Monday, December 27, 2010

You Cook a Pretty Cake Too?

The Amateur Cake Decorating Competition at the 201 Central Ohio Home & Garden Show needs five (5) talented amateur cake decorators as participants on stage at the show. The top three winners receive cash prizes and bragging rights, with the Grand Prize winner receiving $500 cash. Second place recieves $250 cash and thirst place receives $100 cash. Entries are due by noon, Wednesday, February 2 to cakes@dispatch.com.

For rules and detailed information visit www.DispatchEvents.com

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Menu

While I'm one lucky cook to have the eve and the day of Christmas off work I'm still working with my wonderful fam' on a menu. I think this is what we are having, and this post might get updated to the actuall happenings.

Baked Ham
Baked Beans
Cheesy potato casserole (mine)
some random vegetable
lot's of cookies
beer, wine, spirits!

Done, Hey'yo.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

For the Intellectual Foodie

I recieved a link from one of this blog's readers for 20 Great TED Talks for Total Foodies. This was a few weeks ago and I took the time to look into almost all 20. They are all very interesting. I'm sure if you visit the site you will find something plesantly intellectual, educational, and inspirational. Enjoy!

Funniest Thing I've Seen in a While

The folks over at Xtranormal have put together some seriously funny stuff. Check it out HERE.


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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Coconut-Vegetable Chowder

Last week I used this recipe as both the sauce and vegetable component to our weekly fish special. As the name implies it would work equally well as a stand alone soup.

Coconut-Vegetable Chowder

one onion, small dice
one inch piece of ginger chopped fine
one small jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine
one clove garlic chopped fine
one teaspoon curry powder
one quart coconut milk
two cups vegetable stock
two cups carrot juice
two tablespoons brown sugar
two tablespoons fish sauce
juice and zest of one lime

one each sweet potato, idaho potato, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, diced
one cup sugar snap peas large diced

------Sweat the onion till soft then add the ginger, garlic and jalapeno and cook another 2 minutes before adding the curry powder and topping that with the rest of the liquid ingredients. Bring this to a boil then reduce to low while chopping up all the vegetables. Add the vegetables to the soup holding back the peas as they take only a few minutes to cook. Set the soup over medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes untill the vegetables are tender. Optional garnishes would be fresh cilantro, chopped scallions or rice.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Random Pics

No we didn't cook'em you sick'o. That's my dude Mojo



A lil' carrot snow man, how cute?

Mr. carrot snow man went for a swim in the soup d'jour.


Wild stripped bass, herb rice, coconut-vegetable chowder.


BBQ Shrimp and Veal Sweetbreads, cheesy grits, fresh herbs.





Wednesday, December 01, 2010

Food Truck Poll Examined

Let us swing our sporks in the air and lay claim to conquering the mighty food truck…..or not!?!?

The only conclusion to be drawn from the recent food truck poll is that people are very polarized as to their willingness to embrace this up and coming trend. Either you’re willing to drive across town for a food truck treat or you wouldn’t touch their tacos if they pulled right up in your cull de sac. Eliminate my vote and it’s split straight 50/50.

Is that biodesial? Does that fryer oil run straight through the engine? How does the Department of Health visit if you don’t have an address? How long have those dogs been in that water or how long has that foie terrine been around? I got some warm nuts while in NYC a long time ago. They where the best nuts I’ve ever had. I tried the hot dog cart a few times working down town….give it up for the dog cart guys that’s a tough life! I think I even had a bite from the famed OU burrito buggy back in the day. Obviously I’ve not died since and it seems logical that for these individuals to continue doing business they need to be clean which seems to be a lot of peoples concern.

There seems to be a lot more prepared food out there for our consumption. For instance I remember going to the West Side Market as a child and the only prepared food available was a pizza bagel, and boy these were a great treat, but now there are an overflowing handful of prepared food stands. The deli counter has made similar progressions, along with the frozen food sections. People want a meal, they want it quick and easy, and the food truck is helping us get that.

Here in Cleveland we are just now embracing the food truck, but in Columbus there seems to be a much more established community. Blogger Bethia Woolff has a great insight on the capital cities local taco truck scene. And Jamie Wright brought to light some other transportable kitchens of interest such as the Rad Dog offering some vegan items, or Foodie Cart which offers Japanese crepes and can be accessed on Facebook.

What’s my take? As a chef I can appreciate the food truck as a now viable option to get a foothold in the business aspect of the culinary arts. As a consumer I can appreciate the price point that comes with a food truck. Yet I’m somewhat skeptical about food safety, but like I stated before it is in the best interest of the food truck operator to keep up sanitary conditions. Looking into it more I would be interested in seeking out an ethnic based food truck, something unique. On the other hand if I can get the same thing at the corner restaurant I’m willing to pay a few extra dollars for the giant flat screen with Sportscenter and the A/C blasting.