Gourmet Conspiracy Blog

Local Farming

2011-07-19T21:49:00.001-07:00

Is organic farming really just a fad? Is it just a marketing scheme to raise prices for produce and other food items that we can get at major grocery stores for less?

Ironically, all of the farming practices prior to the 20th century were organic farming. The term "organic farming" was coined in 1939 by an English agriculturalist and author, Walter Ernest Christopher James, 4th Baron Northbourne. He conceptualized the farm as an organism having a holistic and equally-balanced approach. During the early 20th century, synthetic pesticides were introduced to the farming industry which led to the organic farming revolution in the 1940's known as the "Green Revolution" to counteract against the industrialization of agriculture.

Today the spectrum has flipped as food corporations have emerged. Large chemical companies like Monsanto have played a major role in the production of synthetic and genetically modified crops and pesticides. Organic foods now only account for 1 - 2% of total food sales worldwide. Large food companies and farms that have jumped on the non-organic food van are buying out small farmers and in some cases forcing them out of business. The government now provides subsidies and are lenient to requirements and business practices of the industrial food companies. At the same time, the government has made it difficult for organic farmers to manage their farms by imposing stricter guidelines and paperwork to document their organic farming processes on a regular basis.

As food consumers, our choices on our food sources and quality of food that we purchase for our families will soon be relegated completely to genetically modified produce and hormone and antibiotic injected meat products if we continue to have large industrial food companies and the government dictate what we eat.

There is hope. More and more people are starting to understand and appreciate the quality and flavor of organically grown food. Local urban farms are starting to sprout around major cities to reclaim unused land as a source for local neighborhoods in acquiring organically grown produce. The world organic market has been growing by 20% each year since the early 1990's. It is up to each community to support their local farmers to keep the Green Revolution alive.

Farmaggedon

2011-06-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

Farmageddon Trailer from Kristin Canty on Vimeo.

Please spread the word about this movie and exercise the right to choose healthier and more sustainable food sources. For more information about this film and screening information (date, time and location), please visit http://farmageddonmovie.com/film/

13 Is A Lucky Number!

2011-03-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

Vitamins are substances that your body needs to grow, develop and function. There are 13 vitamins your body needs. They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (thiamine riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B-6, B-12, and folate). Each vitamin has specific jobs. If you have low levels of certain vitamins, you may develop a deficiency disease. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, which means they are absorbed into the body with fat and are stored in the liver. The B vitamins and Vitamin C are water-soluble which means they are not stored in the body and need to be replaced every day.

Let's start with vitamin A. Vitamin A is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are produced by your body when it breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like smoke and radiation. Vitamin A also plays a role in your vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell functions, and immune system. It can come from plant and animal sources including colorful fruits and vegetables, liver and whole milk. Vitamin A is also added to foods like cereals.

Vegetarians and young children may need extra vitamin A. Also, those with diseases such as, alcoholism, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease may need more vitamin A.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant. Vitamin C is important for your skin, bones, and connective tissue. It promotes healing and helps your body absorb iron. Vitamin C comes from fruits and vegetables. Good sources include citrus, red and green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and greens.

Pregnant/breastfeeding women, smokers, people recovering from surgery and burn victims may need extra vitamin C.

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is needed for bone growth and health. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone diseases such as osteoporosis or rickets. It also has a role in the health of your nerve, muscle, and immune systems. Your body forms Vitamin D naturally with you skin's exposure to sunlight. Also through your diet with vitamin D rich foods such as egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver. Some other foods have vitamin D added, such as milk and cereal.

Seniors, breastfed infants, people with dark skin may need extra vitamin D, as well as those with certain conditions like liver disease, cystic fibrosis, and Crohn's disease. Also, people who are obese or have had gastric bypass surgery.

Vitamin E is also an antioxidant. Vitamin E plays a role in the immune system and metabolic processes. Good sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils , margarine, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens. Most people get enough of this vitamin from their diet. Those with liver diseases, cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease may need extra vitamin E.

Vitamin E supplements may be harmful to those who take blood thinners and other medications. Always check with your doctor before taking the supplements.

Vitamin K helps your body by making proteins for healthy bones and tissues. It also makes proteins for blood clotting. A person with a lack of vitamin K may bleed too much. Newborns need vitamin K. Soon after they are born, they are given a vitamin K shot.

Most people get their vitamin K from plants such as green vegetables, and dark berries. Bacteria in your intestines also produce a small amount of vitamin K.

The B vitamins are: B1 (thiamine), B2 ( riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, B7 (biotin),B12, and Folic acid.

Thiamine helps the body cells convert carbohydrates into energy. It is essential for the functioning of the heart, muscles, and nervous system.

Good sources of thiamine are found in fortified breads, cereals, pastas, and whole grains, as well as, lean meats, fish, dried beans, peas, and soybeans.

A thiamine deficiency in the United States is most often seen in those who abuse alcohol. A severe thiamine deficiency can cause brain damage. There is no known poisoning linked to thiamine.

Riboflavin works with other B vitamins and is important for body growth and red blood cell production and helps in releasing energy form carbohydrates.

Good sources of riboflavin are lean meats, eggs, legumes, nuts, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, and milk. Breads and milk are often fortified with it. Because riboflavin is destroyed by light, foods containing it must not be stored in glass containers that are exposed to light.

Deficiency of riboflavin is not common in the U.S. Symptoms of deficiency syndromes include sore throat, swelling of mucous membranes, mouth, or lip sores, anemia, and skin disorders. There is no known poisoning from riboflavin.

Niacin assists in the functioning of the digestive system, skin, and nerves. It is also important for the conversion of food to energy. It is found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean meats, nuts and eggs. Legumes, fortified cereals and breads supply some niacin.

Niacin deficiency causes pellagra. Large doses of niacin can cause liver damage, peptic ulcers, and skin rashes.

Pantothenic acid helps break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Biotin also helps break down proteins and carbohydrates. Pantothenic acid and biotin are found in eggs, fish, milk and milk products, whole-grain cereals, legumes, yeasts, broccoli and other vegetables in the cabbage family, white and sweet potatoes, and lean beef.

There are no known deficiencies of either pantothenic acid or biotin. There are no known toxic symptoms associated with these vitamins other than, possibly, diarrhea from large doses.

Vitamin B6 helps the immune system produce antibodies to fight diseases. It helps maintain normal nerve function and form red blood cells. The body used it to help break down proteins.

Vitamin B6 is found in beans, nuts, legumes, eggs, meats, fish, whole grains, and fortified breads and cereals. Large doses of B6 can cause neurological disorders and numbness. Deficiency of this vitamin can cause mouth and tongue sores, irritability, confusion, and depression. Deficiency is not common in the U.S.

B12, like other B vitamins, is important for the metabolism. It helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system. It is found in meat, eggs, fish, poultry, milk and milk products. Deficiencies happen when the body is unable to absorb the vitamin from the intestinal tract.

Strict vegetarians must be careful to get the proper amount of B12, because it comes primarily from animal products.

Folate or folic acid, is a B vitamin. It helps the body make a healthy new cells. Folic Acid is found in leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, peas, and nuts. Also in enriched breads, cereals and grain products.

Folic acid is very important to pregnant women and women who may get pregnant to help prevent major birth defects.

The best way to get the vitamins you need is to eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods. In some cases, you may need to take a multivitamin for optimal health. However, high doses of some vitamins can make you sick. To take a supplement as safely as possible, tell your doctor about any dietary supplements you use, do not take a bigger dose than the label recommends, stop taking it if you have any side effects, and read trustworthy information about the supplement.

Making Sense of Healthy Weight Loss

2011-03-06T14:43:00.008-08:00

Everyone is so weight conscious these day, but many make poor decisions for losing weight. Your body weight is controlled by the number of calories you eat and the number of calories you use each day.

Your body has basic caloric needs, that is, in order for your heart to pump blood and for your brain to function, etc., you need a minimum intake of energy. This is called your BMR or basic metabolic rate. First, let's talk about what is a calorie.

A calorie is not a protein, a fat, or a carbohydrate. It is a simple measurement. We use it to recognize those foods that contain energy. We often talk about foods that contain "empty calories", that is they do not contain any of the goodness our bodies need to function well, but lots of sugar and empty energy. They may well be high in calories but low in nutrients. We need to use our calorie knowledge to choose foods that are essential to a healthy lifestyle. So, simply put, calories are energy.

How much energy do you need? Well, you can calculate your BMR (remember, basic metabolic rate) with a simple equation:

English BMR Formula

Women: BMR=655+(4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) -(4.7 x age in years)
Men: BMR=66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years)

Metric Formula

Women: BMR=655 + (9.6 x weight in kilos) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)
Men: BMR=66 + (13.7 x weight in kilos) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.8 x age in years)

For example, a 30-year-old woman who is 5'4" and weighs 130 lbs. calculates her BMR like this:

655 + (4.35 x 130) + (4.7 x 64) - (4.7 x 30)=

655 + 565.5 + 300.8 - 141=1380.3 or 1380 calories.

Once you know your BMR, you can calculate your daily calorie needs based on your activity level using the Harris Benedict Equation.

The Harris Benedict Equation is a formula that uses your BMR and then applies an activity factor to determine your total daily energy expenditure (calories). The only factor omitted by this equation is lean body mass. Leaner bodies need more calories than those that are less lean. Therefore, this equation will be very accurate for all but the very lean and the very fat. So, if you are a body builder or are morbidly obese consult a physician or a dietitian to calculate your needs.

To determine your daily caloric needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

If you are sedentary (little or no exercise): BMR x 1.2.
If you are lightly active (light exercise 1-3 days a week): BMR x 1.375.
If you are moderately active (moderate exercise 3-4-days a week): BMR x 1.55.
If you are very active (hard exercise 6-7 days a week): BMR x 1.725.
If you are extra active (very hard exercise & physical job or 2x training): BMR x 1.9.

Total daily calorie needs example: Let's continue with our 30-year-old woman. Her BMR is 1380 calories and her activity level is lightly active. Calorie calculation is: 1380 x 1.375 = 1897.5 or 1898 calories. This is the total number of calories she needs to maintain her weight of 130 pounds.

Once you know the number of calories needed to maintain your weight, you can easily calculate the number of calories you need to eat in order to gain or lose weight. There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat. So, if you create a 3500 calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose 1 pound of body weight (on average, 75% of this is fat and 25% is lean tissue). The calorie deficit can be done by either calorie restriction alone, or by a combination of less calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). The combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss.

If you want to lose weight, reduce your intake by 500 calories a day, but not more than 1000 calories a day. For those with a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories is to much of a deficit. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that calorie levels never drop below 1200/day for women and 1800/day for men. Even these levels are quite low.

So, our 30-year-old woman wants to lose 5 pounds. Her daily calorie needs to maintain her current weight is 1898/day. If she cuts back 500 calories everyday to 1398 calories, after 7 days she will lose 1 pound (7 x 500 = 3500 calories or 1 pound).

You didn't put on the extra weight overnight so it is unrealistic to take it off quickly. Set a goal you can achieve like 4-8 pounds in a month. This rate of weight loss is more likely to be permanent.

Here are some simple changes that you can start today that will greatly improve your chances of weight loss success:

Eliminate red meat. Build your meals around leaner meats such as poultry and fish.

Cut out fried foods. Grill, bake, roast, broil, or boil four food. These use less fat.

Start with soup or salad. These starters will help keep your portions in check and curb your hunger.

Stop cola consumption. For every 20 ounces of cola you drink, you consume 250 empty calories. It is too easy to blow your whole calorie budget on soda.

Drink water. Try for 8-8ounce glasses a day. Even if you don't make the eight you will be drinking more than usual.

Follow these guidelines and add in some exercise and I think you will find losing weight is not that complicated. It just takes a bit of determination, willpower, and, of course, the knowledge you now have. Good luck!

A fully engineered bread

2011-02-26T23:56:00.001-08:00

The purpose of this recipe is to document the specifications of a fully engineered design for white bread. The bread, (a.k.a. "Product") shall consist of a crusty exterior and fluffy interior. The product shall yield two loaves both bearing in equal dimensions, weight, and texture. The product and baking vessels shall be capable of enduring temperatures up to 350°F (176.67°C)

Specification Section

PART 1 - Glossary
1.1	Baker – one who bakes
1.2	Beer – a liquid made of yeast, hops and barley that place the baker in a relaxed state. NOTE: not used in the materials section.
1.3	Ingredients – See Materials
1.4	Kneading – a term most commonly used in baking which is the process of mixing/incorporating to expand the gluten proteins to form strands which gives bread their textures and strength. Also can be a form of exercise for relieving tension.
1.5	Materials – See Ingredients
1.6	Proofing – a rest period that allows the leavening agent to activate the dough to rise. Also a rest period for the baker to drink more beer.
1.7	Touchy feely – a temperature testing method where a drop of the liquid is applied to the wrist which shall equate to the same temperature as a properly heated baby’s bottle of milk. Also a term used to describe how the some female species prefer their male counterparts.
1.8	Yeast – live organism; one of many leavening agents that causes baked goods to rise. Also causes infections in some individuals.

PART 2 - Equipment
2.1	Prep Equipment
	A.	Liquid measuring cup – shall be that of model number 1050030 manufactured by OXO or equivalent.
		1	Capacity: 4 cups (32 ounces)
		2	Substance: Sturdy molded plastic
		3	Dimensions: 9” x 6” x6”
		4	Weight: 12 oz.
	B.	Mixing bowl – shall be of size with the capacity to hold all the materials during the mixing process without any loss.
		1	Approved mixing bowl may be of the following makes:
			a.	Ceramic
			b.	Metal
			c.	Plastic
			d.	Glass
	C.	Measuring spoon – shall be that of model number 76081V2 manufactured by OXO or equivalent.
	D.	Wooden spoon – shall be of sturdy design and able to withstand heavy stirring without breakage.
	E.	Dough scraper – approved models shall be made with either food-grade plastic or stainless steel.
	F.	Kneading surface – shall be of clean area free of any dirt and grime. It shall accommodate a space to measure no less than 20 inches x 20 inches, or equivalent space as applicable. The objective is not to be able to roll out the dough to blanket an entire nation. The height of the kneading surface shall be of comfortable distance so as not to strain the baker’s back during the kneading process. The height may vary depending on whether you are the tallest living female from China or one of the little people from the Emerald City.
	G.	Proofing bowl – shall be capable of withstanding heat up to 135°F (57.22°C) and provide enough space to accommodate the rise in the dough after it has proofed (or risen, which ever suits your fancy).
	H.	Rolling pin – shall be of solid grade material fabricated from wood, marble, hard plastic, or stainless steel (and shall be sturdy enough to inflict serious damage when delivering a blow to a person’s head when the situation calls for it).
2.2	Baking Equipment
	A.	Oven – shall have a fully operational door and capable of generating varying degrees of temperature settings either with dial or digital controls. Approved fuels for heating the oven shall either be from natural gas (with the exception of personal methane), or electricity.
		1	Temperatures:
			a.	Proofing process – 135°F (57.22°C)
			b.	Baking process – 350°F (176.67°C)
	B.	Bread pan – shall be of metal grade with no substitutions.
2.3	Cooling Equipment
	A.	Cooling rack – shall be a cooling rack.

PART 3 - Materials
3.1	Yeast – the leavening agent used for making bread. Approved measurements shall be either (one or the other but not both) of the following:
	A.	4.5 teaspoons
	B.	2 packets
3.2	Water – shall be of lukewarm temperature measuring between 110°F (43.33°C) to 120°F (48.88°C). Approved temperature testing shall be made with either a fully calibrated instant thermometer or with the touchy feely method (Refer to section Part 1-1.6 of this specification document). Note: temperatures below the minimum requirement may not fully activate the yeast, and temperatures above the maximum requirement will kill the yeast and thus preventing it from activating.
3.3	Activator – any form of sweetener that would aid the leavening agent to activate and grow. Quantity shall yield 1 tablespoon of sugar or equivalent. Approved forms of sweeteners utilized may be sugar, honey, agave nectar, or that little ole lady from Pasadena…
3.4	Bread flour – may substitute all-purpose flour when bread flour is not available.
3.5	Flavor enhancer – salt. Just plain Kosher salt.
3.6	Lubricant – any form of “cooking” oil (clarification was necessary as some have been known to use WD-40) or melted unsalted butter. The preferred lubricant shall be olive oil or equivalent.

