It's Been Too Long!

I feel as though I have abandoned my child at the side of the road. For years I have wanted to be a food writer and just when I started to get an audience for my writing, I drop you all!
Well it is not as though I don't have a reason. (Double negative?)
And what could be the reason?
Work. Yes, work. This whole working thing is kicking my tush! You know, the whole, two days on two days off! It is the worst.

I know. I must be joking.
But I hate to say it: I'm not. I am done after two days. It is silly. It is ridiculous. But after eight hours on my feet, I start to glaze over. My knuckles ache from gripping on to my knife all day. My back and shoulders hurt from being hunched over my table constantly. I have athlete's foot because my feet spend hours in my soggy, sweaty Crocs. The kitchen smell has reentered my life (imagine the smell of vomit, yup, that's it). I come home reeking of it.

And this is not exciting work. What I do is not like what you see on TV. I am talking cutting melons, Romaine lettuce, slicing tomatoes....And not just a few. I cut three different kinds of melons, ten of each...the process alone dulls my newly sharpen knife. Not just two or three Romaine heads, but try twenty or thirty. My father still doesn't understand how exhaustive this work is. He sees my Mother and I, laughing and smiling when we cook together- a far cry from working in an all male, Spanish speaking kitchen, cooking for 400 people with time restraints, egos and yelling Chefs and Sous Chefs.

But luckily for me, I am beginning to train in the front of the house which means I spend most of my day interacting with the clients. Yes, the students of Soka Uni, yup making smoothies, and coffee drinks....have I ever mentioned I have two degrees? So it could be easily said that I may be just a tiny bit, underemployed. Oh, but my friends, I am not complaining, merely stating the obvious. In this day and age, I am THRILLED with my job. But I love it. The students are super friendly and easy to joke with. My superiors are fun and approachable. Plus, less time in the kitchen = less vomit smell. And, I don't even break out in a sweat!

This isn't really where I imagined myself at 30. But, I realized tonight, what I pictured doesn't matter any more. Because it doesn't exist. I am here and I have to make the most of it. It doesn't matter where I am now, but where I am going. And I can finally say, I am moving forward. This is not something I could have said six months ago. With that said, enough about me, let's talk food!

Okay, I hope that this was worth the weeks that have gone by. Probably not, but it was a surprising discovery for me.

As I have written before, I try and make things on the "healthier side". Which isn't really fun, but, go with me here. I love mayo. I love to dip my fries in mayo. I would dip most foods in mayo if given the choice, because it is delicious. With that said, do you think this gal would even eat Light mayo? NO! My thought is, if I am going to eat mayo, I am going all the way.
I want to eat every single calorie and gram of fat that is in that gob of decadence!
Well, I was quite surprised when one day at work I tried to recreate my mother's well loved potato salad with Kraft Light Mayo....I didn't notice a difference. Yes it was mixed with potatoes, Dijon mustard, radishes, red onions, cucumbers and hard boiled eggs but I didn't really notice a flavor or texture change.
So, once again, I come before you and I say I am converted! I was wrong, just about homemade mayo, just about shopping at farmer's markets and yet another, the old Light mayo. So give it a try, see how it goes and let me know what you think!
And I have been told by a dear friend, that I need to revisit Shrimp Scampi...seeing that he gave it to me as an "assignment" I will comply and come to you tomorrow with a new improved Scampi recipe with lots of butter and good stuff! I wish you all well!

Lima Beans

Hello my friends. Yes I took a few days off, but I am back.

So Suz and I were remembering what a brat I was as a child. She recalled, with a scowl on her face, the Halloween I refused to wear a costume to kindergarten. And what do you think I did when I arrived to find all the other students dressed up, ready for the Halloween parade? I started crying because I was the only one sans a costume. Then there was the time when it was pony riding day, and while all the other kids couldn't wait for their turn on the pony, I refused to get on it. We have pictures of me that day, dressed in an adorable cowgirl outfit, on top of the pony, with a pout on my face. I wasn't going to enjoy it just because my Mom wanted me too!

These bratty memories also take me back to the dinner table. My Mother wanted us to be good eaters (to my detriment many porky years later, I love almost everything!) and try at least one bite of everything on our plates. Even if I did decide that I liked broccoli, I wouldn't let Her know that. Like any child I didn't want to fill up with meat loaf and mashed potatoes, I wanted dessert!

