Food 4 Thought

Tonight I had the pleasure of enjoying one of the finest bottles of wine I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. It was totally unexpected. I purchased several bottles of vintage port about 10 years ago. The first couple were good, but nothing special. I saved this one, I’m not sure why. If I’d [...]

Commercials rarely depict men in a favorable position relative to women A few weeks ago I wrote about the anti-male attitude of NFL sponsors in their commercials. I’ve continued watching and it hasn’t gotten any better. Sponsors continue to use anti-male ads to sell their products and services to a largely male audience. Just a [...]

I love mac & cheese. I don’t make it as often as I should, but I love the stuff. I also love experimenting with it by using different meats, different cheeses, different vegetables; adding a little stock, wine, or beer; or using cream, buttermilk, milk, even sour cream. Sometimes I use different pasta, but plain old elbow macaroni works best. My latest attempt was quite tasty. All measurements are approximate as I measured nothing. The only thing I can say for certain is that I used a 2 lb. package of macaroni.

This entry is part 9 of 9 in the series BBQ 101 Image via Wikipedia Sides, Spirits, and other Beverages Almost as important as the BBQ itself, is the things to eat along with it. Baked beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, and corn on the cob are quite traditional. But making a few non-traditional items [...]

This entry is part 7 of 9 in the series BBQ 101 Image via Wikipedia It definitely grills, if it has gills Grilling fish is a little trickier than most other foods. It can be flakey and has a tendency to stick which makes it fall apart a little more often. But don’t let it [...]

This entry is part 8 of 9 in the series BBQ 101 Image by F. Tronchin via Flickr Slice, don’t dice, and it grills real nice Grilling vegetables is easy. Cut them into even slices, no more than about ½ to ¾ inch thick (thinner if you like). The key is to cut them to [...]

This entry is part 1 of 9 in the series BBQ 101What is BBQ? The word “barbecue” is said to have orginated in the Caribbean and derived from “barabicu” which translates to “sacred fire pit.” The process of roasting the meat was “barbacoa” and consisted of digging a hole in the ground, placing large pieces [...]

This entry is part 4 of 9 in the series BBQ 101 Image via Wikipedia Knives, Utensils, and other Accoutriments There are a lot of places out there that will try to convince you that you need to purchase nearly every tool under the sun as being necessary for a successful barbecue. Truth is, you [...]

This entry is part 2 of 9 in the series BBQ 101 Image via Wikipedia Burn Baby Burn In general, the harder the wood, the higher the heat, but wood should be chosen as much for flavor as temperature. So choose carefully. I like mesquite for most anything. It has a great flavor and it [...]

This entry is part 3 of 9 in the series BBQ 101Grills & Smokers Choosing the right equipment can be as easy as purchasing a grill from Home Depot and buying a bag of charcoal, firing it up, and tossing on some burgers & dogs. But for the best results, it’s good to know what [...]

This entry is part 6 of 9 in the series BBQ 101 Image by SaCaSeA via Flickr If you can kill it, you can grill it If someone were to tell me I had to choose one thing to grill on the BBQ for the rest of my life, I think… … I’d go completely [...]

This entry is part 5 of 9 in the series BBQ 101The Secret to Sauce My first chef job was running an outdoor charcoal BBQ grill. The specialty of the house was lamb chops. I was told by many regulars that I did the chops better than anyone else. Why? Well it wasn’t because I [...]

This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series BBQ 201   Marinade 2 cup Soy Sauce ¼ cup Olive Oil 1 cup Pineapple Juice 1 Lemon, juiced & zested 1 Orange, juiced & zested 1 Onion, diced 3 cloves Garlic, smashed 1 oz Ginger, peeled & sliced ¼ cup Molasses ½ cup Sugar 1 [...]