PART 4 - Scope of Work
4.1	The baker shall turn the oven on and set the temperature to 135°F (57.22°C) in preparation of the proofing process.
4.2	Mixing process – shall include two sub stages which are described as yeast activation and kneading process.
	A.	Yeast activation:
		1	The baker shall add the leavening agent (yeast) and the activator (sugar) to the water (refer to section Part 3-3.2 for temperature requirements) using an approved liquid measuring cup. The purpose of the activator is to assist the leavening agent in the activation process.
		2	The baker shall incorporate the materials (ingredients) by stirring the contents of the liquid measuring cup with an approved wooden spoon.
		3	The baker shall set this mixture aside for approximately 5 minutes to let the activation process take into effect. Refer to image 1 for clarification of visuals after the 5 minute rest period has elapsed.
	B.	Kneading process:
		1	Concurrently, the baker shall mix together 3 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of the flavor enhancer (Kosher salt) into an approved mixing bowl (refer to image 2).
		2	Once the leavening agent has activated, the baker shall incorporate this mixture into the dry ingredients (flour and salt) (refer to image 3).
		3	Additionally, the baker shall incorporate ¼ cup of the lubricant (olive oil) into the mixing bowl (refer to image 4 for reference of quantity).
		4	Once all of the liquid and dry ingredients have been added into the mixing bowl, the baker shall proceed to incorporate these ingredients together by mixing with the use of a wooden spoon (refer to image 5).
		5	The baker shall continue with the mixing process until all ingredients have been fully incorporated (refer to image 6 for visuals of consistency).
		6	The baker shall add an additional 3 cups of flour to the wet mixture and with an approved dough scraper, scrape as much of the mixture from the wooden spoon (refer to image 7).
		7	The baker shall incorporate as much of the flour into the wet mixture with the dough scraper by scooping the flour underneath the mixture (refer to image 8). Continue this mixing process until the dough is covered with flour so that it could easily slide out of the bowl onto a kneading surface (refer to image 9).
		8	The baker shall continue to incorporate the flour to the wet dough using the dough scraper until the dough can be handled without being too sticky to the touch (refer to images 10 and 11).
		9	The baker shall then proceed with the kneading process. Images not shown as it is outside of this scope of work:
			a.	The baker shall gather dough into a pile and begin pressing it together.
			b.	The baker shall press the heels of his/her hands firmly into the dough, pushing forward slightly.
			c.	The baker shall fold the far edge of the dough upwards and back onto itself, and press it to the middle of the ball. The dough shall be rotated at a 90° turn. This press-fold-turn process for the duration of the kneading process until proper consistency is achieved.
			d.	The baker shall continue flouring the kneading surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking. Care shall be taken into account with this process so as not to add too much flour to the dough that will render it too firm thus terminating into an inedible finished product.
		10	Testing the consistency of the dough:
			a.	Window method
				01.	The baker shall remove a small portion of the dough and stretch it against a light. The dough shall have enough elasticity to be able to stretch and provide a translucent window pane effect without tearing (refer to image 12 for visual verification).
			b.	Dimple method
				01.	The baker shall press on the dough with one finger to create a dimple. The dough shall have enough elasticity to spring back to shape (refer to image 13 for visuals).
			c.	Ear lobe method
				01.	The baker shall pinch his/her ear lobe, wash their hands, and then pinch a small portion of the dough. The texture and elasticity feel shall be the same.
4.3	Proofing process
	A.	First proof:
		1	The baker shall prepare an approved proofing bowl by thinly lubricating it with olive oil and wiping it down with a fresh clean paper towel.
		2	The baker shall transfer the completely kneaded dough onto the proofing bowl and lubricate the dough on all sides (refer to image 14).
		3	The baker shall loosely cover the proofing bowl with plastic wrap and place in an oven that has been heated to 135°F (57.22°C) to let rise. This rising process shall vary between 1 hour to 1 ½ hours depending on environmental climate conditions.
	B.	Second proof
		1	The dough shall double in size. This is an indication that the dough has risen properly. The baker shall then remove the proofing bowl out of the oven carefully and punch down the dough (refer to image 15.) This task deflates the dough, letting the air out so that it can be kneaded and formed into loaves.
		2	The baker shall divide the dough into two equal parts (refer to image 16) and continue to work the dough one part at a time.
		3	The baker shall roll out one half of the dough into a thin sheet using an approved rolling pin (refer to image 17).
		4	The dough half shall be rolled out to a rectangle ith a dimension measuring 15 inches by 12 inches. The baker shall fold the dough into thirds along the long side (refer to image 18).
		5	The dough shall be rolled into a cylinder (refer to image 19) with the flaps pinched to close the cylinder (refer to image 20), and the ends pressed and tucked underneath (refer to image 21) to prevent them from opening during the baking process.
		6	The dough shall be transferred onto a lightly lubricated bread pan (refer to image 22) and covered loosely with plastic wrap.
		7	The baker shall repeat steps 3 to 6 for the other half of the dough.
		8	The baker shall place both bread pans back in the oven set at the proofing temperature and let rise for a second time. The dough shall double in size. This rising process shall vary between 1 hour to 1 ½ hours depending on environmental climate conditions.
4.4	Baking process
	A.	The baker shall remove the bread pans with the properly proofed dough from the oven and adjust the temperature setting of the oven to 350°F (176.67°C).
	B.	The baker shall cut a slit through the middle of the top surface of the dough (refer to image 23) and pour melted unsalted butter between the cut (refer to image 24) for additional flavor immediately after the oven comes to proper baking temperature.
	C.	The baker shall place the bread pans with the fully prepared dough back into the oven for the final steps of the baking process. The dough shall continue to bake until the proper baking period has been achieved (refer to image 25). The tests for determining proper baking period shall be accomplished using one or several of the following methods:
		1	Temperature reading method – (recommended) the temperature of the finished bread shall be taken with an approved instant read thermometer and shall measure 190°F (87.77°C).
		2	Color consistency method – the color of the finished bread shall be golden to medium brown.
		3	Sound method – the finished bread shall have a hollow sound when thumped with a finger at the top surface of the bread.
	D.	The properly baked bread shall produce a soft crusty exterior with a fluffy interior that displays the gluten strands and air pockets as crevices when sliced (refer to image 26).

End of section

Approved Images:

Image 1	Image 2	Image 3	Image 4
Image 5	Image 6	Image 7	Image 8
Image 9	Image 10	Image 11	Image 12
Image 13	Image 14	Image 15	Image 16
Image 17	Image 18	Image 19	Image 20
Image 21	Image 22	Image 23	Image 24
	Image 25	Image 26

Poor man's gourmet beef broccoli

2011-02-18T20:58:00.000-08:00

Hello boys and girls, welcome to another episode of "What's Cookin'?" The hip new show featuring that handsome young fellow whose name I can't pronounce.

Our show tonight is brought to you by the letters 'N' and 'O' which reminds you to just say "No" to drugs... it'll mess you up and make you talk to an audience that's not really there... ooooh

Our curtain opens with our chef describing the dish that he is about to prepare - Beef Broccoli (translated from the scriptures of an ancient Chinese-portrayed phrasebook, "Beeef Broccori"). By the way, you can download this recipe from any www.foodthingywebsite.com because there are many variations to this dish.

Various cuts of beef have been known to have been used for this dish including flank steak, sirloin steak, and even tenderloin; but we're not going there, hence the title "Poor man's gourmet beef broccoli!" We're going to use round steak because that's what we have in the freezer. The rest of our ingredients are similarly quite simple and easily available in most major grocery stores, or perhaps even in that dark and seldom visited area of your kitchen called the pantry (dun dun dun!)

In China, they use Chinese broccoli for this dish therefore since we're here in America (for those of you following our blog in far away countries, feel free to fill in your country name here...) we'll be using _________ broccoli. Yes, that's right - good ole 100% pesticide free (except for an occassional sprinkling of DDT and other harmful products that rid of those unwanted plant bugs) American Broccoli! Or if you prefer, you can purchase your American Broccoli (here in America) at a reputable certified organic farmers market near you or grow your own.

Okay, here's the list of our ingredients:

1-1/2 to 2 pounds of round steak (depending on how hungry you are)
3/4 cup of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of plum sauce (this ingredient should be available at your major grocery store with Asian ingredients, or from your nearest Chinatown. If you're already in China, hey you're in luck - just reach out of your window and borrow some from your neighbor...) It's a viscous jelly type of sauce with a sweet and sour flavor made with plums or other stone fruits mixed with sugar, vinegar, ginger, and chiles. Basically it's a Chinese version of Indian Chutney.
Zest of one lemon
1 1/3 tablespoon of lemon juice (that's equal to 4 teaspoons or approximately half the lemon)
1 julienned carrot (not to be confused with the aspiring new fashion designer duo Julie and Karet)
1/2 bunch of American Broccoli. For those of you trying to make logic of what half a bunch is by thinking "well, a bunch is a lot; ergo half a bunch is not that much...", and still have no clue; a bunch equals 1-1/2 to 2 pounds which yeilds about six to eight servings.
1 medium onion thinly sliced - figure a large onion is the size as a softball and a small onion is the size of a baseball, so somewhere in between. NOTE: do not slice the softball or baseball!
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
cooked long grain white Japanese rice or basmati rice

Directions:

Mix the marinade in a bowl that is big enough to hold the liquids and sliced meat. Need to look for a bowl? Go ahead - I'll wait... (one mississippi, two mississippi, three mississippi, zzzz, zzzz, zzzzzzzzzzz; huh, oh hey, you're back!). Mix all the liquid ingredients of soy sauce and plum sauce. The sesame oil in the photo is a guest appearance although it's not used in this recipe. It's there for visual effects because as we are all aware - sesame seed oil conjures up ideas of Chinese authenticity. In reality our dish is a simple variation of the Chinese American version similar to what you would get at any "Golden" or "Royal" whatever restaurant.

Next zest a lemon into the bowl as shown on this picutre; as I've mentioned several times before in past blogs (and where ever I give cooking lessons; wink, wink, nudge, nudge - you know what I'm sayin'? Eh?!), the taste of any citrus fruit is in the zest - don't pay any attention to those little notes and reminders that my wife leaves for me.

Now squeeze the lemon half while cupping your other hand underneath to catch the seeds while letting the juice flow through between your fingers into the bowl. Savor this experience for a minute as it whisks you away to visions of lemon trees soaking in the rain and the citrusy aroma wafts through the air giving it that fresh clean scent of lemon scented Pledge... That my friends is called "aroma therapy..."

Add a pinch of ground black pepper (a pinch is any small amount that you can hold between your fore finger and thumb; for those who have small fingers or don't have any thumb - it approximately 1/16 teaspoon)

Slice up the meat into 1/4 inch slices on the diagonal against the grain as shown here. Slicing the meat this way ensures that you are cutting against the grain which means more tender slices (which means easier to chew; which means easier to digest; which means easier to... well, you get the picture). I can't believe he just said that...

Place the meat in the marinade and let it soak in all that flavor while you prepare the vegetables. If you wish, you can add a shot of dry sherry (the wine not the stripper) into the bowl so the meat can "party all the time, party all the time, party all the time!"

For the vegetables, start by peeling the carrots and cut it into small straws the size of toothpicks. Keep in mind that the thinner your carrots are, the faster they cook. Next cut up the broccoli so that you end up with small bite-sized florets. You can also cut the stem into small bite-sized pieces or about 1 inch cubes. If you have large stems, you might want to peel the skin off a little because they tend to get chewy rather than crunchy during the cooking process.
Slice up the onion in thin slices and finally finely mince the garlic.

The cooking process for this dish requires one cooking vessel and a technique most common to Chinese cuisine called Stir-fry. The cooking vessel that we are using here is The Wok (yes, the wok!) aptly named because the cooking vessel does all the wok! (you see what I did there?! now that's funny!) If you don't have a wok, you can use a large saute or fry pan. The key is to make sure that the cooking vessel is heated prior to adding the oil and any other ingredient. The object of the technique is to immediately sear in the flavors within the food by cooking the exterior of the meat immediately and have the heat radiate towards the middle to finish the cooking process. Since all of the ingredients, with the exception of the broccoli, are cut very thin, cooking them takes approximately less than 1 minute.

Start by adding the oil immediately followed by the meat into the wok (save the marinade). You should hear lots of sizzle which indicates that your cooking vessel was properly heated. If your wok or pan is not hot enough, you will boil the meat instead of stir-frying (you will go to jail, you'll not pass go, and will not collect $200 - on top of this, you will loose a turn...). Alternatively, you will most likely get a more chewy texture when you bite into the meat.
Remember to keep turning the meat so that both sides are cooked and to prevent burning the food (as in stir the pot, Marge! That's why they call it stir-frying).

Push the meat along the side of the wok to reduce the cooking temperature. The idea of the shape of the wok is temperature control. The ingredients cooking towards the center of the wok are cooking at high heat; the ingredients around the middle perimeter of the wok gets cooked at medium heat; and low heat for ingredients positioned near the top of the wok. Start Adding your vegetables starting with the onions, followed by the broccoli, and then the carrots.

Cook the vegetables for about a minute. If the sizzle subsides, add a little bit more oil and crank up the heat a little. Continue to stir the ingredients.

Now whisk in a tablespoon of corn starch to the marinade and make sure that it is fully incorporated. If you want to end up with lots of sauce at the bottom of the dish, you can add a cup of cold water and whisk another tablespoon of corn starch to this mixture. You will need to readjust your seasoning with Kosher salt and ground black pepper right before the end of the cooking process.

Combine the meat and the vegetables by stirring them together and add the minced garlic. Stir, then add the marinade. Let the marinade come to a boil to thicken. Stir, stir, stir... mix, mix, mix - then adjust your seasoning prior to turning off the heat.

Now here's where the gourmet part comes in... Grab one of those (clean) small plastic containers that they give you at fancy restaurants to take your leftovers in and serve up some rice filling half of the container. Then scoop up some of that deliciuos beef broccoli stir-fry that you just made onto the other half of the container. Sprinkle the beef broccoli with a pinch of white sesame seeds (and if you happen to have some black sesame seeds, you can sprinkle a pinch of that on top of the rice). Take step back and look at your creation and marvel at how fancy and gourmeyish it looks... If anybody asks where you got that delicious looking dish, you can tell them that you've just opened a fancy Chinese restaurant called "The Golden _______ (fill in your favorite word here)" and that this is one of the dishes in the menu. Yes, you will be perpetuating a conspiracy that you are now somehow an owner of a fancy restaurant; but it's okay. Your secret is safe with me...

Enjoy!

The lighter side of beef stroganoff

2011-02-11T10:43:00.013-08:00

If you thought that I was going to talk about any healthy alternative to making this dish, I'm very sorry but you're sadly mistaken. I mean, why mess with something so simple and yet very delicious dish as beef stroganoff?!

The only thing that should be light about this dish is the effort to make it. If you've never had beef stroganoff before, provided you're not a vegetarian or vegan, I highly recommend adding this dish in your culinary repertoire.

You can either do the pre-cook on the stove and finish it off in the oven, or complete all of the cooking on the stove top. If you do decide to finish in the oven, make sure that your pot and cover is oven safe; otherwise just stick to the stove top method.

Let me explain just how easy this dish is to make starting with the ingredients:

First and foremost, obviously, you'll need beef of which you will need two pounds of. This recipe calls for stew meat (I hear you, my faithful culinary friends - which part of the cow is the stew meat?) According to Dictionary.com, stew meat is tough meat that needs stewing to be edible. Yay, the heavens have opened up to reveal a most glorious revelation... not! A better definition comes from Mealsforyou.com and goes something like this - "Beef for stew may be cut from chuck, brisket, rib, or plate. It usually consists of meaty pieces, cut into one-inch or two-inch squares and containing various amounts of fat. Beef for stew is usually prepared by braising or by cooking in liquid." Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Secondly, you'll need two bottles of your favorite red wine. I know this sounds like a lot of wine but trust me, you'll use every drop of it in this recipe. Now, when cooking with wine it's very important that the wine you use to cook with is also one that you would normally drink; although you wouldn't necessarily use your most expensive Dom. Romane Conti 1997 (which by the way costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,540.00 per bottle); unless of course you're one of those uppity ups, in which case you wouldn't be reading blogs about the lighter side of anything by a gourmet company that has anything to do with conspiracies. Where was I?! Oh yes, the point I'm trying to make is that if the words "cooking wine" is labeled anywhere on the bottle, chances are that it's very inexpensive, diluted, added with salt, and one that you would never put into your mouth as a beverage to have with your favorite meals (not even on a dare). No, they ain't got no spirit, mama!

Third most important ingredient is two cups of beef stock. 100% all American cowhide beef stock (just kidding - no cowhide in there for you serious types...) Can you use broth? Wha', of course you can, sonny! What's the difference between broth and stock? Wha' they almost the same, chi'd - they made the same whay but stock is made usin' the bones of the an'mah; whey as broth is made wif the meat. The difference is when they are refrigerated; stock will coagulate into a gel because of the gelatin from the melted cartilage from the bones during the cooking process. How did you become such a wise old man, mister? Wha' never you mind... Ah say... Ah say... Now go 'way, son. Ya bothern' me...

The other ingredients form the aromatics (in this case 1 sliced onions, 1 minced garlic clove, and two cups of sliced mushrooms), the thickener (2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour), the base (typically egg noodles but you can actually substitute any type of starch - rice, potatoes, etc.), and finally the garnish (in this case chopped parsley to add some green color to the plate).

For an extra tang, you can add a dollop of sour cream if you like prior to serving.

Here are the directions. I know that these directions that you are about to read are very simple at first glance but make sure you follow each step to experience the ultimate pleasure of making this dish.

Set your ovens to 350°F (177°C) for those wanting to finish the cooking process in the oven. Slice up the meat into bite-sized pieces and season with Kosher salt. Brown the meat in a pot over medium heat in small batches so as not to overcrowd the pot. This browning process is called maillard reaction in the culinary industry which is a chemical reaction between amino acids and the sugar content of the ingredient. Yada, yada, yada... In layman's terms, it's this chemical reaction that brings out the meaty flavor.

Set the meat aside in a bowl as each batch browns and continue until all of the meat has been browned.

What you'll be left with are caramelized bits of brown residue from the meat. This residue is called "fond" because all Chefs are fond of this process of cooking. Actually the word fond is a French term meaning "base" or "foundation".

Next add the sliced onions into the pot with the fond and let them swim around in all that goodness. Sprinkle a pinch of Kosher salt to release the onions' natural juices. Can you hear them sing? "Ohhhh yessss, baby! We're all tingly inside... We're so fond of this heat! Oh no! We're melting... woe is me, woe is me..." (... sorry, getting back to our stroganoff recipe).

Okay, this would be the perfect time to open up that first bottle of wine because you will need to deglaze the pot with two cups of it. Deglazing is the process of adding liquid (in this case the wine) to the pot to help dislodge those caramelized bits of flavor (the fond). To this, you will add two cups of broth or stock, the browned meat, and the garlic.