And this brings me to one food that to this day I refuse to eat. Now, it is not so much trying to defy my Mother. But instead because I don't enjoy eating it, hence not worth the calories: Succotash. Yup, corn and lima beans. I love corn, but limas? They are mealy and make my mouth dry. Ick!

But then, we came across Lima bean puree....oh my, this is good stuff. You know why? Three words: garlic, butter and cream,three things that make almost anything better. I recently made this for a dinner party and the responses were the same as how I felt, I hate lima beans but love this puree! So even if you are a skeptic, give it a try and let me know if this recipe changes your mind about lima beans.

Simmer 1 pound bag of frozen lima beans with 1 cup chicken broth (or enough to cover), minced garlic, with a lid and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. In a food processor or using an immersion blender, puree limas with cooking liquid, garlic, butter and heavy cream until smooth. Puree less for a rougher, more rustic texture, or if you want it super smooth push puree through a sieve. Season with salt, pepper and adjust texture with more chicken broth or cream.

This recipe can be made a few days ahead (making it a great choice for a dinner party). When you reheat it, you may need to thin it with more heavy cream. Now, are lima beans your new favorite?

A message for the Ladies

Guys, move along, nothing for you to see here.

I am PMSing. Oh Ladies, it's the usual symptoms, crying at anything, loss of concentration at the wheel, my hatred of anything male (if I could shoot venom with my eyes, I would), sleeplessness..the list goes on and on. The one thing that brought joy to my day today, of course, was food. Hmmm, there is nothing better to quench your salt craving than ham wrapped around a quartered Bubbies pickle. (please, if you haven't had these pickles, you MUST give them a try!) Yes the down side is the water retention, but that is inevitable, is it not?

A Lovely Lunch

Yesterday I prepared lunch for some friends, in exchange for some advice and help with this blogging thing. I am not going to try to make myself out to be savvier than I am. After about 5 minutes of tech talk, my eyes glazed over and I went to my happy place: A green hillside covered in red and purple flowers. Butterflies fluttering about in the cool breeze, blue sky with big puffy, fluffy clouds...I forced myself back to reality to focus. When I arrived, I realized as I viewed other food blogs on my friend's lap top, my blog layout sucks! How amateur is it that my pictures are taken with my camera phone? Who do I think I am? I am not nearly as cool as I thought.

I quickly switched gears and was pleased with what I had prepared because my friends' enjoyment of the meal, matches the amount of help I am going to need...A lot!

Prosciutto and Plugra butter sandwiches on French Baguette, Fresh (frozen) Pea soup and Avocado and Blood Orange salad.

The sandwich and salad are pretty straight forward. If you cannot find Plugra butter, use any European unsalted sweet butter as it has a higher fat content and is divine! I used red leaf lettuce from our local organic farm and dressed the greens with olive oil, blood orange juice and a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper.

But the soup stole the show!
Saute 1 cup diced onions and 2 teaspoons minced garlic in 2 Tablespoon butter in a medium pot. Cook them until translucent. Then add 1 1/2 pounds frozen sweet peas and enough chicken broth just to cover them. Over high heat bring to a simmer then reduce heat to medium low. Cook just until the peas are tender, maybe 10 minutes or so. You don't want to over cook this soup because then it will turn that unappealing brown green color. Turn off the heat and let your soup cool a bit. During this time set up a blender. Carefully pour your soup with 1/4 cup heavy cream into the blender and puree until smooth. At this time, you can add some chopped mint, chervil or Italian parsley. Season with salt, pepper and if you wish, a bit of nutmeg, about 1/4 teaspoon. For me the trick with seasoning savory dishes with nutmeg is you want to add just enough so you taste something, but not so much that you can discern what it is! If you are serving right away, return to your pot and reheat, or if serving later cool and store in the fridge.

Some garnishes that would be nice are, crumbled bacon, caramelized shallots, a dollop of creme fraiche or a fried sage leaf.
This soup is delicious hot or cold. Enjoy!

Mushy Tomatoes

At culinary school, I was constantly comparing myself, my abilities and my knowledge about food and cooking with the other students. My fellow students varied from 18 year old, newly graduated high schoolers, to guys in their mid-twenties with years of cooking experience. Regardless of what we knew or had learned in the past, the Chef Instructor was always right. It was his kitchen so we did things his way. We quickly learned the militant answer to any question: “Yes, Chef!” Even if you were in the weeds (behind in your work), and the Chef asked if you would be ready for service, even if you didn't think you would be, you shouted, crystal clear, “Yes Chef!” and worked harder, faster and more efficient than you had before. Constantly pushing yourself and striving further than you thought possible, and sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding.