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series BBQ 201 With Sweet Corn and Baked Potatoes Ingredients 1 medium potato per person 1 ear sweet corn per person 5-6 lbs boneless chicken thighs 1 bottle pilsner beer 1 lime 3-4 cloves garlic, minced ½ large onion, diced 3-4 sprigs rosemary leaves, stripped from [...]

This entry is part 3 of 7 in the series BBQ 201When I manned the grill at Cima in City of Industry, CA I was told by many self-professed experts that I made the best lamb chops they had ever tasted, and several of these experts were world travelers who had eaten lamb chops everywhere [...]

This entry is part 1 of 7 in the series BBQ 201 Image via Wikipedia Its hard to imagine that I went through my entire childhood without eating this. Then again, its hard to imagine that I grew up in a town that didn’t even have a Taco Bell until I got to high school. [...]

This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series BBQ 201 Salmon 8 – 6 oz salmon fillets 1 oz olive oil Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder Season and marinate slalmon in olive oil for 30 minutes. Grill until done. Blackberry – Mango Sauce 10 oz mango jelly or mango nectar 1 cup [...]

This entry is part 2 of 7 in the series BBQ 201 Image via Wikipedia My favorite hamburgers – ’nuff said. Burgers Ground beef (¼ lb per burger) Roasted red bell peppers, minced Minced garlic Minced onion Bleu cheese, crumbled Worcestershire sauce Salt & pepper  Mix all ingredients (just a dash of Worcestershire) and form [...]

This entry is part 7 of 7 in the series BBQ 201I like to serve this for brunch or dinner with a salad and/or soup. But it can also be served as a appetizer or used as a dip or spread. My 2 1/2 year old grandson thought it was cool because he thought he [...]

This entry is part 3 of 5 in the series BBQ 301Deep fried turkey – Yum! There’s one sure-fire way to score a few points with the family on Thanksgiving and that’s to give up a half of football and help with dinner. It’s not as bad as you might think. If you can barbeque, [...]

This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series BBQ 301 Image via Wikipedia Grilled gumbo? Yes it can be grilled. Roux All purpose flour Vegetable oil Chicken stock or water (cold or at room temperature, not hot) Cayenne, paprika, salt, pepper, bay leaf, thyme File powder (do not add until soup is ready [...]

This entry is part 2 of 5 in the series BBQ 301    Acorn Squash 1 squash per 2 persons Olive oil or melted butter Salt, Pepper Cut each squash in half and remove seeds, brush cut side with oil or butter and season. Place cut side down on grill. Grill until soft, turn if [...]

A California Take on a Southern Classic
I like to roast the squash, carrots, and Brussels sprouts on the grill to give them a nice smokey flavor. Shrimp can be either grilled of deep fried. A unique feature is the breaded and deep fried grits.

I hope everyone had a very happy and pleasant Thanksgiving. I am still a bit under the weather, having had this cold for about three weeks now, but I still managed a very pleasant holiday. I wish I could have posted this prior to turkey day, but I hadn’t tested the recipe. Now I know it works so if you’re planning on turkey for Christmas, you might have a go at grilling it.

3 cups Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix Orange Juice 2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries Mix pancakes according to package instructions, substituting orange juice for the water. Stir in blackberries. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Pour approx. 3 oz batter plus 5-6 blackberries onto hot griddle. Grill pancakes in oil being careful not to burn [...]

Bratwurst is, without a doubt, my favorite sausage. This is one of my favorite ways to eat it. But if you like other types of sausage such as Italian or Polish, give those a try. I sometimes use all three.

Ok, really if there’s a chef in Ohio who doesn’t make these things, then he should probably move to Michigan. Even this transplant to the Golden State loves to make Buckeyes during bowl season. For those of you who may not know, a buckeye is a poisonous nut that resembles a chestnut. It’s also a [...]

Lately I’ve been on a mission to perfect the biscuit, or at least the buttermilk biscuit. I think I’ve stumbled on a recipe that is pretty darned close to perfection. Not only that, it’s easily adaptable to a wide variety of flavored biscuits. As an added bonus, these are made without all the added fat from butter or shortening called for in many other recipes.