Let the liquid come to a boil, then cover and place it in the oven. For those playing along and want to continue the cooking process on the stove top, just lower the temperature down to a simmer (a simmer is when there's only small bubbles mostly on the side of the pan; otherwise it's considered boiling).

Here is where the crucial and most difficult part of this process - take out a wine glass from your cupboard and pour yourself some of that left over wine. Continue sipping the wine until it is all gone and then pour yourself another glass. You'll need to continue this process until the first bottle is empty. By this time, 30 minutes would have already elapsed (unless you drink fast in which case you might not make it to the end of this blog...)

Add and stir in the sliced mushrooms to the pot (I make sure I clarify this because some of you may already be blitz that you might be adding the mushrooms in your wine glass) and continue cooking.

Start cooking the pasta or rice according to the instructions on the package.

Open up the second bottle of wine and repeat step seven.

After another half hour have elapsed, pick yourself up from the kitchen floor and gently place the empty wine bottle and glass on the counter.

Open up the oven door and remove the pot. Yes, that stinging in your hands is because the pot is hot from coming straight out of the oven... Yes you should've used dry towels or oven mitts... Place the pot on the stove top and turn the burner back on to medium. Yes, at this point, you can close the oven door...

Uncover the pot - WAIT! Where's your oven mitts?! Okay, then add two tablespoons of flour while stirring with the wooden spoon (you will need two hands for this...) I realize that coordination will not be your strong suit at this point after having finished two bottles of red wine so please feel free to call for assistance. I pity you if you live alone... It's important to keep stirring as you add the flour so it doesn't create big lumps and to help the flour dissolve quickly. Now turn up the heat so that the entire mixture comes to a second boil because the thickening agent will not come to its full consistency until it comes to boiling temperature. After this the liquid will be sauce consistency. You will know that it's sauce consistency by applying the method called "nappe" which is not a French term to fall asleep. Nappe is the process of coating the back of the spoon with the liquid. To get to sauce consistency, coat the back of the spoon with the liquid and run your finger across the back of the spoon. If the sauce remain divided, then you've achieve sauce consistency, otherwise you'll see the two sides come back together where you ran your finger across. Once the sauce has thickened, readjust your seasoning with Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste, then turn the stove top off (and your oven if you haven't already done so.)

Dish up some noodles or rice onto a bowl and top it with the finished stroganoff. Garnish with the chopped parsley and prepare to indulge with more red wine... Okay, for this recipe you'll actually need three bottles of red wine...

Enjoy!!!

A lunch date with two beautiful blondes

2011-01-30T20:35:00.001-08:00

I woke up Saturday morning from a dream that I had the night before about having lunch with my close and long time friends, Chris Powell-Moss and Cyndi Beaver. I don't remember anything about the dream except that we were driving around town and all I could say was, "I'm HUNGRY!!!"

Our friendships started about twenty four years ago, when I went to Long Beach City College to study accounting. I really had all intentions of being a straight A student in my accounting and bookkeeping classes (and eventually become a professional and successful CPA - perhaps even open my own firm), but I was distracted by this beautiful young lady sitting near the front of the classroom during my Accounting 101 class. She was wearing a checkered white and green (or gray) sweater that looked a little too big for her (it was kind of cute..). If I remember correctly, she was making googly eyes at me so I gathered enough courage to start talking to her. That was the start of my friendship with Cyndi.

Cyndi and I found out that we also had another class together - Beginning Bookkeeping, and sat next to each other towards the back of the room. I was trying to concentrate but Cyndi kept talking to me and making me laugh... Anyway, another girl sitting in front of us wouldn't mind her own business and wanted desperately to join in our conversation... This was Chris...

Okay, that's probably not exactly what happened but barring specifics, our friendship really did start during our accounting and bookkeeping classes.

Chris and I have decided that each month, we would go visit and eat at a different restaurant to experience various types of cuisines. Last month, it was Thai food at Sedthee Thai Restaurant located in Glendale. This Saturday, Cyndi joined us for lunch at Raffi's Place Restaurant, ironically also located in Glendale.

Raffi's Place is a quaint restaurant that serves Middle Eastern food (more specifically, Lebanese/Armenian). Our dining experience was outdoors under a green and white canopy. Immediately after we were seated, I was transported to the Middle East with a whiff of the various spices indigenous to that area of the world. We were greeted by our waiter who immediately presented us with menus followed by a delivery of a basket full of flatbread and a plate of garnish (fresh lemon basil, quartered sweet onion, and three large red raddishes).

The three of us then decided to order appetizers to share so we ordered tabule which is chopped parsley leaves mixed with small diced tomatoes and bulgar wheat, and the grilled eggplant with tomato sauce and garlic. They were delicious! The tabule was tangy and the eggplant was a little sweet from the tomato sauce. The two ladies had ice tea and I had hot Persian tea. If' you've never had Persian tea before, I would highly recommend trying it. It has a clean flavor without any bitterness that you would get from other types, especially because of the process of preparing the tea. There's a whole art to this process to make sure that the color consistency is correct. This is why Persian tea is usually always served in see through glass cups.

For our main dishes, Chris ordered the beef shish kabob made with marinated and charbroiled chunks of filet mignon. Cyndi ordered the chicken soltani which included a grilled chicken breast called Chicken Barg, and ground chicken kabob mixed with special spices (called Koobideh). I ordered the lamb kabob made with specially marinated lamb tenders and grilled to medium well. All of the meat dishes also included broiled tomatoes and peppers, and a very healthy heaping of basmati rice. There were plenty of food and we all divided the different types of meats between the three of us so that we could all sample the various flavors. I thought that everything was nicely and equally flavored but Chris and Cyndi thought that the Koobideh might have been just a little salty for their taste.

After the main dish, we decided to share a dessert so we ordered the chilled orange ice. What a perfect ending to a great meal! The best part of all was being able to share this meal with two of my closest and dear friends. I loved the atmosphere, the company, the service, and the exotic experience of the food. What more could an average Joe ask for?!

Before we left I ordered some "To Go" food for my wife's dinner. Chris mentioned to the waiter that I was out with my two blonde girlfriends but needed to order dinner for my wife at home. The waiter said, "Yeah, when I get older, I want to be just like him..." We all laughed... and then I realized, "...he just called me old!"

Raffi's Place is located on 211 East Broadway in Glendale. It may be a little out of the way for some but it's a drive worth taking.

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A thought for the next upcoming years...

2010-12-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

According to the CDC, in June 2008 there were 24 million people in the United States that were diagnosed with diabetes (that's 8 percent of the population). Although the percentage doesn't look very significant, the reality is that the number of people that are diabetic increased by 3 million people within a two year span. Additionally, another 57 million were estimated to be pre-diabetic (a condition that puts them at an increased risk for diabetes).

This is partly because for several years we have let large companies and fast food resturant industries dictate what we eat. We have sacrificed health over convenience and expeditious dining habits. The faster we can get our food, the faster we can consume it and get back to more important things, disregarding any notions that our health be important.

We no longer gather at the dining room tables to feast and conversate with family; instead we're always on the run eating in our vehicles on the way to our next destinations. We've abandoned dinner conversations for unsocial activities of viewing television while we consume our foods. We have been suckered into solitary slogans like "Don't bother me... I'm eating...", and that gorging slogans like "If it doesn't get all over the place, it doesn't belong in your face..." is really the way to enjoy our meals. We have stopped sharing and savoring flavors with those we love, and wonder why we substitute food for loneliness on our journey to obesity.

Next year, I encourage you to make an effort in sharing extended dinners and food gatherings with your fiends and loved ones. Invite them for a round of stories shared at your dinner table to go along with wine and cheese tastings. Gather your neighbors around a community table and share your favorite soup recipe on January 22nd to celebrate Soup Swap Day. Bring the picnic inside and relish in a round of monopoly or your favorite board game with your family. Let's fight diabetes, obesity and loneliness with pairings of conversations, human interactions, and home cooked meals.

However you share these moments with your friends, families, and communities, not only will you be nourishing your body but also your spirit. When you do, share with me your experience. You can leave a comment here or send me an email. I would defenitely love to hear (or read) how you've benefited from the experience.

Until then, I wish you all a very prosperous and happy new year... See you in 2011.

Quinoa as a healthier alternative to rice

2010-10-28T10:15:00.002-07:00

Pre-washed quinoa seeds ready for cooking.

With the increasing awareness for eating healthy, many people are turning their focus to finding alternative ingredients that would provide them the most beneficial results from their everyday meals. One of these alternatives is the use of quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) in place of grains like rice.

Quinoa is not considered a grain since it doesn’t come from the grass family; rather it comes from a broadleaf plant similar to beets and spinach. The plant itself originated in the Andes Mountain of South America and has been a staple in the Incan culture for more than 6,000 years.

An important benefit that quinoa brings to the healthy diet equation is its high level of protein, averaging about 16%, with some varieties producing more than 20%. These levels are quite significant compared to about 8% from rice, about 10% from millet, and about 14% from wheat.

Other benefits that quinoa provides is that it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it a complete source of protein derived from a plant food. Additionally, it provides a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and is gluten free.

Although the leaves of the quinoa plant are also edible, chances are that it would be difficult to find even at the large grocery chains. The most commercially available part of this plant is the seeds. Until about a couple of years ago, quinoa seeds could only be purchased through specialty stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Fortunately, the popularity of this product has made it possible to be stocked at mainstream food aisles of the major food chains.

Quinoa has a light, fluffy, and silky texture when cooked and also produces a slightly nutty flavor. The common cooking method for quinoa is similar to that of cooking rice with a 2-to-1 ratio for liquid and quinoa respectively (where the liquid can either be stock, broth, or plain water).

Pour the liquid and quinoa (and added seasonings if desired) in a small pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot, and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let stand covered for an additional 10 minutes; then fluff with a fork before serving.

Undoubtedly, quinoa can be a great alternative replacement for rice in a healthy diet or perhaps just an occasional change of pace.

Beware of bad poaching...

2010-10-16T21:07:00.001-07:00

No doubt that you probably thought of someone scampering in the night out in the middle of a field trying to steal some livestock of some sort. Indeed with a name like Gourmet Conspiracy, the word poaching tends to have a sinister connotation. I refer, of course to the cooking method and yet even this meaning might bring about memories of negative dining experiences.

How can this be?! It is because there are poachers out there that can't tell the difference between poaching and boiling. If this is your idea of poaching, shame on you!

Poaching is a wet cooking method where the food is cooked in a gently simmering liquid other than oil. This method of cooking is typically reserved for delicate ingredients that might easily fall apart or dry out through other types of cooking methods. Ideal foods for poaching include fish, eggs, vegetables and fruits. Additionally lean meats, like chicken, can also benefit from this cooking method.

It is important to know that poaching is done using low heat with short cooking time (typically not to exceed 60 minutes). The temperature of the poaching liquid is ideally around 160-185°F (71-85°C) and should not come to a boil which is around 212°F (100°C). If the food is cooked in boiling poaching liquid, the blood proteins excretes from meats and produces a white goo around the meat. Although it's harmless, it might be unsightly for some eaters. The point is - the liquid should be simmering to gentle boil but not rapid boil.

What's in the liquid?

First of all, the poaching liquid is called court bouillon. Don't let your mind wander with the word bouillon. It's not about a greasy cube that you drop into water to make chicken soup...

Court bouillon is a French term for "briefly boiled liquid " and traditionally consists of water, salt, white wine, mirepoix, and flavored with bouquet garni.

Variations to the liquid may include milk, fish fumet, or broth as substitute to water, and vinegar or lemon juice as subtitute to the wine.

The poaching liquid lacks animal gelatin (unlike stock) and is also not typically added to the finished dish. Make sure that your poaching liquid have enough flavor to carry through to whatever you're poaching.

Egg Poaching

The poaching liquid for poaching eggs consists of water and vinegar. Here's a video from Rouxbe.com on the steps for poaching eggs. The only variation that I would make to the process here is to break the egg into a small bowl before adding to the water. This helps insure that the yolks wont break as you gently slide the egg from the bowl to the water, and you are able to easily extract chips of the egg shell from the bowl rather than hot water.

How to Poach an Egg

Fellow gourmet conspirators, poach to your heart's content and keep your eyes out for bad poachers!

Don't let yourself be Quacked!

2010-10-07T20:28:00.005-07:00

Quackery is a type of health fraud that promotes products and services that have questionable and unproven scientific bases.
Nutrition quackery is one of the most profitable types of fraud. Weight loss products, dietary supplements, herbal remedies, and "sports" foods are some of the most popular items sold through infomercials and magazine ads. Some are so convincing that even the most knowledgeable of us might say "I wonder if it really works?"

So how do you tell which are legitimate products and which are scams? If you look for some specific clues, you can avoid making a bad decision.

If a product claims to provide an easy answer to a difficult question, you may want to be skeptical. There are many, many research studies in the fields of nutrition, weight loss, and athletic performance. These are complex fields of study and there is no one single answer to these question. Anything that promises amazing results with little to no effort is a big red flag. They know what the consumer wants to hear and they cater to that. Stay away from the "Magic Pill".

Many of these products will site a scientific study. Beware! If these studies cannot be examined or are not published , be suspicious. Check the reliability of the magazine or newsletter in which the study was published. If the studies do not supply checkable references, be skeptical. Legitimate studies are easily referenced on the Internet.

Another popular strategy is to claim persecution by the established medical community. These quacks try to convince us that the establishment wants to keep the truth from us so they can keep taking our money. There is no conspiracy among the health and nutrition researchers. Stay away from products that allude to false conspiracies.

Testimonials are a great way to convince the consumer of the benefits of a product. They can be false testimonials. Some people are paid for their testimonials and some are sincere. Check the fine print. If the testimonial is true, it will say somewhere in really, really small letters "Results not typical". What does this mean? It means that the chances of you getting similar results from using this product are very slight.

If you are looking for a way to enhance you health, loose weight, or enhance your athletic ability, there is an answer...a balanced diet, daily exercise and hard work. Sorry, I don't have a magic pill.

Is there a rainbow on your plate?

2010-10-02T23:45:00.010-07:00

Are you choosing foods from a rainbow of colors everyday? I don't mean skittles!! Choosing foods, fruits and vegetables, from a variety of different colors is the best way to make sure you get the greatest amount of health benefits. Each different color fruit and vegetable contains unique components that are essential to our health. By getting a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables, you are guaranteed a diverse amount of essential vitamins and minerals.

Vegetables and fruits that are a deep red or bright pink contain an antioxidant called lycopene. Lycopene is believed to help fight heart disease and some cancers. Foods containing cooked tomatoes, such as spaghetti sauce, and a small amount of fat, like olive oil, allow you to absorb the lycopene better than raw foods. Other foods that contain lycopene are pink grapefruit, watermelon, and papaya. The anthocyanins in fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, raspberries, red cabbage, and red grapes, act as a powerful antioxidant that protects cells from damage. It helps reduce inflammation, protects blood vessels and can improve eyesight. Also these are good sources of vitamin A, C and the mineral potassium.

Vegetables that are green are rich in phytochemicals, like the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin found in spinach, broccoli, kale, and collards. These are powerful antioxidants that may protect your eyes. These vegetables are also an excellent source of folate, a B vitamin that helps reduce the risk of birth defects. Dark green, leafy vegetables are a good source of Vitamins A, C, and K, folate, also, iron and calcium as well as a great source of fiber.

Orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, pears, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and carrots are high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that enhances the immune system, It is also converted into vitamin A, which helps maintain mucous membranes and healthy eyes. These are also high in vitamin C and folate and are high in fiber, too.

The fruits and vegetables that are blue or purple always add a beautiful color to your plate. Isn't it great that they are also adding anthocyanins as well. Anthocyanins are responsible for the beautiful color of fruits and vegetables such as eggplant, and blueberries and are believed to have a role in the body's defense against carcinogens. Blueberries, in particular, are rich in vitamin C and folic acid and are high in fiber and potassium. This color of fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease.

White vegetables from the onion family, which include garlic, chives, scallions, leeks and any variety of onion, contain the phytochemical, allicin. It is believed that allicin may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase the body's ability to fight infection. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, contain indoles and sulfaforaphanes, phytochemicals that may inhibit cancer growth. Bananas are a great source of potassium.

Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is a simple way to get as much color variety in your diet as possible, so you can maximize the amount and variety of nutrients that are essential to your good health. You are also more likely to eat the recommended 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.

GMS - Another anamorphic delicacy

2010-09-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

When it comes to food consumption, just what part of the term "Genetically Modified" make the food sound good? Okay, some GMP's (Genetically Modified Produce) have developed a number of interesting and delicious combinations like Pluots, Nectaplums, or Grapples; but Genetically Modified Salmon?! Yikes! I'm envisioning a green salmon with a flat head and bolts coming out of its gills...

GMS - that's just wrong in every sense of the word. Look, instead of trying to develop longer lasting salmon or alter any other natural food item, let's just ease up on the heavy fishing, stop polluting the waters, the air, and the soil, and learn to use our natural resources properly...

To Label or Not Label Lab-Spawned Salmon

By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN

Consumer groups urged the Food and Drug Administration to require labeling of genetically modified salmon Tuesday, while industry representatives called on the FDA to stick to current rules the agency says prevent such labeling.

(Associated Press)
Fresh wild King salmon rest on
a bed of ice Monday at the
Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle.

The FDA is considering whether to approve a type of salmon from AquaBounty Technologies Inc. that has been given a gene from another fish species designed to make it grow twice as fast as conventional Atlantic salmon.

If approved, the company's AquAdvantage salmon would be the first genetically modified animal meant to be eaten that received FDA clearance. The agency has already approved several types of genetically altered fruits and vegetables.

The FDA said it couldn't require a genetically modified product to carry a different label under current food-labeling rules, unless there was something materially different about the product.