And what helps a person succeed? Knowledge. Knowing the most basic things can make a huge difference in the food you prepare and your experiences in the kitchen.
When I was at culinary school I had an Italian Chef Instructor from Long Island for my Cuisines of the Mediterranean class. He wasn’t nice to anyone. He was a hard man and so explosive, that one afternoon, he had us all stop what we were doing, at our busiest time (preparing dinner for a couple hundred students and instructors), gather around the refridgerator. He ripped a paper bag out of the fridge and tossed it on the table and screamed, “Who put these tomatoes in here? Tomatoes NEVER get refridgerated!” We all were 5-years old again, getting scolded by our Mothers. As I scanned the group, I saw desperate faces. We waited for the person who had put a bag in the fridge, to confess to this kitchen sin. We all knew every moment we stood there, was time wasted. Of course, the guilty person never spoke up. Our group leader did, taking a dive for us all so we could get back to work. We all knew he hadn’t done it for he was one of the most experienced of us all. But nonetheless, we respected him for doing it. Our Chef knew too, and because of that, he allowed the humiliation of the admission be his punishment.
Later, I turned to a friend, one I knew I could trust, who wouldn’t judge me and asked, “Why was Chef so pissed that the tomatoes were in the fridge?” No I was not guilty for the tomato crime, but I felt lame for not knowing what was so bad about a cold tomato! My dear friend shook his head and told me that refrigeration makes tomatoes mushy and mealy. Aha! Okay, I got that lesson learned. Ingrained in my head, I would never mistreat a tomato like that!

And to this day, it pains me so to see a tomato in the fridge. I cringe. Sometimes I have to physically control myself from yelling out, “Tomatoes NEVER get refridgerated!”
As with any industry, there are things that are common knowledge, like the tomato. I have some of this knowledge and would love to share it with you. So I arrive here to write about proper vegetable storage. I know, not the most exciting of topics, but I think many people nowadays are trying to save money and proper storage of goods will help them last longer. Here goes:
Onions, garlic, shallots and potatoes- store in a dry environment, out of plastic bags (being confined in plastic will cause moisture to form and later mold and mildew), once you have cut into them, place in plastic bags in the refrigerator. I suggest removing the papery skins of onions and shallots, to prevent mildew growth.
Lettuces- to make it easy on yourself, I recommend washing them right when you get home for the store, drying them and wrapping in paper towels then plastic bags into the fridge. This way they will be ready when you are. If you buy them from a farmer’s market, or if they are organic, fill your clean sink with water and swoosh the leaves about, and let them sit for a few minutes. This way if there are any bugs, they will be washed away.
Herbs- Cilantro, parsley, mint, chervil: Let soak in bowlful of cold water to release any dirt, and change the water a few times depending on how dirty they are. Next make a new cut at the bottom of the stems and store upright in water, like flowers and wrap plastic around the leaves (oh! same for asparagus.) Thyme, rosemary, oregano, any woody herb, rinse in water and store wrapped in paper towel. Basil is very delicate so pop in the fridge until you are ready to use and wash just before using.
Green onions: fun thing about these guys that I haven’t tried yet: at the end of a green onion, there are roots that can be planted into soil, meaning you can plant one and always have scallions on hand! Or if you aren’t interested in that, I suggest waiting to wash them just before you use them. They tend to deteriorate quickly when washed and if you cut the root end, the different layers of the scallion unevenly expand and lengthen…
Broccoli and cauliflower, wash and store in a paper towel lined bag and wait to cut because the cut ends will turn brown
I like to store mushrooms in paper towel lined plastic bags to prevent them from getting slimey.
Fruit: This is going to sound silly, but my teeth are sensitive to coldness, so I don’t really like my fruit cold. And why would refridgration affect stone fruits like tomatoes? So I keep them out on the counter. But sometimes, you just don’t get to eating them quick enough, so the fridge is inevitable, and that is fine!


So that's that. Good luck in the kitchen. I hope these tips help you, and remember: No tomatoes in the refridegerator!

Farmer's Markets

I hate trends.
I will go out of my way to avoid anything that somebody tells me I MUST try, or a movie I MUST see.
I will never watch Avatar.
If it is the cool thing to do, I am doing the opposite. Especially if it is PC.
Lately : “foodies” going on and on about shopping at farmer’s markets; article after article saying how the quality is better, “support your local, small businesses!” yada, yada, yada. I don’t care. I don’t want to become one of those hippie types who think they are saving the planet because they buy local and organic foods.