These cinnamon biscuits are a quick and easy alternative to yeast bread cinnamon rolls. The recipe is a slight variation of my Buttermilk Biscuit recipe.

There’s nothing quite like a big hearty bowl of soup on a cold winter day and clam chowder is one of my favorite soups. There is great debate over what differentiates chowder from soup or stew. When I was in culinary school, one chef told us that a chowder has three distinct features. On is that it is flavored with pork, typically pork belly, bacon, or ham. Two is that it contains dairy, usually milk and/or cream. Finally, it is thickened with cracker crumbs or old biscuits. That said, I’ve never really found any verification for any of it. Other’s claim that it merely a stew (which is a thickened soup) containing seafood or vegetables.

This recipe is excellent with the Curried Mushrooms with Eggplant and Saffron Rice. Leave out the mushrooms and season with curry powder and cumin.  2-3 lbs chicken thighs (bone in and skin on) 1 large onion, julienned 4-6 cloves garlic, minced ½ – 1 lb mushrooms, whole or sliced (optional) Salt, pepper, other seasonings as [...]

Just like momma used to make – only better. I prefer whole roasted pieces of chicken on the bone to shreds or chunks, but you can use shreds or chunks if you wish. Just mix them into the dumplings instead of placing the whole piece on top. I also love curry and along with the saffron, curry powder turns the dumplings a really nice shade of yellow. But this could also be seasoned in whatever style you like. These are noodle dumplings, not big globs of dough. They’re like a thick pasta, tender but with a bit of a chew.

I love Indian food and my favorite dish is Baingan Bartha (curried eggplant). This is a variation with mushrooms added that you probably won’t find at an Indian restaurant. A similar dish is called mushroom masala, but that does not contain the eggplant. 1 lb sliced mushrooms 2 large eggplants 4 Roma tomatoes 2 onions, [...]

I am somewhat of an aficionado of moderately priced ports and this happens to be one of the better ones I’ve found.

All morning long, I was asked to explain what I had brought for lunch. I didn’t really know what to call it. It wasn’t lasagna anymore (no pasta). It wasn’t even Italian. It resembled something out of a French kitchen or perhaps something out of the deep south in the USA. I simply told them it was a modified lasagna made with grits, spinach, and chicken. Given the looks I got, I was afraid no one would have the courage to even give it a try. So I tempted them with dessert. When I told them I’d also made oatmeal pie I thought they were going to toss me out into the street.

I love brownies. I really love those brownies that have that thin crispy crunchy crust on the top, with an almost oozy, gooey center and just enough cake on the bottom to hold the thing together. The key to getting this is a nearly flourless recipe and absolutely not overcooking them. I have now perfected the brownie. Oh yeah, I never add nuts. Aside from that initial crunch when I bite into them, I like them to melt in my mouth. I don’t ever want to have to chew one. The chocolate chips in this recipe melt in the oven and dissolve into the brownies adding to the gooey lusciousness.

In the midst of an almost unbearable summer heat wave (triple digits here in SoCal), my granddaughter talked her ‘rents into a quick stop at BevMo where she proceeded to fill two sixpacks with no-name brand sodas. For the most part it was a variety of little known brands of root beer, but there were a couple of orange sodas and crème soda as well. One of these caught my attention.

Chicken, Spinach, and Swiss Cheese Crepes Topped with a Poached Egg This recipecan be adjusted for those who can’t make or don’t want to spend the time making crepes. Just substitute flour tortillas and pretend you’re making enchiladas. They come out great. I prefer to use boneless chicken thighs, but skiless, boneless breasts work too. [...]

TV Ads Turn Men Into Buffoons Over the first three weeks of the NFL season, I couldn’t help but notice the number of TV ads that portray men in negative stereotypes. Not all of this is bad mind you, but when it’s combined with strong, positive images of females breaking negative female stereotypes by making [...]