For example, if an engineered salmon had a different level of fatty acids from that found in a conventional salmon, the FDA could require a label specifying the fatty-acid content. But a preliminary review of AquaBounty's salmon hasn't found any major differences between it and conventional Atlantic salmon.

Still, the agency held a public hearing Tuesday on the label, a day after a federal advisory panel discussed whether the FDA should approve the product. The panel didn't make a clear recommendation on what the FDA should do. Several panelists said the altered fish appeared safe to eat, while others said more research was needed to prove it.

The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine will make a decision on whether to approve the modified salmon, while the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition will make a decision on the label. Both decisions are likely months away.

Michael Hansen, a senior scientist at Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, said during Tuesday's hearing that the genetic changes in AquaBounty's salmon amount to a "material" alteration in the food and should be labeled.

Alexis Baden-Mayer, who represented the Organic Consumers Association, said that "consumers want to know if their fish is genetically engineered."

In an FDA document prepared for the hearing, the agency said it "does not consider the fact that a food was made using genetic engineering, in and of itself, to be a material difference."

Industry representatives, including AquaBounty, urged the FDA to follow current labeling rules. AquaBounty's Richard Clothier added that it would clearly label products given to fish growers.

The FDA earlier decided that milk from cows given a growth hormone to produce more milk shouldn't be labeled differently. The FDA said milk from the treated cows was no different from other milk, and a court upheld that reasoning.

The FDA allows milk makers to state on their packages that the milk doesn't come from cows given a growth hormone, so long as the makers don't imply that such milk is healthier or better.

Write to Jennifer Corbett Dooren at jennifer.corbett-dooren@dowjones.com

Can a name change booster sales?

2010-09-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

"A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet..."
From Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, 1600

Most companies would have us believe that a change of name would be an indication of a much improved product. Although this has proven to be true for some companies, it is not always the case for most. Be that as it may, there is something to be said about the correlation of changing the name of a product or company and boosting its sales. Take for example a famous search engine that started back in 1996 called "Backrub". Don't recognize the name?! I guarantee you know it by its well known name of "Google".

How about a drink called "Brad's Drink" from 1893? It later changed its name to "Pepsi" in 1898.

Or how about an internet based company that started in September 1995 called "AuctionWeb"? Don't recognize the name? Perhaps "EBay" rings a bell...

Recently the Corn Refiners Association Wants to Change the Name of High Fructose Corn Syrup to "Corn Sugar". Here's what the Executive Director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) had to say...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2010 11:08 AM

CONTACT: Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Phone: 202-332-9110

Proposed Name Change for High-Fructose Corn Syrup Still Misleading

Statement of CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson

WASHINGTON - September 15 - The term "high-fructose corn syrup" has misled many people into thinking that the sweetener is composed largely of fructose. But it is not. Sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are nutritionally the same. So soft drinks and other products sweetened with sugar are every bit as conducive to weight gain as products sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. The bottom line is that people should consume less of all added sugars.

I don't know if "corn sugar" is the best term to replace "high-fructose corn syrup" because it sounds like the sugars come right out of the corn. Canada calls the ingredient glucose-fructose syrup; another option might be "chemically modified corn sweetener."

###

Since 1971, the Center for Science in the Public Interest has been a strong advocate for nutrition and health, food safety, alcohol policy, and sound science.

Labor Day Weekend to Remember...

2010-09-07T12:45:00.002-07:00

This year, I promised myself that I would put more effort in having Gourmet Conspiracy gain momentum in developing into it's full potential as a viable culinary service company in the industry. This weekend, I felt that I have accomplished more towards this goal than the first eight months of the year.

Saturday morning started with a reconnecting with a long time friend of mine, Cyndi Beaver, who ihas offered to help us with our marketing strategies and direction. Cyndi had a lot of great ideas that I'm eager to incorprate starting with a revamp of the Gourmet Conspiracy website, and consistent & seamless integration to this blog site. We also talked about various design concepts to our product line that we are working on adding to our online store. It was a very informative meeting, but most of all, it was great just to see Cyndi again, let alone get her involvement with the development of Gourmet Conspiracy.

Sunday was a real blast, having a chance to spend time with Chris at the first annual Los Angeles Times Celebration of Food and Wine held at the Paramount Studios. This was a birthday gift from my wife, Didi, who was unable to go with me because of her problems with her knees. Which is why Chris, our business partner, went in her stead.

We got there at an excellent time just right before the event opened and was able to sample great food and wine from most of the vendors. There were a lot to choose from and we did our best to hit as many as we could before the shows started. First stop was the Borders Grill truck ("Two Hot Tamales"?!) and had a carne asada taco topped with fresh avocado guacamole (excellent!). From there, we sampled honey vanilla bean yogurt from Voskos Greek Yogurt (two thumbs up!), and then off to various wine samplings.

Chris and I then headed off to the Westside Stage where they were having a discussion about food blogging. The discussion was moderated by Rene Lynch - Assistant Food Editor at the Los Angeles Times with special guests Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman, and Aarti Sequeira - Aarti Paarti and "The Next Food Network Star" Season Six.

Quite an interesting discussion and very informative for those wanting to start and maintain food blogs. I was actually inspired and motivated to keep this blog site up, and even got some ideas for keeping it interesting. Let's see where these ideas lead...

Then we headed off to the Downtown Stage for Chef Mark Peel and Chef Suzanne Goin demo on "Farm to Table". They demoed cooking items brought in by local farmers who are regular vendors of the Santa Monica Farmers' Market.

Next stop, the Hollywood Stage for Roger Mooking's cooking demonstration of Schezuan Peppercorn Steak.

Got a chance to speak with Roger after his cooking demo both at the signing station, and by the Cooking Channel truck. Very easy person to speak with and he made it felt like I was speaking to a long lost buddy from my high school days. We started casually talking about how good the Caramella Ice Cream was that The Cooking Channel truck was handing out, and the deliciousness of the Bahn Mi sandwiches from the Nom Nom truck (Chris and I shared a pork Bahn Mi -very tasty!)

Then, we got onto some heavy discussion about some serious talk. Roger is a very down-to-earth kind of person. I asked him about his future projects and he asked a little about myself. By the way, he's also into music and apparently he's got a band of his own - go figure...

I know what you're asking - "What are his future projects?!" Well, you'll just have to wait but I guarantee that it'll be worth waiting for...

A little bit more samplings (like the KyoChon Soy Garlic Chicken - yum!) before we headed to back to the Hollywood Stage to see Aida Mollenkamp from Food Network's "Ask Aida" and The Cooking Channel's "Foodcrafters" shows. She's a very beautiful lady, especially in person (reminds me of a young Julia Roberts...) She too was very easy to speak with and quite a knowledgeable person when it comes to food.

I also had a chance to speak with Aida's sister briefly and got the 411 on her beginnings at CHOW and her start at Food Network where she caught their interest from her work with the editorial staff at CHOW.

Shaking Aida's hand, I could tell that she is quite business saavy and perhaps a firm negotiator. What really impressed me about Aida wasn't the fact that she was on stage providing us with all this great information about the salads that she's making, but that her family was out in the audience rooting her on. I met her dad, sister, and little niece, and Chris met her mom. Additionally, she had other relatives and friends towards the front showing their support for her. That's a sign of a close knit family... a similarity that I know quite well with my family...

Off to more free tastings with Don Francisco's coffee and their Hawaiian Hazelnut blend (quite delicious), Korean drinks (sweet and delicious but quite potent...), and Korean mungbean pancakes (out of this world...) Now we're ready for Tommy Tang's demo - Thai Risotto?! Chris asked him if this was a new dish and Tommy confirmed that he just made it up... He's quite the comedian on stage but I think he's quite the soft spoken individual off stage. Of coarse, this was the first time that I've really had a chance to speak with him in person so first impressions might not be all that acurate. All in all, he's also a pleasant person to meet. He mentioned that he's going back to Thailand to work on the next season of his show on PBS... I suspect that he's also going back to continue his work with the Tsunami Children Foundation.

Chris and I also met the owner of SedThee Thai Eatery and got a chance to sample their Thai Chicken Curry before they ran out. Apparently, they ran out the first time and had to make more - it was that popular... They're located on 239 North Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203 so if you're in their neighborhood and are hungry for Thai food, I highly recommend this place. Tell them Sam and Chris sent you... (they might say, who?!)

After getting distracted with Zeppoles from Rosa's Bella Cucina, we headed back onto the Hollywood Stage to see the band She and Him and end our day from this fabulous event. Quite the appropirate ending as I got to see Zooey Deschanel, an angel sent down from Heaven to grace us mere mortals with her elegance, beauty, and earthly aura.

I was a little bit disappointed that I didn't get a chance to meet her in person, perhaps chat with her a little and get a picture taken with her; hand her my business card and say "Zooey, next time that you're in the market for a caterer, look me up..." Hey, it could happen!

What a blast! I wouldn't have traded this weekend for anything else - well, at least anything except if Charlise Theron called and wanted me to accompany her to Emeril Legassi's restaurant in Las Vegas... I'm just sayin'

Heirloom Tomatoes Salad on mixed greens
with fresh basil, drizzled
with strawberry balsamic vinegar and olive oil

The next day, Labor Day, I cleaned up the backyard with Didi and started pruning back some of our fruit trees in our backyard. I was still reeling from the effects of the previsous day's event that I was inspired to prepare some dishes from the produce that I got from a local farm in Long Beach last Friday. Overall, this was a weekend of food and fun, and considered to be one of the most memorable moments of my culinary journey.

Grilled ribeye steak with adobo spice rub on roasted baby potatoes and grilled vegetables

To Market, To Market, To Buy a Fat Pig...

2010-08-31T13:18:00.003-07:00

I recently saw this video and recommend it to anyone interested in understanding how farmers' markets first started, what they bring to our comminities, and their benefits in returning us to the healty diets.

Excerpt from the PBS website:

If shoppers want to buy really fresh salad greens or perfectly ripe raspberries or a culinary surprise of the best sort, they'll want to find an old-fashioned market -- like a farmers' market or a vintage market house -- with a variety of vendors.

From the Lexington Market in Baltimore (which has some of the best crab cakes in the world) to the small but exotic Hilo Farmers' Market on the Big Island of Hawaii (full of fruits and vegetables that aren't always familiar), this tour of a few outstanding markets will delight and amaze. The variety of products and people keep the program as juicy and tender as an August peach in North Carolina.

Produced by Rick Sebak of WQED Pittsburgh, TO MARKET TO MARKET TO BUY A FAT PIG is the latest in a diverse set of public television specials that identify and applaud some often overlooked aspects of American culture. In 2005, Sebak celebrated burial places in A CEMETERY SPECIAL; in 2004, he pointed out wacky architecture in A PROGRAM ABOUT UNUSUAL BUILDINGS & OTHER ROADSIDE STUFF. Several of his works, including A HOT DOG PROGRAM, AN ICE CREAM SHOW and GREAT OLD AMUSEMENT PARKS, have become summertime traditions on PBS stations across the country.

"This time we wanted to talk to buyers and sellers, foodies and farmers. We wanted to check out the scrumptious eccentricities of American markets," says Sebak. "We don't include some of the major markets that are celebrated regularly on cable networks. We tried to go instead to unexpected locations and less familiar food spots, like the Western North Carolina Farmers Market on the outskirts of Asheville. And we spent a whole day amid the international abundance that makes Your Dekalb Farmers Market in Decatur, Georgia, totally unforgettable.

"Our only regret is that we have but an hour of time to squeeze in all the great places we visited," Sebak continues. "They're all different and distinctive. Sometimes I think the only factor that links these places together is the word 'market' itself."

The film features an early morning visit to the Santa Fe Farmers' Market, which sprouts up in a parking lot each week and where shoppers can find beautiful baby bok choy, lean local bison meat, homemade baked goods and raspberry-and-red-chile jam. Farmer Matt Romero laughs when he admits that the market's customers are unpredictable. "You'll see people there who really love fresh food who don't make very much money, and you'll see millionaires, shopping side by side," he says. "And there's no way to tell them apart, so we treat them all equal."

Sebak and his crew also go to Cleveland where the West Side Market has been a major landmark since 1910. Some people assume that the magnificent vaulted structure was once a train station, but it was designed and built as a market house; there are architectural details in sculpted stone that let passersby know that inside there are leafy green vegetables, live seafood and fresh meat. Customers appreciate the history that comes with the building. Lisa Cutner says, "It's sort of like home because it's been here forever. I can remember my grandfather used to bring us down here when we were little, and it pretty much looks the same."

The program also includes a stop at the Central Market in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which may be the oldest continually operating market space in America -- it has records that date to 1742. "I also loved Lancaster," says Sebak, "because that's where we met Anne Wilson, who sells nothing but celery. And people crave it because it's a local specialty. You can also get ground-on-the-premises horseradish there that's excellent too. I'd go back for more of that any day, although Central Market is open only on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays."

TO MARKET TO MARKET TO BUY A FAT PIG also includes some shopping at the Wednesday market in Santa Monica, California, which is just a few blocks from the Pacific Ocean. From 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., farmers from miles around come to meet their customers and sell their tastiest and timeliest fruits, vegetables and flowers. Leyla Coban, a young French woman who sells asparagus and artichokes there, says, "There's a certain energy in the farmers' market. It connects you to your roots. There's a special joie de vivre."

That "certain energy" is perhaps what makes markets such satisfying places for socializing, as well as shopping. "People talk to each other in markets," says Sebak, "and we were happy to meet and talk with so many people who helped us capture some of the joys and surprises of these places. As people continue to learn that 'fresh' and 'local' are important qualities, we hope this show might inspire a visit or two to a market in your neighborhood."

Underwriters: Public Television Viewers, PBS and Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

This video is available for rental through Netflix, or you can purchase it directly from the PBS on-line shopping page.

Long Beach Sunday Market Report - August 22, 2010

2010-08-26T23:12:00.009-07:00

This segment of the Long Beach Sunday Market Report features Chef Jason Stein of Parkers' Lighthouse. I spoke with Chef Stein about his presentation using Yellow Fin (also known as Ahi) tuna, how he got his start in the culinary industry, and some of the new things that are happening at their restaurant. He also provided some recommendations for those who want to start a career in the culinary industry.

Located on The Point at Shoreline Village, Long Beach's premiere waterfront entertainment, shopping and dining destination, Parkers’ Lighthouse offers the most compelling selection of globally inspired cuisine prepared with the freshest ingredients derived from local sources. Whether you dine there for lunch or dinner, you can always find sustainable seafood choices on our vast menu.

Parkers’ ambiance reflects a relaxed sophistication throughout its elegant, stark white, 250-seat dining room, the 120-seat third floor Galley Bar, and 144-seat outdoor patio.

Next time you're at Parker's Lighthouse, be sure to say 'hello' to Chef Stein.

"What's in a name.?..."

2010-08-24T10:04:00.001-07:00

Our company, Gourmet Conspiracy, recently under went a slight change from a sole proprietor company to a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC). This modification was to prepare us for the next phase of our development in offering additional services and our involvement with various community organizations. The slight modification in our name merely included the letters LLC at the end. We are still Gourmet Conspiracy, although technically we are now Gourmet Conspiracy, LLC.

With this change, I'm also thinking about changing the name of this blog from its current generic name "Mise En Place" to a more appropirate one called "The Conspiring Gourmets". The name change of this blog site was primarily due to my search of Mise En Place on Google displaying a myriad of results. Plus I want to have a blog site title that corresponds with the company name to make it easier for everyone to remember.

There's really no effect to our readers as we are going to continue providing more information about what's happening in the culinary industry as well as food in general.

Long Beach Sunday Market Report - August 15, 2010

2010-08-20T08:33:00.002-07:00

In this segment of the Long Beach Sunday Market Report, I spoke with Joshua of OC Jerky about their company and some of the flavors that they offer in their Jerky line.

OC Jerky is a distributor of one the most well-known and respected name in the Beef Jerky industry and that is Jerky Hut. Every product that they provide is made of the highest quality meats and guaranteed to be the freshest and most flavorful to the last bite.

Their Jerky products are not dehydrated like most Jerky product, but smoked for a full bodied taste which is DELICIOUS and NUTRITIOUS as a treat or snack. Because of this process, you can expect their Jerky to have some meat on it and be full of flavor.

From seed to fruition

2010-06-29T07:38:00.000-07:00

I remember visiting the provinces of the Philippines when I was quite young. I used to love spending time at my grandparents' farm in Bicol and picking corn straight from the field and toasting it just a few steps away by the side of the house. I also remember gorging ourselves with ripe mangos that we plucked from the trees behind my Aunt's house in Zambales.

I've tasted fresh produce and have compared it to the produce bought at large super markets. There is just no substitute for freshness. The fact of the matter is that most produce, if not all of them, start to die as soon as they get picked. Some die slower than others but overall that they start losing their freshness.

The produce that is bought in large super markets sometimes travels for several days prior to reaching the store. To circumvent this issue and prolong the life, the produce is picked before they are ripe and some are injected or introduced to chemicals and gasses to simulate freshness. This is the reason why local farms are important to the production and distribution of freshness.

Many urban farms are sprouting up around the Long Beach area, and this is a good thing. More local farms means less travel time for the produce. This means more fresh ingredients to be had. Not only is there freshness being produced here but also green; and by "green" I mean environmentally friendly. Most of the urban farmers are environmentally conscious and are using natural means of reducing and eliminating garden pests. I've learned a technique called interplanting from one of the farmers where the combination of certain plants would deter bugs away from other plants. One example that he gave was to plant basil around tomatoes. Basil, an annual, is also successful in distracting bugs away from tomatoes so they are a great natural pesticide for tomato plants.

Sasha Kanno, the Director at Wrigley Gardens, is working on developing an amazing local farm in Long Beach which would help provide local jobs, as well as a financial benefit to the City. It will promote a great source for healthy and fresh local ingredients to be available for families and local food establishments. I encourage you to view the video and get involved. This is much needed resource within the community so please donate to the project.