Now, in between my stubbornness I have moments of clarity, I realize this: That this is completely stupid of me. I could NEVER be a hippie.

Oh and also, it is silly to totally discount something, just because it is popular: Earth to Blair: Maybe it is popular for a reason! Did I ever think of that?

Well, I have let go of my apprehension to farmer’s markets and in fact, I have become a convert, thanks to my friend Aimee.
Against all that is me, I come to you today and am going to try to convince you to shop farmer’s markets.
One of the most amazing eating summers for me was when I worked at Babette’s Kitchen (http://www.babetteskitchen.com/) in Millbrook, NY. Every weekend the Millbrook’s Farmer’s Market took place. I have never tasted a tomato like the ones I ate that summer. As a lunch special we offered a BLT. Now normally the bacon is my favorite part. But that summer, the tomatoes were the best. The tomato flavor was super concentrated.
Normally zucchinis make me gag. The ones I ate that summer were so tender and sweet, I could eat them raw. This was the summer I fell in love with dill!
Why was the produce so remarkable, you ask? Because they were all picked that morning. They were so fresh, they still had bugs on them (organic!)-which made my skin crawl, but, hey, more protein, right? I ate local mesculane mix, nothing in comparison to the bland, bagged, near compost monstrosity sold at your neighborhood franchised grocery store. Wilted, yellowing chives, leathery looking romaine leaves, limes with skins like they had a bad case of acne. Why waste you money on poor produce? Because it’s convenient? Chives should emanate their lovely fragrance. Lettuce should be tender and flavorful. Juicy citrus should have small pores and shiny skins. Have I gotten in that head of yours?
Another perk of shopping at farmer’s markets, not only will you get the best of the harvest, pay less for it, have it last longer (because it wasn’t picked weeks beforehand) but the produce they are selling is in SEASON! As a country we can get all sorts of produce regardless of the season. That doesn’t make it right. I challenge you. Eat a tomato at the height of it’s season. Then eat one in the middle of winter. Notice the difference in color, flavor and juiciness. Is it red on the outside with a pale, anemic looking flesh?
I don’t need to hear your comparisons, I already know. Take advantage of the seasonal produce because they fit the season for a reason. Potatoes, turnips, cabbage in winter=braises! Long cooking processes that warm your home and hungry bellies. Tomatoes, basil, cucumbers=quick, light, cool sauces for hot, sweaty summers!


Well I have given it my all. I have a stated my arguments, it is now up to you. Yes, the convenience is a good argument to stay with your nation wide grocery store. But I ask you once: Just try it. If the produce isn’t as hugely better than what you expected, and if supporting a local, small business isn’t as satisfying, well then you are more stubborn than I. Good for you.

Cookies so scrumptious, they'll make you cry outloud

Previously I had written that I am a horrible baker. I don’t really need to go into details, but just imagine a flour-dusted Blair, sweat pouring down her brow, frazzled with burning smells coming from the oven. It isn’t pretty.

But once and a while, there is a recipe written for even the best of the bakingphobes. Not only is this recipe a snap to make, but has made grown women, I am talking upper class ladies, the best of the SoCal gals who are very conscious of images, let out moans of pleasure in the middle of a luncheon. I was there, I heard them. Even better, I have witnesses.
Alas, I cannot take credit for this delight, but instead will bow to the creator Barbara Fairchild who wrote “The Bon Appetit Cookbook”. I will sacrifice, in your honor Ms. Fairchild, many cattle to the Gods.

Giant chocolate-toffee cookies
Makes 18

1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound bittersweet (NOT unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tablespoon
5 (1.4 ounce) chocolate covered English toffee candy bars (like Skor of Heath bar), coarsely chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped (I don’t like nuts in my sweets, so I leave these out)

In a small bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt until blended.
Stir chocolate and butter on the top of a double boiler set over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove the mixture from heat and cool until lukewarm. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in the chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, then the toffee and nuts. Chill the batter until firm, at least 45 minutes and up to one day.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large, baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 1/2 inches apart. Bake the cookies just until dry and cracked on top but still soft to the touch in the center, about 15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets. (The cookies can be made 2 days ahead, just store in an airtight container at room temperature.)



Now, stop what you are doing and go make these cookies. In no time you will be in a chocolate toffee cookie swoon!