Reader Contest!

I've been partnering with CSN to give free gifts to my readers, and now you get a chance to win free product! CSN is a family of online stores that feature everything from cookware to bar stools. Would you like to win some $ for shopping online?? Who wouldn't right?

To Win: Answer this question: What is your go-to source for recipes and cooking ideas? Do you reach for a cookbook (tell us the title and author), go online (tell us the website), or make it up (give us an example). In order to be eligible to win, you must a) be a fan on facebook and a follower on the blog and b) not have won in the past.

You must enter by Thanksgiving. I'll select a winner randomly from the responses below. Enter as many times as you like!

Win some $ for shopping at any of the CSN stores!

Near-Broccoli Naked Casserole

Since I've been volunteering at the Pike Market Food Bank and Senior Center, I've been so priviledged to meet some of the most interesting people. Although we come from a variety of backgrounds, we are linked by our common desire to provide nourishing food for others. One such man is Ryan Miller, a chef, teacher, barista, and blogger. He is the host of the Pike Market Community Kitchen and a recipe writer. His blog is nothing short of brilliant, and I stray to his website frequently.

Last Thursday, he hosted the latest Community Kitchen. Each month, he selects and purchases produce from the Pike Place Market and surrounding businesses and teaches individuals how to cook the food. Always delicious and very original, the food at the classes will be sure to wow you. Be sure to catch the November 18th class!

Since there weren't quite enough people to host a full class, he gave ingredients to particpants and asked them to follow the recipes at home. In my enthusiasm, I selected the meal that had lots and lots of vegetable chopping, a skill I need to work on for culinary classes.  I made the Near-Broccoli Naked Casserole.

The first odd thing about the vegetables in the casserole is the broccoflower, which I'd never seen before. It's spiky and firm and looks like an elaborate headdress. It's also called Romanesco broccoli, according to Wikipedia. It's a bit more complicated looking than basic green broccoli, but it's just as delicious. Ryan also gave me 2/3 pound Chanterelle mushrooms. Each of these required a medium or small dice. Yay...
Let's say it took me longer (nearly an hour) to prep the recipe than to cook it. A lot of the time I spent was because I was trying to get exactly correct cuts, like 1/8 inch slices for julienne or 3/4 inch dice.  But boy, it was worth it!

Ryan has given me permission to copy his recipe here, but check his blog, because he has also included the other recipes he wrote for the Community Kitchen.

Near Broccoli Naked Casserole

Cooking skills focus: Knife skills, sauteeing, roasting, baking, balancing flavors


Ingredients:

2 T cooking oil

1 onion, julienned

1/2 head garlic, cloves peeled & sliced

salt & pepper TT



1 1/2 # roma tomatoes, cored & diced large (3/4" on a side)

2 T olive oil

salt & pepper TT



2 T cooking oil

2/3 # chanterelle mushrooms, quickly rinsed & dried, then diced small (1/4" on a side)

salt & pepper TT



1 head broccoflower, diced medium (1/2" on a side)

1 bunch broccoli rabe, 1/2" inch trimmed off the end and sliced 1/2" thick

3 T olive oil

salt & pepper TT

1 T Adobo spice blend, ground

1 lemon, juiced



2 C couscous

1 C water

salt & pepper TT



2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well



Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the 2 T cooking oil. Add the onion and saute on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic. Drop the heat to medium and saute for another 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Set the onons and garlic aside. Keep the saute pan out.

3. Toss the tomatoes with the 2 T olive oil in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and transfer to a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Keep the bowl out.

4. Meanwhile, heat the saute pan again over high heat and add the next 2 T cooking oil. Add the mushrooms and saute for 6-8 minutes, or until browned and slightly crispy. Remove and set aside.

5. In the large bowl, combine the broccoflower, broccoli rabe, roasted tomatoes, sauteed onions and garlic, the 3 T olive oil, lemon juice, additional salt and pepper and Adobo spice blend.

6. Put the couscous in the bottom of a baking dish and add the water. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garbanzo beans, then put the vegetable layer on top of the beans.

7. Bake covered in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the couscous is fully cooked.

8. Top with the sauteed chanterelle mushrooms and serve.
 
Thanks Ryan!

Seattle Culinary Community Interviews

If you've been a student or if you've ever attended a guest lecture, you might have wondered about the instructor and what brought him or her to the podium today. I frequently read and reread the little blurbs about the speakers, but they're usually a bit sparse. It tells about recent publications or accolades. Sometimes it mentions the educational backgrounds or professional visions. But what about the things that actually make them tick? If you could have dinner with them, what would they eat? If they thought no one was actually looking, what would they eat? Do they write or cook for fun? Or has it become work? Yah.. I wonder about these things.