Sasha Kanno is a floral designer by trade but has also been a backyard farmer since childhood. She is the Director of Wrigley Garden; a community garden started in the spring of 2009 with its 40 plots, 14 hens and a small orchard she has fed many hungry mouths. She is also one of the founders of the Wrigley co‐op food exchange which harvests, shares and preserves the excess produce from our city.

Farm Lot 59, a biointensive mini farm is a new venture but she is dedicated to its success: “I am already growing amazing food and this farm will help me take it to the next level. This is the direct connection to the food that nourishes us all throughout our lives. Long Beach use to be full of agriculture, let's get back to our roots. Our children should be able to have wonderfully fresh food while growing up in the city.”

SIP at the Renaissance Hotel, Long Beach

2010-06-18T23:11:00.002-07:00

My wife and I just had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of "SIP", the swanky new cocktail lounge at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach. Formerly the location of Celebrity Chef Susan Tracht's modern chophouse called Tracht's Restaurant" that closed last summer. Sip will have appetizers and full plate meals with menu items ranging from $1 to $16, California-crafted beers and wines, as well as cocktails from different countries. Happy Hour will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, with $1 to $6 menu items, $3 beers, $4 wines, $5 cocktails and $6 international cocktails.

The lounge greeted us with an inviting and relaxing atmosphere full of people sharing a common interest in food and spirits. As we headed further into the crowd and to the cheese station, I met up with Andrew Gruel and Dave Anderson of Seafood for the Future to say, "hello" and chat for a bit, then indulged in some blue cheese, date, and crostini. Delish!

Chef Michael Poompan told us that Polly Peak of DineLA was in attendance and that she was interested in some information about local farmers markets. On our way to the bar, we happened to see a lady sitting by herself dressed in a green blouse. It was Polly, so Didi and I introduced ourselves. She had such an enthusiastic energy about her as she talked about some of the events that DineLA have been involved with including the recent Roundtable Discussion with six well known culinary chefs in the LA area.

Polly told us about the braised beef sliders so Didi and I excused ourselves to head outdoors where they were serving these delightful, delectable goodies. They were boneless short ribs braised in Ballast Point Calico Amber Ale, then served on sliced dinner rolls with caramelized onions and sweet hot mustard. The whole thing just melts in my mouth and I couldn't have just one. It was a big hit amongst the crowds as I heard of claims for seconds and thirds. One of the guests told me that they had six already, and I found him hanging around the slider station, perhaps contemplating on a seventh helping...

Across from the slider station was a table where one could sample a taste the flavors of Ballast Point beer. There were several bottles displayed including the Pale Ale, Big Eye IPA, Calico Amber Ale, Sculpin IPA, and the Wahoo Wheat Beer. As for me, I had a taste of the Calico Amber Ale and the Sculpin IPA. Although quite different, both were very good in taste. The Calico Amber Ale had a smooth, fruity, Madeira-like flavor, while the Sculpin IPA had a hint of lemony citrus, peach and mango flavors.

As I walked back inside the lounge area to finish my beer, I led Didi over to Carina Cristiano Leoni of Nino's Restaurant and introduced them to each other. Carina in turn introduced us to her friend John. As Didi was talking briefly with Carina, the reality came back to me that I've met all these people through my involvement with the Long Beach Sunday Market at California Heights. I have great admiration for everyone here because of the contribution that they provide to the health and food industry, as well as the development of the local community.

After chatting a bit with Carina, Didi and I sat back down and sampled some of the other food items being passed around. She sampled the dungeness crab potato skin with formage blanc cheese and horseradish, while I sampled the spiced lamb burger (cleverly disguised as meatballs), and roasted fingerling potatoes.

I then headed over to the bar and was introduced to a Red Stag Manhattan made with Jim Beam White Label, Red Stag, Martini and Rossi Sweet Vermouth, and Angostura. I've never had a Manhattan before but I like what I tasted. I picked up the recipes of the mixed drinks that they were serving and was told that I should try the Caipirinha, which from what I understand is Brazil's national drink. Needless to say I had to try one and was very thankful that I did. I love Whiskey Sours, and this one just kicked it up a notch by incorporating simple syrup. Wow!

All in all, Didi and I had a great time. The food was fantastic and the people were fun to be with. Thank you Chef Michael Poompan for inviting us and sharing with us this momentous occasion. I bid you the very best, to SIP, and the Renaissance Hotel staff.

I found a purpose....

2010-05-28T22:32:00.002-07:00

Growing up in the Philippines, I remember my mom always preaching to us that if we wanted to have a consistent career, we should go into the food industry. Her reasoning is that everyone will always need to eat, and by all rights, she made a lot of sense. I guess I truly kept that to heart even though it didn't really surface until I was much older.

I was really ecstatic to have realized the dream of going to culinary school, and really started to move forward my passion. In school, I was energized and I started realizing that this was IT! This is how people become alive when they are faced with their destined dreams realized. Cooking and learning about proper food handling, production and presentation kept me even more motivated to do more. The more I did, the more I learned about the industry and the business of food. Consequently, the more I learned about the food industry, the more I realized that there's a problem with a lot of the processed foods that I used to eat. I started searching on the Internet for more information, read books about nutrition, spoke with friends and acquaintances who were registered nutritionists and dietitians, and watched segments on the Green Channel for anything regarding agriculture, cooking, food production, and waste management. I also made a point to watch the movie documentaries "Food Inc.", "We Feed The World", and "The Cove"; and I was disgusted by what I saw and heard.

In my recollection growing up, most of the Grandpas and Grandmas died of old age, and never heard of Diabetes, Celiac Disease, nor Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. They all ate natural foods now considered to be unhealthy - full of saturated fat & carbohydrates. Today, three out of five people I know are diabetic, and I know of at least two or three people suffering from gluten intolerance.

I've never heard of frozen foods and canned foods until I came here to the United States in 1972. The meals I remember eating were all fresh ingredients cooked from scratch that included fresh vegetables, meats of cows, pigs and chicken from the local farmers markets. Milk was delivered to our door in cold bottles by the Magnolia man dressed in white shirt, pants, and cap; and it tasted like MILK!

Wednesday of this week, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation at the Houssel's Forum of the Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. It was the Long Beach Healthy Kids Summit presented by Leadership Long Beach, Class of 2010.

The purpose of the summit was to inform and educate leaders and policymakers in the community and schools about the current state of our children’s health and options for improving their health through better nutrition. The event was sponsored by Leadership Long Beach, RTH Foundation, Memorial Medical Center Foundation, Primal Alchemy Catering, Long Beach Community Action Partnership - LAMP Program, and Renaissance Hotel - Long Beach.

Walking into the room, I was a little bit intimidated especially not recognizing anyone. I spotted Chef Paul Buchanan sitting at the front table so I headed his way. Halfway there, I saw Chef Michael Poompan of the Renaissance Hotel, and we shook hands and made our way to where Paul was sitting. After a brief chat with Paul, I saw Kelli Johnson, Long Beach Sunday Market organizer for California Heights. As I was about to sit down, I was surprised and pleased to see one of my Kitchen Academy classmates, Devin Welch. Devin is a registered dietitian who has done a lot of work with the Long Beach Unified District and introduced me to Cecilia Slater. I was in good company.

Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy was the first presenter and he shared personal stories of his experiences teaching 4th and 5th grade kids the differences between good food and bad food, providing them with the understanding of where food comes from and reading food labels through his involvement with the Days of Taste Program created by the American Institute of Wine and Food. He presented a video that showed family members, both kids and parents learning to change their food purchasing and eating habits, as well as engaging in more family oriented activities. It was a great testimony that change can happen, and that families would benefit greatly from the change.

Other presenters included Helene Calvert, M.D. - Health Officer for the City of Long Beach who talked about the obesity epidemic in Long Beach; Elisa Nicholas, M.D., MSPH of the Children's Clinic for the Long Beach Alliance for Food and Fitness who addressed the epidemic in further detail; Cecilia Slater - Nutritional Services Director for the Long Beach Unified District who spoke on nutrition services, opportunities and challenges in the school district; Stefan Harvey - Assistant Director at the California Center for Public Health Advocacy who addressed local and state policies; and Chef Ann Cooper "Renegade Lunch Lady" who brought perspective to the nutritional past, present, and future of school lunches.

After hearing all of the presenters, I thought to myself, "This is where I belong and this is what I was meant to do..." As a chef, I have an obligation not only to feed the hungry but also to be responsible for the health conditions that I effect for those who eat what I prepare, and the preservation for availability of our resources.

There is a definite shift in the way that people are looking at what they eat and how they eat; and yet there's still a good majority of people who are uninformed and mislead.

I feel blessed to be associated with people who are making a difference for a better and healthier future and even more excited for the opportunity in being a part of this movement.

Temecula

2010-05-25T10:09:00.002-07:00

Completing our trip last Saturday, Didi and I took a quick jot to Temecula from Julian since we weren't too far from there. Of course, we had to stop at one of our favorite shops called the Spice Merchants on Fifth Street in Old Town.

Nestled beneath the rolling verdant foothills of old town Temecula, Old Town Spice Merchants is equal distance from Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs and Orange County.

They offer a robust selection of over 300 spices & blends and 65 loose-leaf teas which were recently spot-lighted on national TV.

Locally renowned chefs find their spices to be the perfect culinary accompaniment to Temecula's award winning wines.

An aromatic bouquet and knowledgeable and hospitable staff will greet you at the door and keep you coming back to Old Town Spice Merchants of Temecula for all your spice needs.

Spice Merchants is open Monday - Friday 10am-5pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, and Sunday 11am-4pm. You can call them ahead of time to find out about their holiday hours at (951)587-2223.

While in Temecula, we also visited one of our favorite cheese shops called Temecula Valley Cheese Company. It's just a quaint shop tucked behind several buildings off of Front Street on Fifth Street. Here we purchased quarter pounds of Saint Andre triple cream cheese, a sage Gouda (or was it cheddar?), and mild Stilton with lemon (which I used for today's lunch of steak salad with semi-home made dressing made with the Greek Feta spice blend from Spice Merchants).

Owned and operated by Jeff and Shawna Smoot, this cheese shop sells about 500 pounds of cheese per week. In addition to the outright sale of cheeses, the Temecula Valley Cheese Company offer picnic basket rentals for those heading to the Wine County or for any type of outing who wish to have a selection of cheese, breads and spreads.

The Temecula Valley Cheese Company also offers specialty platters as well as professional cheese services for weddings, parties and special events. Those who wish to learn more about the art of cheese can take part in educational classes at the shop and learn how to pair cheese with wine and beer.

The shop is open each day. Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

For information on the Temecula Valley Cheese Company, at 42072 Fifth St. in the Penfold Plaza, call (951) 693-9500.

If you're ever around the Temecula area, I would recommend a visit to Old Towne for an eclectic array of food experiences. There are a number of shops that offer delectible items, and various restaurants, like Palumbo's Ristorante Italian restaurant that serve outstanding meals. Most especially, I recommend stopping in at the Spice Merchants shop for an expolosion of aromatic spices, sea salts, teas, and grains.

Be sure to also stop at the Temecula Valley Cheese Company to sample some of their great cheeses and breads.

Regardless of which shops you visit, you won't be disappointed by the variety of flavors to choose from just in this small section of Old Towne Front Street.

Mom's Pie House

2010-05-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! Didi and I spent Saturday driving up to Julian and realized that apple season doesn't really start until September so we made the day work by visiting Mom's Pie House. This is the place to go for great fruit pies. We sampled a cherry and apple pie, and ended up ordering a slice of it, as well as three large apple dumplings to take home. This place gets crowded and the line for ordering and pick up sometimes gets quite long, although the wait isn't too bad, especially for these pies.

Mom's Pie House is a full service one of-a-kind pie shop. Mom's is famous for making apple pie that would make Grandma proud. All of their pies are made fresh daily, by skilled bakers using only the finest fruit and purest ingredients available.

Mom's History

Mom's Pie House was created, from scratch, in December 1984 by Anita Nichols, "Mom" to Laurie, Teak, Erica and Jesse. She had a vision - to make a delicious, homemade pie from the already famous Julian apples. When she first opened, in the old Julian Cafe building, the bakery measured a whopping 10 by 22 feet, and had very cozy seating for two! Mom used one small electric oven for all of her baking, and peeled her own apples using a counter-mounted peeler.

Mom's flaky crusts and not-too-sweet fillings were a hit with locals and tourists alike, and a line snaking outside the door of the tiny bakery became commonplace. In the fall of 1987, Mom began to expand the bakery to include a larger kitchen and more seating. She also started baking cookies, cinnamon rolls, and other sweet homemade treats.

Twenty years of hard work later, Mom is still rolling out those flaky piecrusts in the front window, smiling at the eager, hungry faces peering in at her, and is still creating a high quality, mouth-watering, homemade pie!

A gnew look at gniocchi

2010-05-19T15:15:00.004-07:00

If you haven't tried out or don't know about gniocchi, now is the time to try them. If you don't, you're missing out on this delightful burst of delicacy with bite after bite.

Gniocchi, in simple terms, means "lump" and are made with varying main ingredients. The most common ingredients consist of semolina, potatoes, ordinary wheat flour, bread crumbs, or other similar ingredients. In Italy, it is typically served as main dishes and are often served as alternatives to soup or pasta.

Perhaps I'll work on a short video that shows how to make these little delights and add it to my next post.

Stay tuned...

Grilling and Broiling

2010-01-27T13:40:00.004-08:00

Grilling and broiling are very similar cooking techniques that uses heat from direct flames or thermal radiation (such as from infrared grills) to cook the food. The difference between the two is where the heat is coming from; in grilling the heat comes from below the food item, and in broiling the heat comes from above the food item. These are both techniques from the dry-heat methods category of cooking that exposes the food to tempereatures often in excess of 500°F (260°C).

While it is most common to think of grilling as an outdoor activity, many home cooks have started incorporating indoor grills alongside their kitchen cooktop burners. Indoor grills range from built-in gas grills, portable electric grills, grill pans, or grill plates (although grilling on any surface where the heat isn't direct often would be considered frying especially if the food has a lot of fat (like meat items) and the fat collect at the bottom of the pan).

Broiling, on the other hand, is most often done inside the oven. Since the heat is so high with this cooking technique, there is a tendency to overcook the item and so most often it is recommended that the oven door is slightly propped open for temperature control. The doneness and intended browning of the food can also be controlled by variating the distance between the food and the heat source.

Barbecuing is often associated with these cooking techniques and is quite similar to the grilling process where by the food is placed on a grill. Barbecuing uses indirect heat as opposed to direct heat with grilling. The food often times include a finishing sauce (barbecue sauce) brushed on the food just before removing from the heat.

"The Turn" is an important part of grilling, broiling, and barbecuing which is the act of flipping the food item over to cook the other side. Generally speaking, you should only turn an item once, which means cooking one side, turning it to finish the cooking, and then taking it off the grill. Since there's not much else to do, knowing when to turn is pretty much the essence of grilling, broiling and barbecuing, and it's a sense that you'll develop with experience.

Another cooking technique that falls under the same realm is called "Smoking". Similar to barbecuing, it is an indirect method of cooking using heat from smoke to infuse flavor to and cook the food. Smoking is done in an enclosed smoke box called "Smokers". Various types of hard woods like hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, alder, or maple, and woods from fruit trees such as apple, cherry, and plum are often used in smoking.

There are three types of smoking:

Hot Smoking exposes the food to smoke and heat at temperatures between 165°F (74°C) to 185°F (85°C). This is the ideal range that produces fully cooked, moist and flavorful foods. If the smoker is allowed to get hotter than 185°F (85°C), the food shrinks excessively because the higher temperatures cooks away both moisture and fat.
Smoke Roasting or Smoke Baking is often referred to as barbecuing, pit-roasting, or pit-baking that exposes the food to smoke and heat temperatures above 250°F (121°C).
Cold Smoking primarily is used as a flavor enhancer to foods such as protein-based items, and other food items. The food is typically cold smoked for a short period of time just long enough to infuse the smokey flavor into the food. The temperature of the smoke and heat is maintained below 100°F (38°C). In this temperature range, foods take on a rich, smokey flavor, develop a deep mahogany color, and tend to retain a relatively moist texture. They are not cooked as a result of the smoking process, however and are usually combined with other cooking techniques to achieve the desired cooking doneness.

The MOOve towards a healthier meat consumption

2010-01-14T10:47:00.011-08:00

Last night, Didi was telling me about a news report she saw that morning about a practice called "cow pooling". Based on her description and her recommendation, I started googling and found some great information about the subject.

First of all, cow pooling has nothing to do with transportation or a childhood prank. It is a revived movement driven by determination in addressing the health needs of using grass fed animals as food sources, the economic needs of purchasing organic food (specifically meats) at affordable prices, and the social need of knowing where our food comes from while developing closer relationships with local farmers in the processing of meat products.

Cow Pooling (or Cattle Sharing) is when a group of two or more families pool their funds together to buy a whole cow from a local rancher. They then negotiate amongst each other on the portion of cuts that each family would take. Once the cow or cattle is old enough for slaughter, the local rancher informs the families so that they can have the opportunity to view the process. Of course, this is in general sense and each rancher or farmer have their own restrictions. Additionally, the families can just elect their meats to be vacuum packed and delivered to their houses if they choose to forego witnessing the processing of the animals.

There are great benefits to purchasing meat in this manner:

Development of a direct working relationship with the source.
Since the exchange in the transaction is between two parties, the cost of the purchase is much less. Grass fed beef averages out to be about $3 to $5 per pound compared to about $16 at Whole Food stores.
A healthier option without the sacrifice of omitting meats from your diet (for those meat lovers).
Personal contribution on the elimination of animal cruelty in factory farms.

