent producer of fine cooking oils in the world.

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

Ingredients: Basil Primer

Common Basil
This variety of basil is the most commonly used in cooking, and comes in a number of varieties. The most widely available in the markets is Sweet Basil or Lettuce Leaf Basil. Characterized by their large, sometimes thick leaves and underlying sweetness on the palate, these varieties are ideal for salad, and the Genovese is particularly lovely when used in pesto or a seasoning and garnish. The characteristic fullness of aroma and flavor is reminiscent of mint, spice, citrus, and even anise.

Bush Basil
Shorter varieties, commonly referred to as “Bush Basils,” include the popular Spicy Globe, and are characterized by small, narrow leaves and a less pungent aroma. Because the flavor is delicate, these varieties do not stand up well to long cooking processes. We recommend they be used in their raw form, or incorporated into a final product as a finishing component. (read more)

CMN - RP154.5: Madame Marie Claude Delahaye

ReMARKable Palate #154.5: Madame Marie Claude Delahaye

Today it's a special episode, outside of the usual schedule, since I wanted to bring you the audio from my interview with Madame Marie Claude Delahaye, dorector of the Absinthe Museum, whom I met at a tasting party for La Fee Absinthe. The catch is that Madame Delahaye doesn't speak any English, and so I conducted our interview entirely in French. Of course, what makes it difficult is that it doesn't make much sense for me to translate the entire interview and read it to you in English, so for those of you who do speak French, it should be a special treat. For the rest of you, I apologize, but I'm sure you'll forgive me. Enjoy this special episode, and we'll be back to English next week!

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

CMN - CHIC136: Steamed or Not Steamed?

CHIC Podcast #136: Steamed or Not Steamed?

Live from Lincoln Park Zoo overlooking Cafe Brauer, it's the CHIC podcast. This week I commune with nature as I podcast about food. I recap last week's chicken chausseur episode. I talk about how not to steam your chicken, pork, potatoes and all the things you want crispy. I also talk about the upcoming pizza bread guild meeting. Thanks for listening!







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