Well, I don't have access to all the greatest chefs of the world - or of Seattle - but the people who have come across my path will now get to enjoy starring roles on my blog, which is read by a fair number of readers. If you have suggestions of people who merit interviews - chefs, servers, managers, food writers, food lovers, your mom, your grandmother, the produce people - just let me know, and give me their contact information.

I do my best to capture their personalities based on what they tell me and what I remember to write down. So forgive me for grammar errors and things alike.

WA Magazine Fall Issue Publishes Interview of Chef Ethan Stowell

I started writing years ago, before I really thought of it being a way to pay bills. Writing, like any other job, sounds soooo fun until you use it as a way for making a living.

In a television series my husband and I enjoy, the male main character is a writer, and other guests on the show always say, "Oh you're a writer. That must be so fun." To which he responds, "I suppose it is." Awkward pause.

Yep, it's fun and you get to share your opinions about all sorts of things, but at the same time, it's still work. I've had amazing opportunities for writing, starting with the Pepperdine Graphic in college and working for That's Natural in Colorado. While each of these opportunities has been wonderful, and I have grown so much as a writer, I feel like I've recently turned a corner in writing.

In August,  Kevin Finch, who is a well-connected writer and founder of Big Table in Spokane, WA, helped me connect with Darin Burt, an editor for the WA Magazine in Spokane. Darin asked me to write a piece about Chef Ethan Stowell. And he paid me. Now I've been paid before for my writing, but I've never been published in an actual magazine.  It's different seeing your name typed on glossy paper.

Chef Ethan Stowell was in the final days of preparing Staple & Fancy Mercantile when I met with him. I've since returned to that restaurant to enjoy a drink and chat a little. It was a great experience to write for a magazine and to cut my teeth on writing for pay. I'm hopeful that it will continue!

Check out the magazine, available for sale at most magazine stands, by subscription online, or by viewing this virtual copy here.

Staple & Fancy Mercantile

From the CEO

We went to an Outdoor Research event tonight during which the brand attempts to woo the REI employees into promoting and selling OR products when the customers' needs fit the product. By doing this, they show off the vision, the manufacturing, and the science of OR products and Gore-Tex products. Pretty interesting. The CEO, Dan Nordstrom (yah, that Nordstrom), shared a few minutes about the growth of OR, and I took some notes. Josh was skeptical about whether Mr. Nordstrom's thoughts applied to food and culinary arts, but I think it does. So here are his thoughts. You tell me whether or not you think it applies.

- Grow at the right rate for your business
- Use social media
- Tell your story
- Decide who you want to be (as a company) - and don't try to be like everyone else
- It's all good, whatever you do (he was referring to outdoor recreation, but hey)
- It's not about the product but about the experience
- The products shouldn't get in the way, but they should do what we want them to do (what we buy them to do)
- Keep having fun

Outdoor Research is a Seattle-based company that makes its government contract material (for our Armed Services) in the US and makes the commercial products (for the public) overseas. They focus on building high quality product, and this is accomplished by training and retaining skilled employees. The product development is based on the needs of outdoor individuals - both professional and dedicated individuals and casual recreational participants. Feedback drives the products for next year.

In restaurants, it makes sense to develop a clear culinary identity and to stick to it. It is also important to produce food that customers want to eat. In class, our instructors tell us that while we'll be "the chefs" of the restaurants, we're still serving people. That echos what Chef Ethan Stowell said in his interview in August. "In the end, you're still cooking dinner."

Very true. So..dinner anyone?

Meet America's Test Kitchen's Editor Doc Willoughby

Admit it, you go to America's Test Kitchen for recipes and reviews of tools and equipment. I definitely do, and I have gotten their magazine a few times. I've used to help me decide on which Food Processor to purchase and how to make Peach Cobbler. I added blueberries and cornmeal, which was one of the "alternative" versions their test-chef had created. 

Well, now you can meet Mr. Willoughby, one of the several team members who create and edit the content for the respected journal. 

DATE: October 20, 2010
TIME: 7:00 pm
PLACE: Third Place Books
17171 Bothell Way, Lake Forest Park, WA
PHONE: 206.366.3333

It's free and open to the public. 

This blender was NOT recommended by America's Test Kitchen --
it purees before dicing, but hey, it's mine :)

Recent Writings

It's been a little hard to stay on the saddle with writing, but here are some articles that I've written lately.

Does Wheat Germ Contain Gluten?

Pike Market Senior Center Provides Meals and Community

Fast Food, Your Diet, and Your Health

Fat Free Dry Milk Nutrition Facts

Learn Fast, Practice Constantly

The second week of culinary school is essentially over, and it's been quite busy.