As with everything, there's also some disadvantages that is important to keep in mind:

Takes a large outlay of funds at the time of purchase especially for smaller family groups.
Takes a large commitment of freezer storage space. A typical side of beef weighs about 250 lbs. If there are four families sharing a cow, that's approximately about 125 lbs. of meat for each.
Some cuts might not be possible to get based on choices by other familes in the group. For example, if a family want's Porterhouse steaks, that eliminates another family from getting filet and New York cuts since both of these make up the Porterhouse cut.

If you are interested in cow pooling or cattle sharing, you'll have to search for a farmer or rancher offering this service local to your area. One rancher providing this service in Southern California is Megan McDowell of MM Livestock Co located in Wildomar, California. Along with cows, she also sells sheep. The sheep are crossbreeds of Suffolk and Dorper, and the cows are primarily Angus/Semmintal. The meats are Certified Naturally and Humanely Raised, and are U.S.D.A. inspected, graded and processed . They are also hormone, steroid and antibiotic free.

Roasting and Baking

2010-01-13T11:46:00.035-08:00

Roasting and baking are two types of cooking techniques using the dry heat method. They are very similar in that they use dry heat (either from a flame, the oven, or other heat source) to cook the food. The difference is that the food is kept whole during roasting, and typically involves a browning process called Maillard Reaction (pronounced mī′yär rē′ak·shən) prior to the actual roasting of the food. In contrast, the baking process are done with individually portioned items and bypasses the browning of the food before baking.

Since this method of cooking uses heated air circulating around the food, it is important to keep in mind that the fattier the food item is being roasted, the more moisture it will retain during cooking. Leaner meats like poultry and today’s cuts of pork have a tendency of drying out especially if the meat is even a little overcooked. A couple of ways to remedy this for leaner meats is to either inject them with seasoned liquid such as a brine mixture or stock, or soak them in a brine solution (brining) prior to cooking.

Brining:

Brining is a process of soaking food items in a liquid solution that includes water and salt as its basic ingredients. In the past, brining was done to preserve meats by extracting moisture to extend shelf life and prevent the meat from spoiling. Since the advent of mechanical refrigeration, this process has been abandoned by almost all meat processors.

Today, brining is used primarily to add flavor and moisture to the food prior to cooking. This will often be referred to as “flavor brining”.

(See the article by Julia Collin on The Basics of Brining)

Maillard Reaction:

This browning process is a very important step in roasting foods, especially meats; and is often referred to as "searing". It intensifies the flavor of the food and adds to the presentation during serving.

The maillard reaction is achieved when amino acids react with a reducing sugar when heat is introduced. It is named after Louis-Camille Maillard, the chemist who first introduced it in the 1910s while attempting to reproduce biological protein synthesis.

The maillard reaction occurs at temperatures 285°F (140°C) or above and can be done over a stovetop or in the oven. For this reaction to take place there needs to be three factors present – High heat, low moisture levels and high alkaline conditions.

Ø On the stovetop – The cooking vessels ideal for this procedure are made of stainless steel materials.

1. Heat the cooking vessel prior to adding the oil (to gauge the temperature of the cooking vessel, check out this video from Rouxbe).

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

2. Once the cooking vessel is at the correct temperature, add the oil.

3. Make sure to pat the surface of the food dry prior to seasoning and placing in the cooking vessel. Excess moisture in the surface of food will cause oil splatter.

4. Brown the food on all sides before continuing with the next steps of your cooking process.

Ø In the oven – The only requirement regarding cooking vessels using this method is that it be oven safe at higher temperatures.

1. Heat the oven to at least 285°F (140°C) for smaller sized foods, all the way up to 400°F (204°C) for larger sized food like whole turkey.

2. Place the food item in the cooking vessel large enough for the air to circulate around the food. Typically the cooking vessel is the same one that the food will be finished in. In lieu of this, roasting food should be elevated high enough from the bottom of the pan so as not to have contact with any liquid that escapes from the meat during the cooking process (remember, roasting is a dry heat cooking method). Food can be elevated using racks or chunks of vegetables like large cuts of carrots, celery, and onions. As with the stovetop method, it is important to make sure that the surface of the food is patted dry of excess moisture.

3. Place the cooking vessel with the food to be browned in the oven and brown to the desired color intensity.

4. Reduce the temperature of the oven and continue with the next steps of your cooking process.

Finishing:

Once the brining and browning process is done, the rest of the roasting process is very simple. The main points to remember here is the size of the food being roasted typically determines the temperature and cooking time.

Ø Slow Roasting uses temperatures between 200° - 325°F (90° - 160°C) and are ideal for larger cuts of meats and whole large poultry. The benefit to these temperatures is less moisture loss and a tender finished product. The muscles of the meat tend to lose a lot of water at higher temperature rates.

Ø High temperatures are typically used for roasting smaller cuts of meats like fillet mignon or strip loin that are small enough to finish cooking before the juices escape.

As with roasting, one important factor to keep in mind is that the more internal moisture the food item has, the faster it will cook.

Meats should be allowed to rest after the cooking process. This allows the moisture that is driven toward the center of the meat during cooking to be redistributed as the protein molecules relax and are able to reabsorb some moisture. As a result, less juice runs out of the meat when you cut into it. The larger the food item is, the longer the rest period. Smaller items like individually portioned steaks or chicken breasts can rest between 5 - 7 minutes, and larger items like whole turkey or beef roasts can rest between 10 - 15 minutes prior to carving.

It is also important to realize that foods continue to cook even after it is removed from the heat. This is called "carry over cooking" or "residual heat cooking". This being said, it is ideal to remove the food from the heat source prior to reaching the ideal cooked temperature, and tented with aluminum foil to take advantage of this carry over cooking stage during the rest period. Smaller items can be taken out at least 5 degrees prior to final temperature, and larger items can be taken out at least 10 degrees prior to final temperature. (Click here for a guide on how to use a meat thermometer and temperature chart for each type of meat).

We’re all conspiring to be gourmet so cook to your heart’s content!

Cooking 101

2010-01-12T12:31:00.025-08:00

In simple terms, cooking is a process of preparing food by applying heat. The method used in applying heat varies from different countries, cultures, environment, and preference. Generally, these methods can be categorized into one of two categories – dry heat cooking methods and moist heat cooking methods.

Dry Heat Cooking:

Dry heat cooking refers to any cooking technique where the heat is transferred to the food item without using any moisture. Dry-heat cooking typically involves high heat, with temperatures of 300°F or hotter.

Ø Roasting and Baking are forms of dry heat cooking using hot dry air to cook the food.

Ø Grilling and Broiling rely on heat being conducted through the air from open flames.

Ø Sautéing and Pan-Frying are quick methods of cooking and almost similar in techniques with a few key differences. Sautéing uses a very hot pan with a small amount of fat, and the food is kept moving by tossing or flipping the food. The word sauté means “to jump” in French. Pan-Frying differs in that there’s no tossing of the food, uses slightly more fat, and slightly lower temperature than sautéing. When pan-frying larger cuts of meats, the cooking process if often finished in the oven after the surface is cooked to the desired degree. The reason for this is that the food isn’t in the pan for very long and finishing the cooking process in the oven would insure the food is cooked through on the inside as well.

Ø Deep-Fat Frying is a technique of cooking food by submerging in hot, liquid fat.

It's worth noting that cooking methods involving fat, such as sautéing and deep-frying, are considered dry-heat methods. If this seems confusing, remember that oil and water don't mix, so while fat can take a liquid form, in many ways it's the opposite of water — hence "dry" heat.

Moist Heat Cooking:

Moist heat cooking methods include any techniques that involve cooking with moisture — whether it's steam, water, stock, wine or some other liquid. Cooking temperatures are much lower, anywhere from 140°F to a maximum of 212°F, because water doesn't get any hotter than that.

Ø Poaching, Simmering, and Boiling are different moist heat cooking methods where food is cooked either in hot water or in some other cooking liquid such as broth, stock or wine. What defines each one is an approximate range of temperatures, which can be identified by observing how the cooking liquid behaves. Each one — poaching, simmering and boiling — has certain telltale characteristics:

o Poaching Cooking in liquid with a temperature ranging from 140°F to 180°F is called poaching and is typically reserved for cooking very delicate items like eggs and fish.

o Simmering is cooking in liquid that's a bit hotter than poaching — from 180°F to 205°F. Here we will see bubbles forming and gently rising to the surface of the water, but the water is not yet at a full rolling boil.

o Boiling is the hottest of these three stages is boiling, where the water reaches its highest possible temperature of 212°F. It's actually the least likely of the three to be used for cooking. That's because the violent agitation caused by the rolling boil can be too rough on food and will often damage it.

Ø Steaming is a moist-heat cooking technique that employs hot steam to conduct the heat to the food item. Once water is heated past the 212°F mark, it stops being water and turns into steam. Steaming has an advantage over methods such as boiling or even simmering is that there is no agitation involved, so it's gentler on delicate items like seafood. And because it doesn't require the food to be submerged, it avoids the loss of nutrients through leaching. It also cooks relatively quickly.

Ø Braising and Stewing are forms of moist heat cooking that are almost similar in process.

o Braising is a method of slowly cooking meat, poultry, or meaty vegetables in a heavy-based covered pan or covered casserole, using a bed of chopped vegetables, which can also include some diced ham or bacon added for flavor. Enough liquid, such as water or stock, is added to the pot to cover the meat or meaty vegetable halfway.

o Stewing is a method in which the added liquid (beer, cider, stock, water or wine) covers the meat and is heated to just under boiling point. This technique is reserved for the toughest cuts of meat which need long, slow cooking, and the meat is generally cut into chunks to aid the tenderizing process.

Choosing the Right Cooking Technique:

Using the appropriate cooking method for the type of food being prepared is a major part of the culinary arts. Tough cuts of meat like brisket or shank need to be cooked slowly, at low heats, for a long time, and with plenty of moisture. Prepared properly, these cuts can be incredibly tender and delicious.

On the other hand, dry-heat methods typically involve very high temperatures and short cooking times. A piece of brisket cooked in this way — on a grill, let's say — would be tough, chewy and largely inedible. Interestingly enough, a beef tenderloin steak cooked using a slow, moist-heat method such as braising would also turn out tough, chewy and inedible — albeit for different reasons.

Humane Eating : The Humane Society of the United States

2010-01-05T09:20:00.003-08:00

Reduce, refine and replace. Three simple actions can prevent abuses of animals occuring every day in factory farms. They’re mutilated. They're crammed into tiny cages. And they endure often-agonizing slaughter. Sadly, this is the reality for many animals on factory farms. But you can help.

Each year U.S. factory farms raise and kill about 10 billion land animals. Just like dogs and cats, farm animals have their own personalities and interests—and can feel pain and pleasure.

Yet factory farms routinely abuse them. No federal law protects them from cruelty while on the farm, and most states exempt common agricultural practices from animal cruelty laws, regardless of how abusive.

Fortunately, all of us can help decrease their suffering by following the Three Rs:

Reduce our animal consumption.
Refine our diet by switching to higher welfare animal products (e.g., cage-free).
Replace animal products with readily available vegetarian options.

For more information, please visit the The Humane Society

Supersize Me

2009-12-31T11:06:00.001-08:00

What in the heck is a soup swap?!

2009-12-31T08:49:00.005-08:00

About soup swap... What it was? What it be? Why it be?

There's nothing more comforting than to sit by the fire sipping on something warm. Soup is the comfort food that translates in many different and diverse cultures and is usually made to be shared.

I remember having soup that my mom made every Christmas and New Year's eve that I automatically associate it as a standard staple of those holiday meals. Whether hearty, smooth, chunky or creamy, hot or cold, it warmed the cockels of my heart.

On January 24, 2010, the California Heights Farmers Market will be conducting its first soup swap which is intended to be an annual tradition. It would be a great opportunity to showcase your favorite soup recipes and sample and learn of new ones to add to your repertoire.

For more information about the California Heights Farmers Market Soup Swap, please visit
The Long Beach Sunday Market website.

Grass fed or grain fed; you decide...

2009-12-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Imagine being born in a cramped room without enough space to move forward, move backwards, or even turn around. Imagine from childhood being raised in a most strict diciplinary regiment where you are proded with electrical shocks everytime someone wants you to do anything for them. Imagine standing in your own feces day in and day out because there is not enough room to clean up after anyone. Imagine being ordered to stand up when you no longer have the strength in your legs even though you are constantly proded with an electric wand.

Imagine, as a young adult, being hung by your ankles upside down to be skinned and butchered while you are still alive.

This is no concentration camp. It is big business. Sadly, this is the fate that most farm animals meet who are born into corporate captivity; accounting for approximately 10 billion animals. We wouldn't want to be treated this way; we wouldn't want our pets to be treated this way; we shouldn't let anything be treated this way, even farm animals that are raised for food consumption.

The fact is that this is the situation in factory farms owned by the big four of the meat packing industry. It is a process hidden from us becuase we've stopped asking the questions regarding the sources of our food. The meats that we buy now comes in nicely packged containers where the beef is bright red on top and brown when we turn them over. The cattle raised for our consumption, that were then grass fed, are now fed corn to make them bulkier faster.

Corn is very disruptive to the cows stomaches so much so that they have to be constantly fed antibiotics to prevent from dying. Corn and other grains also develop highly acidic stomaches in these aminmals which creates a perfectt cultivation condition for microbial bacterias that are harmful to us. Through the constant feeding of antibitoics to these animals, the development of a antibiotic-resistant bacterias increases rendering "mircale drugs" useless.

It is these practices, by the commercial meat industry, that are responsible for the E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria outbreaks. Please understand that E. coli is not bad in itself; it would be similar to saying that all humans are bad. There are bad bacterias and good bacterias, as it is in the human gene pool. E. coli 0157:H7 is one of those bad bacterias that is harmful and causes food bourne illnesses to humans.

For beef, E. coli is a surface bacteria that can be erradicated through the cooking process; which is why it is perfectly okay to eat a rare steak where the outside of the meat is seared while the inside is still red. However when meat is grounded up and made into hamburger meat, the surface area becomes mixed with internal areas which is why it is never safe to eat undercooked hamburgers.

Additionally, grass fed cattle are much lower in fat, especially saturated fat, than grain fed cattle, and provides more Omega-3s and vitamin E (up to 4 times more). The downside to meats from grass fed cattle is the slight off flavor and odor that most people find undesirable.

This, by no means, is intended to be a dictative editorial but more so as a dissimination of information to assist in developing better understanding of how the food industry affects our lives and our health. It is a way to enlighten those who are in the dark so that we all can have insights to the decisions and paths that we choose with a clear view of where each path leads.

For those who would like to learn more, I will be posting more articles related to this subject. You can also check out other websites such as The Food Revolution, The Humane Society, and Food Inc.

Here's to a beautiful and healthier tomorrow!

The next chapter…

2009-12-28T18:35:00.005-08:00

During the past year, I've learned quite a lot more from various people about food and have shared great meals with them. The magic that food enacted this past year is that it brought us all together in such a mutually comfortable atmosphere that we soon forgot our problems and differences. Once in this atmosphere, we've reveled in the splendor of flavors and explored the taste sensations of other cultures. We've been awakened by our own eyes, noses, and taste buds to determine and solidify our own likes and dislikes, without the use of technology and without justification. All in all, we celebrated "Us"!

During the past year I've gotten involved with various passionate people that want to make a difference in the community as well as the entire world, and I have been blessed with their friendships and their enthusiasms. In my involvement with these radical thinkers, I too have sensed the increased passion within me for helping others to make this world a better place. Together, we celebrated the lives of others!

This coming year, I will turn another chapter in my life called "The Big Five Oh" and anticipate the new challenges that await me. I'm eager with anticipation and excitement for what I'm about to face but more so for where it will lead. I sense an abundance of exciting opportunities and possibilities that will only help develop my true character and better define me as the person that I truly am. I face this new chapter with traditional and radical thinking both as a learner and as a teacher; and forge on with the commitment to join in the cause to help end world hunger through education and volunteer work. This is the promise that the New Year brings and the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I eagerly welcome its arrival.

Making life a little sweeter...

2009-11-30T13:22:00.001-08:00

This year, I dedicated the Thanksgiving meal that I prepared to my mom. My mom is diabetic and she controls it with diet and careful food intake. I share her affliction since I too have been diagnosed as diabetic. Additionally, my Auntie Myr also suffers from this and she is taking insulin shots to control her illness.

I am learning that the number of people who have diabetes is increasing throughout the world. In June 2008, there were 24 million people in the United States that were diagnosed with diabetes (that's 8 percent of the population), and another 57 million were estimated to be pre-diabetic (a condition that puts them at an increased risk for diabetes).

This year, I refrained from using sugar or honey to add sweetness to the food items that I prepared. Instead, I used Splenda powder and Agave Nectar as sweetners. Apparently no one minded nor could tell the difference, and some were very surprised to know this fact. I also made use of fresh fruits and vegetables to take advantage of their fiber content. Most importantly, I was very thankful and felt reassurance that both my mom and I, and anyone else during the party who had diabetes, was able to enjoy the food without much worry of their glucose elevating to dangerous levels.

Our Part for Sustainability

2009-11-16T11:52:00.003-08:00

With ever increasing prices on food items, more and more people are starting to once again prepare their own meals as opposed to dining out or fast-food take-outs. Additionally, most of these 'born-again" cooks are more conscious of their health needs and would prefer using fresher ingredients.

The farmers markets have brought a resurgence in the way people took control of their food purchases with regards to freshness and cost efficiency. Purchasing food items, especially produce, at farmers markets is definitely a win-win situation for both the seller and the buyer. The synergy promotes an incentive for the seller to deliver lower-cost products as more buyers make purchases, and buyers are buying more because of fresher items since the sellers are local to the area.

Unlike major grocery chains, farmers market vendors are able to offer their items at a significantly reduced cost because they don't have the overhead that the major grocery stores have like electricity, shipping costs, and refrigeration. Farmers market vendors are also local to the areas which means that the travel time from the field to the market is reduced significantly; which equates to fresher produce.

Our part as consumers need to be continual and increased support for our local farmers. We also need to respect their locations during times of development so that they can continue to provide us with the freshest and most cost efficient food items available.

On Sunday, November 22, a new farmers market and community marketplace opens in California Heights. This market will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. every Sunday at the Longfellow Elementary Playground at 3088 Olive Avenue. It is made possible through a grant from the Connected Corridor Project, and it's goal is to raise funds to support green initatives in the local schools.

The market will feature fresh produce, prepared foods and a coffee cart. The market and location also includes a tot lot, chess club, art workshops, and lessons on gardening, cooking and recycling. There is also a pie baking contest for those bakers-at-heart. For more information, please visit www.longbeachsundaymarket.com

Some of the vendors include:

Gama Farms - Fall Crops - Eggs, Onions, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Rashishes, Carrots, Quince, Guava, Pomelo, Oranges, Limes, Lemons

Has Apple Farm - Great for pies and tarts. Ask for Tangy Lady when you stop by his tables!

Jesse & Family - An all around family farm. Asparagus, Leeks, Lettuce, Carrots, Beets, Peppers, Strawberries...and much more. Great produce, great farmer!!

Launas Honey - Honey and Bees Wax Candles. The candles are lovely and everyone works so hard...the bees, Launa and her husband!!

Parks Fruit - Parks farm is located in Riverside. They grow fruit year-round (apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, oranges, Jujubes, and much more).

Peanut Dudes - Robert Sapp, Owner and Operator of Peanut Dudes.com, will be at our market every Sunday. Peanut Dudes sells GOURMET NUTS. Freshly roasted and packed. They stand behind their product to be the best in taste and quality. Robert has been in business for years. And has been there to provide a quality product for his customers. Stop by and say hello!

Shortnin Bread - A local Artisan baking operation that produces responsibly made baked goods using the finest, local, sustainable, and organic ingredients whenever possible. Your farmers market patisserie, check them out weekly! Vegan and Sugar free items are coming soon!

Bards Art - Through her company Bards Art, web designer Barbara Holbrook has helped Long Beach businesses and organizations get online. She comes to the Long Beach Sunday Market monthly to lead workshops on Wordpress, a free content management system for building and maintaining websites.

If you know of any farmers markets around your area, please help spread the word by posting it here so that others may benefit from the information.

Happy marketing everyone!

My kind of comfort

2009-11-10T07:22:00.002-08:00

When I think of comfort food, I always imagine something served hot in a bowl or cup with lots of liquid and flavor. Something that goes along with cuddling up near the fireplace with a cotton blanket and perhaps a good book.

Yesterday morning, I placed a quartered onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, quartered potatoes, chunks of beef, beef stock, Beringer White Zinfandel (ran out of red wine...), balsamic vinegar, flour, a sprig of thyme, a sprig of rosemary, three bay leaves, and three crushed garlic in my large crockpot and turned it on to automatic. During lunchtime, I was able to come home from work so I added asparagus and mushrooms to the stew.

I got home last night and noticed that the stew had not thickened so I transferred it to a pot and added more flour, and let the stew boil. As Emeril Legassi said, flour doesn't thicken up the sauce until it comes to a boil. I adjusted the seasoning and tried it out. Needless to say, I just had to chilled out after and ended up watching James Taylor's Pull Over Concert on DVD. It was a quite comforting evening...

Weekend Cooking Marathon - Part 3

2009-11-09T10:13:00.004-08:00

Okay, I know that the gap in between these blogs have started to increase again... Hey, I'm doing my best to keep up...

Anyway, I got home around 11:00 that Sunday and knew that I had a lot of things to do so I didn't want to waste any time. In my head, I started organinzing the items that I was going to prepare that day and I seemed very clear that I had to start with the one that took the longest to cook, followed by the next longest, and so on.

The menus that I hoped to get through were as follows:

Osso Buco Style Oxtail Stew with white rice
Roasted Tri-Tip with au jus
Rosemary Sea Bass with Old World Pilaf and Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas with Mandarin
Shrimp and Scallop Lemon Scampi

I figured this would give Didi and I ample lunch and dinner choices for the week.

I'll skip the explanation of preparing the Oxtail Stew since I've given you the recipe back on June 6th. If you want to refer to it, you can look through the archived posts. Although I used some of homemade my beef stock instead of chicken stock since that's what's still on the stove simmering. Speaking of which, it was time for the stock to come out of the heat, cooled and stored in the refrigerator for later use.

After taking care of the stock, I filled up a pot with water and added Kosher salt to boil for my pasta. For pasta, you always want the water to taste as salty as sea water so the amount of salt you add will be determined by the amount of water you have in your pot. While waiting for the water to boil, I started working on the Tri-Tip.

Although it had a large section of fat (also known as fat cap), I kept it in tact to add more flavor to the meat. The very first thing to do was to marinade the meat so I took out my Food Saver marinating container and placed this huge hunk of beef in it (Blam!!!); sprinkled some Kosher salt (to season and to open up the pores) on all sides of the beef; then prepared the marinate.

I kept the marinate fairly simple - 1 cup of beef stock, 1 cup of red wine (I used Merlot), two tablespoons of Worscherster, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a healthy pinch of ground black pepper, and for that extra "hey, there's an interesting flavor in it that I just can't put my finger on...", 1 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar. I poured this mixture over the beef and closed the lid. I plugged in the small hose in the opening of the lid and plugged the other end of the hose to my Food Saver machine (model V2840) to suck the air out and pressurize the container. This pressurization method helps marinate the beef quicker because it helps open the pores of the meat so that the marinate can soak through to the middle. What would normally take a couple of hours was reduced to about 30 minutes.

Okay, got the Tri-Tip marinating in the fridge... On to the Shrimp and Scallop Lemon Scampi!

I added a whole package of fetuccini in the boiling water and stirred it to prevent it from sticking to each other. I took out some frozen shrimp from the freezer and set them in cold water to thaw. I get the bags of raw frozen shrimp (you guessed it...) with shell on. Thawing frozen shrimp takes about a couple of minutes to thaw in cold water so I started cutting the vegetables (1/2 cup of julienned carrots, 1/2 cup of julienned zucchini, 1/2 cup julienned onions, 2 cloves of minced garlic, and removed the stem side tips from the snow peas) immediately. After the vegetables, I de-shelled the shrimp leaving the last section of the shell and the tail in-tact. I placed the de-shelled shrimp immediately in the refrigerator and placed the shells in a quart size freezer bag, and placed it in the freezer for future shrimp stock use.

Originally, this recipe only consisted of shrimp, vegetables, and fetuccini; however Didi bought some fresh scallops from Costco the day before so I thought it would be nice to incorporate some for this dish.

The cooking process for the Shrimp and Scallop Lemon Scampi started with heating up 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter (unsalted) in large skillet. Once heated, I added the scallops making sure not to overcrowd them. The sound of sizzle needs to be heard once you put the first scallop in the pan (this means that the pan and oils are hot enough - if you don't hear the sizzle, take the scallop out immediately and wait for the pan to heat up more). Scallops don't take long to cook and the purpose here is to sear the top and bottom quickly. When seared properly, the scallops should have a golden color on both the top and bottom with uncooked middle. I set the seared scallops aside and placed the onions and carrots in the same pan to saute (I also added a pinch of Kosher salt in the pan to sweat the vegetables).

Next I tossed in the snow peas and zucchini - toss, toss; mix, mix... Then the minced garlic - toss, toss; mix, mix... Then I added the shrimp and scallops, a 1/2 cup of lemon juice (I used the one from the bottle since I forgot to get lemons), 3 tablespoons of butter, and healthy pinches of salt and ground pepper. Once the butter melted, I added about 12 ounces of the cooked fetuccini - toss, toss; mix, mix... Adjusted my seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste and immediately removed the pan from the heat. I distributed it amongst 4 small containers with lids, chopped and sprinkled fresh Italian parsley on top, cooled and placed in the refrigerator. One menu item down.... Note to self: Next time don't forget the fresh lemons and double up on the fetuccini.

Cleaned up - then took out the tri-tip to roast. As with all good roasts, the process starts with the browning of the meat so I heated up some olive oil in my 5 quart saute pan then threw in (gently... ) the meat. After about 2 - 3 minutes on one side, I flipped the meat over and waited another 2 - 3 minutes before pouring the marinate over the meat and placing the entire thing (pan and all) in a 300 degree oven (along with the stew). I didn't worry too much about how long to keep the meat in there as long as the internal temperature measures 125 degrees. Why 125 degrees?! Well I always account for residual cooking which happens during the resting time (the time between taking the meat out of the oven and cutting into it). Letting the meat rest for 5 minutes and tented (slightly covered; not wrapped) with aluminum foil generates enough heat to continue cooking the inside of the meat up to another 10 degrees. "Oh, My God!"

So while the tri-tip was resting, I started on the grains and vegetables.

How to cook white rice the no muss - no fuss method:

I poured some white rice in a small sauce pan. Yes you can cook other things in this pan other than sauce!
I went to the sink and filled the pan with water just to cover the rice.
I swirled the rice and water with my right hand. Why the right hand? Because I was holding the handle of the pan with my left hand...
Strained the water out.
Repeated steps 2 through 4 one more time. Just to make sure that I got rid of as much starch as I can.
Leveled the rice.
Filled the pan with enough water so that when I touch the rice with my middle finger, the water comes up to the first joint of the finger. I don't know why this is but it always comes up with the right amount of water for white rice.
Added a pinch of salt to the rice and water, and swirled.
Placed the pan on the stove (uncovered).
Turned the burner on to high.
As soon as the water started boiling I turned the burner off.
Covered the pan.
Placed in the oven for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Wait, I couldn't put the rice in the oven because I've got it set for 300 degrees for the Oxtail stew. I had to adjust the time to take it out.
After 30 minutes, I took the pan out of the oven and let it sit on top of the stove with the heat off. (Kept the lid on and took advantage of residual cooking, he he).
After 10 minutes, I uncovered the pan and fluffed the rice with a fork.

White rice done! Next is the Old World Pilaf... This pilaf of course has a similar process as with the golden pilaf that I prepared the night before. This is another rice mixture that I got from Whole Foods which really turned out rather well.

Both grains are done! Now for the Rosemary Sea Bass... I cut a small sprig of rosemary from my plant outside, washed it quickly, removed the leaves from the branch and chopped them (the leaves, not the branch). Then I laid the sea bass on a plate and seasoned both sides with Kosher salt and ground black pepper. I spread some olive oil onto a baking sheet and placed the sea bass on this making sure that they have plenty of room between them. Then I divided the chopped rosemary leaves between the sea bass, sprikling them on top of each. Then I placed the baking sheet in the oven along with the stew and tri-tip.

Now for the sauteed sugar snap peas and mandarin...

I heated some olive oil in my medium sized skillet and dropped in my sugar snap peas; sprikled a pinch of Kosher salt and ground black pepper; toss, toss; mix, mix... Careful, don't burn the peas! Zest the mandarin onto the peas then quickly peel and separate the mandarin; toss them into the pan; toss, toss; mix, mix... Adjust the seasoning and turn the burner off. Add some fresh thyme leaves, and "Voila!"

I took the sea bass out of the oven (perfect!), scooped some Old World Pilaf into containers, divided the Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas and Mandarin to each container, and laid a sea bass on top of the pilaf of each container. Another menu item completed and cooled...

By then, it was time to take the stew out of the oven. I set the pot on the stove and uncovered it to released the fragrance of the stew. I let the stew cook an hour longer than usual and it really made a difference to the meat. I really liked the outcome of the longer cooking time - the meat was softer and yet still held on to the bone. I adjusted the seasoning with Kosher salt and pepper, then divided it amongst 4 more of our plastic containers, along with the white rice. Three menu items done!

I finished cooking the tri-tip to 125 degrees, took it out of the oven and tented it with aluminum foil for 5 - 10 minutes on top of the stove while I cleaned up the mess that I had created. After I was done with washing the dishes in the sink and wiping down counters, I cooled the tri-tip, transferred it to a large plastic container, and placed it in the refrigerator to be sliced within the next couple of days.

I was exhausted! Yet, I was exhilirated that I completed enough meals for Didi and I to get through the week. After cleaning up the last items in the sink, it was around 7:00 p.m.

I took our two dogs out for their long awaited playtime. Ilsa, the brown one, loves to play catch with her red ball while Aria, the black one, is just a cuddler and keeps to my side as she looks up at me with her deep dark eyes. It was really a nice way to relax and end the day.

Weekend Cooking Marathon - Part 2

2009-11-03T07:00:00.005-08:00

Sunday came and trashed me out again...

I started off the day with Didi and I heading off to It's a Grind for our morning coffee. I had my usual caramel macchiato with soy milk and the bling (for those not in the know, that means whipped cream; a phrase coined by Didi herself and is now widely used throughout the It's a Grind chain). This is quite a development for me - the guy who used to refer to coffee as "battery acid" back in the Navy during my younger years. We drove in two separate cars intentionally so that from the coffee house, I could go directly to the farmer's market.

I got to the farmers market by the Long Beach Marina around 7:00 a.m. only to find out that they don't open until 9:00 a.m. I didn't want to wait there for two hours so I headed to Trader Joes just to hang out, only to find that they don't open until 8:30 a.m. So I thought I'd take my chances that Whole Foods was open and sure enough they were. Hallelujah!

I looked at all of the great produce that they had at Whole Foods but didn't pick up any knowing that I would pick up my produce at the farmers market. I headed off to the meats section and gazed at all of the meat products that they had on display. Everything looked fresh - beef provolone and asparagus rolls, lamb lollipops, marinated beef and pork meats, sausages and bangers, etc. Tempting, but I held back.

Then I ventured onto the seafood department and saw for the first time in several years - whole fish; there at Whole Foods! They had Thai Snapper with not just skin on but with bones and head and everything. The eyes were as black as a starless night without any hint of clouds so I knew that they were fresh. I had to pick one up since I don't see too many stores carrying whole fish anymore. Why the obsession in finding whole fish? Well, I get to use the bones for fish stock, of course!

I don't understand where all of the bones are going. I can't hardly find beef or pork sold that comes with bones anymore. Are we now engineering boneless cows and pigs? Boneless chicken breasts - where the heck did the bones go? I asked the meat processors at Costco (can't hardly call them butchers since there's no more butchering that goes on at these places) what they did with all of the bones when they package up their meats and they said that they get their meats from the factory without any bones. Even beef spare ribs are sold without rib bones anymore - that's a travesty!

Well, after all of that ranting and raving, I got out of Whole Foods around 8:45 so I decided to head on back to the farmers market which was only across the street. By then, every vendor was pretty much set up and other shoppers had started to flock in. There were a few things that I particularly wanted to get but for the most part, I just enjoy seeing all of what everyone has to sell.

One of my favorite vendors is the herbs people. They are located towards the middle of the market on the north side. They have all sorts of herbs like fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, fresh oregano, fresh tarragon, fresh marjoram, fresh dill, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, fresh chives, fresh lemon grass, etc. They had an herb there called Rue which was supposed to keep flies and moths away so I bought some and placed them in our cupboards and pantry where we have any sort of food items.

Another one of my favorite vendors is the guy that sells nothing but root vegetables. From various kinds of potatoes, to various kinds of carrots (oh yeah, there's various), to parsnips, to everything else edible that you could pull out from the ground. Oh, and during summer, he also sells different types of melons, some of which are not so easily found in stores.

Lastly, there's an oriental lady towards the end of the market who sells all sorts of green leafy vegetables and mushrooms that she cultivates herself. From her, I picked up some baby bok choy, fresh shitaki and oyster mushrooms to cook with.

After picking up a few other items from the other vendors, I made my way back home.

(Still yet to be continued...)

Weekend Cooking Marathon

2009-11-02T14:16:00.004-08:00

I had a blast this weekend in preparing our meals for this week. I started off by making beef stock and chicken stock on Saturday morning, followed by rotisseried whole chicken, golden pilaf, and steamed sweet corn kernels for dinner. I don't want to get ahead of myself and spoil everything for you so I'll do the play by play commentary. It would be disappointing for me to just tell you what we had without me explaining the process.

It was imperative that I started with making the beef stock because overall it would take the longest to complete. Generally beef stock simmers for 24 to 48 hours while chicken stock only takes 6 to 8 hours. Needless to say, that took out two of my 12,000 BTU burners on my stove, leaving me with two 9,500 BTU & the big mama 18,000 BTU burners.

I started the beef stock by coating a large beef rib with olive oil and placing it on a baking sheet to roast of my convection oven at 350 degrees Farenheit for about 20 - 25 minutes. You can also do this on the stove by browing the meat in a saute pan, although the oven will give you a more consistently even browing. If you are trying this out, I will have to warn you that this will be the time when people will start to come to the kitchen to see what you are cooking.

While the rib was browning, I started preparing my mirepoix which is a fancy term for cut up onions, carrots, and celery. This is the part of the flavor base of many soups, stocks and broths.

What's that? Aren't they all the same things?! Why, no - my young padawan... soups are the finished products that is made of stocks or broths, and other ingredients. They are seasoned and ready-to-eat. Stocks and broths however are generally not seasoned (not salted), although most of the ones that you purchase from the store are pre-seasoned. The problem with using them is that you limit the control that you have in the amount of salt added to the final dish especially if you are using them in some sort of reduction sauce. Since the moisture in a reduction sauce gets evaporated, the concentration of the seasonings get intensified. For sauces, it is always best to do your final seasoning towards the end.