Apparently some woman has decided to sue Ferrero, the parent company to Nutella, makers of the popular sandwich spread, because it isn’t as healthy as Ferrero claims. Marketed as “part of a balanced meal” and ideal for moms trying to “nourish their children with whole grains” the product is actually loaded with sugar and fat. [...]

Image via Wikipedia Broccoli Slaw 10 oz carrots, julienne 10 oz broccoli stems, julienne 1 oz red cabbage, shredded fine ½ cup plain yogurt ½ cup sour cream ¼ cup pomegranate red wine vinegar ¼ cup honey 2 cloves garlic, fine mince Salt, pepper Blend yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, honey, garlic, salt, and pepper until [...]

Back in the mid-90’s, Samuel Adams released what might just be the oddest beer I’ve ever tasted. It tasted syrupy, thick, rich, and heavy. It was almost sickeningly sweet and I had difficulty finishing even the small, 7 oz. bottle it was sold in. But don’t get me wrong. It was quite good in small amounts, but it was like drinking a heavy syrup, and it quickly became too much.

Another variation on my Buttermilk Biscuit recipe. The balsamic vinegar and honey really add sweetness and zing to the strawberries.

A Quick & Easy Dinner This one uses pre-prepared canned and frozen ingredients. Sometimes quick is preferable to fresh but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be good. For this one, I did my shopping at Trader Joe’s. The adults were impressed with the complexity of flavors and the grandkids ate it up. Sweet and [...]

Image via Wikipedia This dish is light and fluffy and moderately sweet. It is the perfect accompaniment to a holiday dinner and works quite well with turkey, chicken,  ham, or pork chops. Serve it warm onas a side or place it into shells and serve it cold as sweet potato pie for dessert. Blending until [...]

End of the World Dishes Ok, according to the Mayan calendar the world ends this December. I figure that means that it is time to consider what to eat on that fateful day. I figure I’ll open this one up to anyone who has an appropriate suggestion. I’ll go first. How about Alpaca lips stew [...]

My wife’s company decided to hold its holiday party at the Pomona Valley Mining Company situated in the hills overlooking thePomonaValley. The view is spectacular and the rustic exterior is very reminiscent of an old mine. It’s the kind of place that as you drive by on the 10 Freeway you think “I’m gonna eat there someday.” My expectations were high. But the pictures of PMVC that could be found online depict a somewhat similar setting, rustic, yet elegant. So there was no reason not to expect more; at least not until I stepped inside.

A yeast infection can be a good thing.

Leave a link to your blog or website For those of you who may have blogs or websites of your own, feel free to leave a link on the Visitor’s Blog area in the right hand column. I’ll check it out and if it’s not totally distastful (pornographic, etc.), I’ll leave it up and you [...]

On our most recent trip to Napa Valley (in 2009), my wife and I stayed at the Shell Vacations Resort which is part of the Meritage Resort & Spa on the grounds of the Trinitas vineyards. It’s an Old World style resort modeled on Tuscan villas that includes the resort, vineyards, restaurant, and an Estate [...]

2009 Chardonnay, Proprietor’s Reserve A couple of weeks ago I reviewed the 2009 Pinot Noir from this vineyard. I enjoyed it, but thought it might be overpriced. I really can’t say the same here. This wine was completely unimpressive. But I will say this; I may not be the best person to speak to about [...]

Being a chef in Southern California requires the ability to cook a handful of dishes from a wide variety of different ethnic cuisines. I can do this and I can do it fairly well… I had eaten chiliquillas once. It was nothing like what I fixed. But I suppose that what I fixed had enough of a resemblance to be given the name.

How to deal with a picky eater Mealtimes can be one of the most stressful times of the day when dealing with young children. Many children can become picky eaters, some may even develop food neophobia (fear of new foods). At such times, parents may feel conflicted as to how to deal with a child [...]