I had a chance to go to Bargreen Ellingson and bought mysef some toys...er... tools. I picked up a santoku knife (my mom had gotten me one when I lived in Texas, but I lost it in the move), a 10" Chef's knife (that dude is huge), and a few other tools. I also bought a knife bag. I really wanted a camoflage bag, but there weren't any at this store. Fortunatley, there is both a student discount and an industry discount, but it's costly to get started.

We started production this week, and Student Lunch opened on Tuesday- more on that in a minute. On Wednesday and Thursday, we opened the Square One Bistro and the One World, the fine dining restaurant. The 1st Quarter (newbies) do the prep work for the other kitchens, which prepare food for the other food service areas. I guess that's the hazing that the "freshmen" were all wondering about. Instead of trying to keep track of a paddle or buy another all-white dress for some ceremony, we get to dice, mince, chiffonade, and peel vegetables. Let me say that I definitely prefer this type of "hazing."

Tuesday was our first day as a class preparing food, and we quickly saw that some people have extensive cooking experience, whether at home or professionally. Thomas was my group's leader, and he's a line cook at Urbane, a fancy eatery at the Olive 8 hotel. He knew what he was doing, and the Chef definitely tasked him quite a bit. He wrote a pretty good, yet sparse, plan of action for his team, and we accomplished our tasks with plenty of time left.

Wednesday was my first day as a group leader, and it was my first day of being a production leader. As a 2LT, I jumped into production lines when my NCOs were MIA (no seriously, one planned a doctor's appointment at 3:30 pm one time), but I mostly followed my Airmen dutifully, weilding an offset spatula with way too much zeal. Anyway, I've had plenty of experience making task lists and bossing people around, so I wasn't too nervous.

from culinaryarts.about.com

I made a 2-page task list (compared to Tom's 1-pager), and set my team to work. They were a great bunch, and we were close to begin with (well as close as you can be with knowing someone for almost a week).  One of our tasks was to dice carrots into a small dice, which is 1/4 inch cubes. Have you ever realized how small and square that is?? Well, I had calculated about a 50% loss of carrots (so if you want 2 pounds of small-diced carrots, you need 4 lbs raw carrots)... uhm... 5 lbs later, we had a rectangular aluminum bin (a "ninth pan") filled halfway with an assortment of lopsided cubes. The lopsidedness was my doing, because I only actually cut 3 carrots. I kept running back and forth between tasks. The team members who spent 90 minutes on the dicing had much better looking carrot dices than I did.

In retrospect, I should have studied my cuts more closely. I should also have gotten a cutting board with a measuing tape on it. I accidentally cut into my plastic ruler a few times, because I was trying to measure out a 1/4 inch. I now also know how long it takes to dice carrots, when you're trying to be precise. Oh, and that you lose so much carrot flesh when you cut a round food into a square. I wonder if the chef would allow carrot scrapings to be cut into a really odd looking mirepoix (the mix of onion, carrot, and celery to be put into stock to add color and flavor).

Well, in response to the rather awkward week of trying to keep up with equipment identification (is this a steamer or a combi-oven?), tool usage (do I need a slotted spoon or a skimmer?), and knife competency (which knife does a better chiffonade - chef's or santoku?), I realized that I needed to do a cheat sheet and some reviewing. I'm really glad this material isn't confusing, but it does take repetition to remember things (What are the dimensions of a julienne?). I spent some time reviewing today, and I think I feel less intimidated by the terms. But now, I still have to master the knife skills.  So...who wants to buy me a 50-lb bag of vegetables and let me reduce them to tiny squares? I think Josh will be eating a lot of "Random Vegetable Soup" for a while.

Today was my first time washing in the dish pit, and we had the chance to interact with some upper classmen (er... 2nd and 3rd quarter students).  Dishwashing is a rather brainless but fast-moving process, and my face nearly met the dishpit floor a few times, as I cornered the speed racks too quickly in an effort to get back to empty the next tray before the machine jammed up.

shop.com

One of the 2nd quarter students decided to quiz me on the equipment we were pulling off the racks. "What's this?"
"2-inch half pan."
"What's this?"
"Sauteur." (whew)


Some students might dislike dishwashing, but it's an essential part of the success of a kitchen. I definitely loved the dish-pit guys at Seastar -- they were nice, and their buddies were line cooks who usually hooked me up with leftover vegetables and starches at the end of my shift. So, lesson learned: be nice to your dishpit crew. It's hard work, and somebody has to do it.