Oh yeah, stocks and broths - they are almost similar in the cooking process except that stocks are made with bones and cartilage while broths are made with meats. The difference is the end consistency where you would see a more gelatenous liquid for cold stocks while cold broths will remain watery liquids.

How's my rib doing?... Okay, just about there. Anyway, as I said, I prepared my mirepoix (one large onion quartered, one medium carrot cut into 1 inch slices, one rib of celery cut into 1 inch slices). I also prepared my herbs (1 sprig of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove of garlic, and 7 peppercorns). Lastly, I prepared my tomato paste and deglazing liquid (2 ounces of sherry).

Once the rib was browned (not burnt), I placed it in a 4 quart stock pot filled with cold water (very important that stocks are started with cold water) about 3/4 of the way full. I then placed my mirepoix in the same sheet pan that I roasted the meat and placed it in the oven to roast for about 5 minutes. I swirled the vegetables around the pan to dislodge as much of the brown bits (called fond) from the roasting of the meat. I then added one tablespoon of tomato paste to the vegetables and mixed it to get fully incorporated, then placed the pan back into the oven until the paste is brick red in color (again, not burnt). I deglace the pan with the sherry and scaped everything into the stock pot. Then I add enough cold water to reach about 1 inch from the rim of pot.

I added the herbs, garlic, and pepper corns into the pot and turned the fire on medium to high heat. By the way, the herbs, garlic, and pepper corns can be placed inside a cheesecloth tied with a twine (called bouquet garni - see my article from June 18 regarding this). I just threw mine in directly into the pot since I'm going to end up straining the whole thing anyway and discarding the solids.

Once the water started that rolling boil, I turned down the heat to simmer and this is where the magic really starts. After about a couple of minutes of simmering, white bubbly islands started to develop at the top of the stock called impurities which I proceeded to skim off. I had to do this several times since over the course of simmering, more impurities would surface. Those darn impurites!

Well, the rest was all down hill since all I had to do is make sure that the stock didn't boil (just simmer), and that I refilled the pot with more water to an inch from the rim of the pot.

While the beef stock was simmering, I made my chicken stock with the back of a chicken that I had in the freezer just for this occasion. Oh, and I also had a chicken neck with it. For the chicken stock, I intended it to be a white stock so I ommitted the roasting process including the tomato paste and the deglazing liquid. I just threw (actually gently placed) the bones, mirepoix and herbs in another 4 quart stock pot and filled it with cold water just to an inch from the rim of the pot. The rest of the cooking process was similar to the beef stock.

Why go through all this hassle just to make stock? Well, for me it keeps me in practice and I know exactly what goes into my stock. It's also very economical and cost effective for me to make it myself since the price of beef stock at the store averages about $3.00 per 32 ounces while my cost is around $2.00 per 128 ounces. My cost for chicken stock is somewhere around $1.50 per 128 ounces. I have about 32 ounces in the refrigerator handy while I freeze the rest in smaller containers for when I need them.

So now that I had my stock going, I started dinner by injecting a whole chicken with my flavor enhancer. My flavor enhancer was liquid based made from a mixture of quarter cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and a half cup of cold water. Normally, I would truss the chicken before I inject the meat with this concoction but the one I purchased from Fresh and Easy was already tied up. I like it when grocery stores make it easy for me like this. After injecting the chicken with flavor, I placed it in the rotisserie spit, sprayed the chicken with oil and rubbed it with salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. I positioned the spit in its holder of my Ronco Rotisserie, set it for 45 minutes for a 3 pound bird, and forget it. Got the protein taken care of and on to the starch and fiber of the meal.

For the accompaniment, I decided to make it simple as well but not ordinary (like rice or pasta). I decided to make use of the grains that I had purchased from Whole Foods called Golden Pilaf which was comprised of quinoi, millet, green lentils, and yellow split peas. How did I know how to make this dish?! Well the name of the product basically told me - Pilaf. While some would think that Pilaf is a type of grain or ingredients that comprise the dish, they would be wrong. Pilaf is a cooking process that I will describe for you now by telling you of how I prepared the accompanying dish for the chicken.

I first started by dicing an eighth of an onion into small dice (about a quarter inch square - although you don't need to be exact, you can chop it up to little bits for all I care). In a small pot, I heated up about a tablespoon of olive oil and sweated the onions (don't burn...), then I added the grains (about a cup) to coat with the oil. I then deglazed the pot with about an ounce of sherry (you can also use any type of white wine that you like - although I'd stay away from sweet wines like Reislings or dessert wines; especially dessert wines!) After which, I dipped into some of that great chicken stock that I just made (about 1 and a half cups worth - that's okay I've got plenty!) and added my seasonings (pinches of Kosher salt and pepper). I stirred it and let it continued cooking until it started to boil. I then reduced the heat to simmer, covered the pot and let it continue to simmer for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, I turned off the heat (no peeking!). Hey, get your hands away from the lid! Keep it covered for at least 10 minutes before opening the lid.

While I was waiting, I took out the frozen white corn that I had reserved in the freezer just for these types of occassions and place the corn kernels in a small bowl. I added about 2 teaspoons of water, a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper, and placed it into the microwave oven... Whah?????! Yes, that's right... I said a microwave oven - don't worry, I know what I'm doing! After all, I am a trained professional! I set the microwave oven for three minutes and pressed start just after I heard the Ronco Rotisserie binged. I let the chicken sit in the Ronco for another five minutes to settle the internal juices while I plated the grains and corn. I took out the chicken and cut the thigh and drumstick combo for my wife and I (one for each), and that's what we had for dinner Saturday night.

Getting back to the stocks -
Once the chicken stock had simmered for six hours, I turned off the heat and strained it onto a clean plastic bucket. I positioned the bucket in the sink filled with ice water (I plugged the sink of course) while I strained the stock. With stock, it is important that it is cooled right away so that it can properly be refrigerated. Once cooled, I covered the bucket with it's airtight lid and placed it in the refrigerator. This week I will divide it into smaller containers for freezing.

... And that was only Saturday (to be continued....)

Mesclun Salad with Bitter Melon, Gorgonzola Cheese and Lemon Ginger Dressing

2009-09-15T23:44:00.023-07:00

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've posted something new so I thought I better get back to this blog. Recently I've been concentrating on a few various projects, one of which is a series of how to videos on cooking. This segment is a sample of a video that we recorded at the Bolivar Park Community Center in Lakewood. It originated from a project that I put together, along with the assistance of some of my close friends. This is a rough edit and a pilot segment so please do give me your thoughts on this. Thanks everyone, and enjoy.

Bouquet Garni

2009-06-18T22:17:00.004-07:00

A great way to incorporate flavor and aroma into a dish that you are cooking is to add a bouquet garni. This is a French term directly translated as "garnished bouquet" and is made by bundling herbs (traditionally, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, and fresh bay leaf) usually tied together with a string and dropped into the dish being cooked. Other items that typically go into bouquet garnis are crushed garlic cloves and peppercorns.

The best uses for bouquet garni are in slow cooking dishes like braised meats and vegetables, and soups because it allows for enough time to extract flavors from the bouquet garni to meld into your cooking. Another method of bundling the herbs is to use cheesecloth and kitchen twine. I use a tea infuser so that I don't have to worry about discarding twine or cheesecloth. The used bouquet garni, I toss in our composte bin for our fruit trees. The infuser, I wash and dry ready for the next time I need it. Go green, my friends!

By the way, you don't have to stick with the traditional herbs for all of your dishes. You can vary what you include in your bouquet garni based on the type of food you're cooking. For example, in heartier dishes like beef stew, try using marjoram, oregano, rosemary, or sage. For light soups, try using basil to brighten the flavor. Experiment with the different combinations of flavors.

You can purchase tea infusers like the one on the photo or something similar at local kitchen equipment stores, department stores or online like Enjoying Tea dot com.

Hunger

2009-06-10T19:46:00.010-07:00

"Three basic requirements of every human being to physically survive are food, clothing, and shelter..." my mom told my sisters and I when we were kids. Now that I'm at the ripe age of twenty five... alright, forty - - - eight - - - and a half, that lesson is still with me. "If you want to keep working," she continued, "you would be better off in the restaurant business because everybody will always need to eat." Aside from not accounting for FoodTV network, economic downturns and the influx of competitive chefs out there, she wasn't half wrong...

Well, I'm not writing this post to talk about my mom (for you see, mom is an honorable woman...), nor is this blog about me.

It is about the awakening and the realization that my mom was giving us a lesson in basic human survival. I also don't think that it's coincidental that she described the basic needs in that order - food, clothing, shelter. In order for any living creature to survive, they need to eat. In order for us to be healthy, we need to consume 2100 Kilocalories per day (on an average).

Unfortunately there are people around the world who get less than that per week and even more unfortunate ones who get less than that per month. Our bodies need calories because it converts it to energy. Without energy, our body slows down our physical and mental capacities, and if our bodies lack enough energy, we become immune tolerant to diseases even to the point of death. Sadly, the number of people in this situation is in the 963 million count, and the number continues to go up. Since 1990, the numbers are growing at an alarming rate of four million per year.

Malnutrition occurs when the body constantly does not get the daily requirements of micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It is the largest contributor of diseases, and when children suffer from malnutrition, they are susceptible to reduced physical and mental development. Malnutrition is a delibitating condition because it depletes the person of the will to live and is associated to 5.8 million deaths (according to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004 July).

The world has an abundance of food and yet one in seven people is suffering from hunger, and one in three children is undernourished.

So, what can we do? Well, the best way to find out is to check out the World Food Program website at http://www.wfp.org/hunger to learn more, and then get involved.

As for me, I am developing a three phase project starting with raising awareness. This will be my first step and contribution in making an impact for the cause to end world hunger. There is enough food to feed the entire global population of 6.7 billion people. There's no reason why anyone should go hungry.

Mechado with Fried Polenta

2009-06-08T20:26:00.015-07:00

The word Mechado is a Spanish term that refers to the pork back-fat, or mecha (wick), that was threaded through the thick pieces of cheaper and leaner cuts of beef (traditionally beef brisket) to make them more tender and moist during the cooking process. The meat is then marinated in soy sauce and vinegar or calamnsi (Filipino lime) juice, crushed garlic, black pepper and bay leaf.

We're using the meat of the short ribs from a cost value standpoint, and even though the larding process seem unnecessary with this cut of meat the bacon provides another dimension of flavor to the beef. Many cooks also have skipped the browning process which is critical to the success of this dish. Browning the meat helps develop that rich meaty flavor and gives the meat the appearance of a classic dish. The meat is then braised, which is a long slow cooking process over low heat, to tenderize the meat and thicken the sauce.

Traditionally, this dish would be served with white steamed rice. Here we are substituting the rice with fried polenta so as not to take away from the flavor of the mechado.

For the polenta:
12 ounces chicken stock
4 ounces cornmeal
salt and pepper, to taste
1 ounce olive oil

For the mechado:
3 pounds beef short ribs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 strips bacon
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces dry sherry
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves, whole
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 large onions, quartered
2 large carrots, obliqued
4 large red potatoes, diced large
2 teaspoons pimiento, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh parsley, optional

In a large bowl, mix lemon juice and soy sauce together to make a marinade. Marinade the beef and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

While the beef is marinading, prepare the polenta by brining the milk to a simmer over medium-low heat. Once the milk comes to a simmer, rain in the polenta while whisking to incorporate evenly with the milk. Continue whisking while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking the polenta until the liquid has evaporated - constantly stirring so as not to burn the polenta at the bottom of the pot.

Line an 8" x 8" square pan with parchment paper and pour the polenta mixture in the square pan. Spread evenly and let cool on the counter. Once cooled, place the pan in the refrigerator to continue firming the polenta.

Prepare and cut the vegetables and set aside.

Cut the bacon in long strips (enough for each short rib). Remove the beef short ribs from the refrigerator, cut a slit in each lengthwise and insert a strip of bacon (don't throw out the marinade). Once all of the short ribs have been prepared, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown the meat a few at a time (do not overcrowd the bottom of the pot - this will cause the meat to sweat instead of brown). As each batch of meat comes out of the pot, cut them into smaller portions (approximately 1 inch square). After all of the meat is browned and cut, deglaze the pot with dry sherry and place all of the meat back into the pot.

Add the marinade, tomato sauce, water, garlic and bay leaves. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 45 minutes or until meat is just about tender.

In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour to form the thickening agent and add this thickener to the sauce. At this time, also add in the onions, carrots, potatoes and pimiento. Cover and continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small saute pan, heat olive oil. Remove the polenta cake from the pan and cut into triangles or desired shapes. Pan fry the polenta cakes until crisp and golden color.

Serve mechado in a bowl with the polenta cakes and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 1209 Calories; 97g Fat (73.2% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 185mg Cholesterol; 1748mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1-1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 2-1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 14 Fat.

Copyright: April 2008

Osso Buco Style Oxtail Stew

2009-06-06T19:55:00.017-07:00

Okay, time to post some recipes. The first recipe I'm posting here in my kitchen is one that is derived from a filipino dish called Kare Kare, which is an oxtail stew with peanut sauce. With the increasing number of people allergic to nuts, I thought it would be best to separate the nuts from the dish and people can add it as they please.

I've incorporated this dish with the techniques for preparing Osso buco (an Italian dish, loosely translated, 'hollow bone'). Osso buco is typically served with gremolada which is a garnish made with minced parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. I have decided to use a basil and roasted peanut pesto for the garnish of this dish to add back at least a hint of the peanut flavor.

Try it out and let me know how you like it...

For the oxtail stew:
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4 pounds oxtails
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrot, diced
3/4 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce
8 ounces string beans, cut into 3"
lengths
2 cups eggplant, cut into large cubes
4 ounces baby bok choy

1. Heat oven to 300-°. In a small bowl - mix flour, salt, and pepper. Pat oxtails dry on absorbent paper towels, dredge in flour mixture and shake well to remove excess.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large pot until fragrant. Brown oxtail on all sides, a few pieces at a time.
3. When all the meat is bronwed, arrange them back in the large pot for even cooking. Add the herbs, onion, garlic, carrots and a couple of pinches of Kosher salt. Cover and cook over a very high heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Add wine, broth, and tomato sauce and place in the oven, covered for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove from the oven and add the remaining vegetables, cover and place back in the oven for another 1/2 hour or until oxtail is tender but not falling off of the bone. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the pesto:
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 pinch kosher salt
1 pinch fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil

1. Coursely chop all ingredients and mix together with the olive oil, or place all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse about three to four times.
2. After plating the stew, top with pesto to finish the dish.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 267 Calories; 20g Fat (68.3% calories from fat); 3g
Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 656mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 4 Fat.

Serve with Parmesan Risotto.
Copyright: April 2008

Herb, spice or seasoning?

2009-06-05T09:47:00.016-07:00

I've often been asked about the differences between an herb, a spice and seasoning. The answer is in two parts.

The first part of the answer addresses the difference between an herb and a spice.

An herb is the leaf or petal of a plant or flower that is either dried or used fresh. There are a variety of herbs, such as St. Johns Wort, which are used for medicinal purposes, and herbacious plants used for decorating a room. However, for our purposes here, we will concentrate on the culinary herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, etc.

Spices, on the other hand, are various parts of the plant, other than the leaf or petal, that are typically dried. Some examples of spices include cinnamon (the dried bark of small evergreen trees), peppercorns (the fruit of the flowering vine of a pepper plant in the botanical family Piperaceae), and saffron (the dried stigma of the crocous flower; also known to be the most expensive spice in the world due to the way it is harvested).
The second part of the answer addresses the ingredient's relationship to the flavor.

Herbs and spices add flavor to the dish, where as seasonings bring out or enhances the flavor of the dish. A good example of seasoning is salt. Yes salt adds salty taste to the dish but its main characteristic is that it brings out the flavor of the food that it is added to.

Is this really important? Probably not. What is important is knowing what each herb, spice, and seasoning does to the flavor of the food. There are herbs that usually go well with certain types of meats, and there are spices that are inherent of each cuisine. For example, thyme goes well with poultry, and just about any other meat product it is added to, whereas if you were cooking an Asian dish, chances are that you probably will not use rosemary. Tumeric is typically found in Indian dishes as part of a curry mix, whereas violets are typically found in French provencial cooking. Of course, these are only rules and rules are made to be broken. Overall, the best indicator of which herb, spice, or seasoning goes well for each dish is your taste.

Where do I begin?!

2009-06-04T23:54:00.008-07:00

It feels like I've opened the doors to a whole new world and I'm free to explore in all sorts of directions. I'm overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities of this opportunity to divulge my thoughts out into the open and at the same time, excited and filled with trepidation. I can just hear one of my coaches from my past, "take the first step and the rest of the steps will follow..."

Well, here goes...

The term "mise en place" (pronounced [miz·ã·plas]) is a French phrase which literally translates to "putting in place". In the culinary industry, it is a widely used term that describes the proper preparation of ingredients and equipment for food preparation and assembly stations. For every service in a professional kitchen, this is the starting point for all dishes created and served.

I chose "Mise en Place" as the title of this blog because I had intended for this blog to be my preparation and resource for developing projects. It will also serve as a vehicle to test out ideas such as recipes and techniques. Additionally, having this blog will force me to write more consistently and at the same time hopefully greatly develop my journalistic skills.

I also will be referring this blog spot as "My Kitchen" because at home, it is usually where all my friends and I congregate. It is my domain and the room that I feel most comfortable in. In this kitchen, I've specifically painted the walls in a maroonish-red and yellow motif to symbolize fire. I've also added some blues and greens to some areas to temper the heat and bring out the sizzle.

... So sit back, relax and make yourselves comfortable. Welcome to my kitchen...