The other days are filled with cooking theory. This week we heard about the legacy and evolution of cooking. We also learned about some of the emerging styles of cooking, like sous vide. We also discussed the ethics involved in cooking, like sustainability. We actually have a full class dedicated to the subject. My classmates also take math and sanitation, but I am not required to take it, as I've already taken these classes. I do sort of miss the idea of writing a HACCP plan, but I am sure I'll have the opportunity at some point. (Thank you Air Force)

Back to Student Lunch. This is probably the coolest thing ever, but I'm definitely going to have to start walking up Capitol Hill instead of riding the bus. The other quarters kitchens cook the meals, and they produce a crazy assortment of dishes. Sandwiches, breakfast items (ya, really!), and entrees of every assortment get lined up on a hot line, and we can just grab a plate and eat it. (Ok, we already paid for it with student fees). On Tuesday, I ate a lamb stew that was tender and smoky. On Wednesday, a lamb burger wrapped in bacon and dotted with pine nuts. Thursday, I split an oxtail mushroom dish and a breaded mushroom tomato pasta dish with a classmate. I can't wait to make these dishes myself!

I am definitely learning a lot about technique and deliberation in the kitchen. Our textbook says that a skilled cook or chef knows what she wants to achieve from her food and knows which tools and techniques to apply to obtain it. I have some learning to do, but this journey, while busy, is so interesting.

So next week: factoids from culinary school.

Cooking School, First Thoughts

On our first day of school, I didn't have to go to the 7:30 am class -- it's a measurements course that I took when I was at Pepperdine. I also took statistics, so I am pretty well covered. While I won't shout the answer to "how many fluid ounces are in a gallon" immediately -- I'd have to think for a second, I don't think I need to take it over. Fortunately, the course advisor agreed with me. So, I showed up at 8:00 for the reception. That took place in our Square One Bistro, a kitchen run by Chef Greg Atkinson with the 3rd Quarter students. Doughnuts, fruit, and coffee for breakfast. Then we headed to an hour-and-a-half presentation by the Dean and several faculty. The school president, Dr. Killpatrick, even stopped by.

After that, we headed to our first lecture. Chef Gregg Shiosaki is responsible for the 1st Quarter students, and I think he has quite a bit of work cut out for him. I think he's up to the task. He is a tall, Japanese-American chef with a black pony tail twisted into a neat knot below his toque (and above his collar). He wears a crisp white chef's coat, striped black pants, and clogs. He swears by clogs, and he seems to move in them easily. When I tried them on, I couldn't get comfortable with the heel-lift, which is the design of clogs.

After introductions and lunch, he started right away on a packet of information he provided us. Attendance, uniform wear, appropriate behavior, knife safety... the basics of all new college class lectures, right? Oh, besides the kitchen and knife safety. Then the chef professor finally gave us our uniforms, for which I'd been measured for quite a while. I was pretty excited to get it. The last time I was given a uniform, it was dark blue, woolen, and ill-fitting. The first chef coat I was given was by the Food Service squadron at Dyess AFB, when I had to look the part of a food service manager for Thanksgiving.

On the subsequent days of school, we have been receiving introductions, tours, and safety presentations.
The instructor went through our knife shopping list. He said a starter set of knives -- not a pre-assembled set, but a set you gather -- should cost about $250. Yikes. One of my classmates, Rebecca, said that her culinary friends said they only use 4 or 5 knives in the kitchen: the French or Chef's Knife, the pairing knife, the boning knife, and the vegetable or Santoku knife. Thanks to my work with Day by Day Gourmet, I have a few knives, but I have to go knife shopping this weekend!

Yesterday, our fourth day of school, we finally saw the Chef's Knife Demonstration. Julienne, Batonnet, and Medium Dice were terms thrown at us. Although the Chef thought he went slow enough so we could all see (we sat in stadium-style seats while he demo'd with a slanted mirror reflecting his work), I distinctly felt a little overwhelmed. Sure, I've heard the terms and can roughly describe them., but if you tell me to julienne these carrots, I'd probably give you some assortment of tiny sticks, twigs, and misshapen skinny bits of carrot. I look around the class, and I think most of the students feel the same way, but there are a few line cooks, food service professionals, and self-trained individuals who look completely at home with those terms. I will have to make close friends with one of them and see if he or she will coach my cuts.

That brings me to this other thought. I noticed -- nay, realized with fear -- that the chef went through the cuts really quickly, more quickly than I could write down. So, I am so grateful that Rouxbe has videos that we can review to get an in-depth, close-up view of each cut. The explanation, spoken in a clear voice, is really helpful. I can replay the video as often as I want, as well, so I don't have to feel foolish asking the Chef to repeat his comments over and over. So, for your viewing pleasure, here's one of the videos I intend to watch over and over.

Rouxbe Online Cooking School & Video Recipes

This video is taken from a lesson series, and you can view the preview of that course here. Rouxbe is a paid online subscription, so the link may request that you pay. If you're looking to develop skills, or if you want details on cuts you're learning at school, you might enjoy this.

Well, I'm off to buy the rest of my equipment and to start cutting pounds and pounds of carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery!