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All posts tagged: culinary
16 Must Have #Autumn Ingredients & "The Chop Talk #BacktoSchool End of Summer Blowout Sale!"
August 14, 2016 Mike Staib Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
Hello everyone and welcome to August.
It's hard to believe Summer is almost over and the kids will be going #backtoschool. It certainly has been a hot one. In this SPECIAL edition of Chop Talk we have some great info and promotions for you. First up, in Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips. In keeping with the fact that everyone loves a good list, we thought we'd give you a great rundown of the some of the abundance of autumn produce and ingredients that are available, or coming available, in this coming season. In addition we are bringing you our #BacktoSchool Blowout Sale with all products on the website at huge discounts. We also have two delicious video recipes for you from our partners, Pitmaster Champion Myron Mixon and America's Favorite Chef, Michael Symon. We hope you enjoy.!
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips: Autumn Produce
Autumn has long been associated with the transition from warm to cold weather, the primary harvest has dominated its themes and popular images throughout the world. For many of us, especially here in the States, the smell of freshly made donuts, watching through the window while cider is being fresh pressed, and folks starting to get that wistful look in their eyes as they start to glimpse the hint of Thanksgiving and Christmas just over the horizon, is a childhood memory that brings warm thoughts of family and friends. We're sure many of you can remember returning home from the farmers market with arms full of fresh produce, apples, cider, fresh donuts, placing pumpkins on the front stoop to await their fateful appointment with the carving knife that would soon transform them into the Jack-o-Lanterns for Halloween night. The cooling of the nights, the touch of color in the leaves and the anticipation of the coming holiday season always gives the air clarity, as if shaking off the haze of summer.
Apples There are thousands (7500) of varieties of apples, ranging from tender to crisp to sweet to tart. Apples are available year-round, but they're best from September to November. Apples contain phytonutrients which can help you regulate your blood sugar. Eaten raw, or used as a great addition to any cheese board, baked alone, or used in a pie, they are healthy and delicious. Apples were brought to North America by colonists in the 17th century, and the first apple orchard on the North American continent was planted in Boston by Reverend William Blaxton in 1625. The only apples native to North America are crab apples, which were once called "common apples." All other varieties were brought here from Europe.
Celery Root (Celeriac) Celery root, also known as celeriac, is the root of the celery plant. It is often available year-round, especially in temperate climates, but is at its best in the cooler months of fall, winter, and early spring (except in cold climates, where you'll find it during the summer and early fall). Freshly harvested celery root is sometimes sold with the stalks and leaves still attached, as pictured here. It is edible raw or cooked, and tastes similar to celery stalks. It can be roasted, stewed, blanched, or mashed. Sliced celeriac occurs as an ingredient in soups, casseroles, and other savory dishes.
Chestnuts In Europe, Asia and Africa, chestnuts are often used as an everyday potato substitute. Although they are wonderful straight from the oven or fireplace, you can make use of the winter chestnut crop in many ways, both sweet and savory. Before trying one of the many chestnut recipes, learn about chestnut history and how to store them. Probably one of the first foods eaten by man, the chestnut dates back to prehistoric times. The majority of the chestnut trees currently found in America are of native European stock, but Native Americans feasted on America's own variety, Castanea dentata, long before European immigrants introduced their stock to America. Today, most of the chestnut food crop is imported from Japan, China, Spain, and Italy. Legend has it that the Greek army survived on their stores of chestnuts during their retreat from Asia Minor in 401-399 B.C. Chestnuts contain twice as much starch as potatoes. It is no wonder they are still an important food crop in China, Japan, and southern Europe, where they are often ground into a meal for bread-making, thus giving rise to the nickname of "bread tree."
Cranberries 95% of all cranberries are used as to make juice. The remaining 5% is used to make sauce, compotes and jellies. They are a a major commercial crop in the U.S. with Wisconsin the leading producer of cranberries, with over half of U.S. production. Massachusetts is the second largest U.S. producer. Cranberries are harvested in the fall when the fruit takes on its distinctive deep red color. This is usually in September through the first part of November. To harvest cranberries, the beds are flooded as we've all seen from the TV commercials, with six to eight inches of water above the vines. A harvester is the driven through the beds to remove the fruit from the vines. Although most cranberries are wet-picked, 5–10% of the US crop is still dry-picked. Labor costs are higher and yield is much less, but dry-picked berries are less bruised and are usually the ones sold at your favorite farmers market or fresh fruit stand.
Dates Dates are the fruit of the date palm tree, which grow in the desert. Harvested between September and March In the US they are grown in Arizona and California. They have a sweet, caramel-like taste and soft texture. Farmers markets may have fresh dates in season, but they are also available mail order from some growers and can usually be found at Middle Eastern markets.
Fennel Fennel has a light anise, or licorice, flavor. Crisp and refreshing when raw, but melts into a savory sweetness when slowly cooked. The tall green stalks look like celery with wispy dill-like leaves at the top. The stalks grow from a white onion-like bulb. All parts are edible, although the mild, tender bulb is most commonly used and served and is most associated with Italian cooking. It is often available year-round, but is at its best during its natural season from fall through early spring.
Hazelnuts Hazelnuts are used in confectionery to make some pralines, in chocolate for some chocolate truffles, and in hazelnut paste products. They are rich in protein and unsaturated fat and contain significant amounts of thiamine and vitamin B6, as well as smaller amounts of other B vitamins. In season primarily in October, the majority if not all the hazelnuts available in the US come from Oregon. In Austria, hazelnut paste is an ingredient in the making of tortes(such as Viennese hazelnut torte). In Kiev cake, hazelnut flour is used to flavor its meringue body, and crushed hazelnuts are sprinkled over its sides. Dacquoise, is a French dessert cake, and often contains a layer of hazelnut meringue and is also a primary ingredient of the vodka-based liqueur Frangelico. Over 2,000 tons are imported annually into Australia, mostly to supply the demand from the Cadbury-Schweppes company. Hazelnut oil pressed from hazelnuts is strongly flavored and used as a cooking oil.
Mushrooms There are over two thousand types of mushrooms, but only 2 ½ – 5 % are edible. Though you can usually get mushrooms all year round they are at their peak in fall and winter. Always look for mushrooms that are firm, not broken and avoid those that seem damp or smell of mildew. There are many varieties available, from Shitake to Crimini, to Portabello and more exotic varieties like the Black Chanterelle.
Pears The pear is native to coastal and mildly temperate regions of the Old World, from western Europe and north Africa east right across Asia. Most of North American pears are grown in Oregon and Washington, and the harvest months listed here reflect that. Pears have no cholesterol, sodium, or saturated fat. They offer a natural, quick source of energy, due largely to high amounts of fructose and glucose, plus Levulose, the sweetest of known natural sugars, found to a greater extent in fresh pears than in any other fruit. Great raw, on cheeseboards, and poached.
Peas Freshly frozen garden peas and petits pois are frozen within just two and a half-hours of being picked. Peas are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, thiamine (B1), iron and phosphorus. They are rich in protein, carbohydrate and fibre and low in fat which is mostly of the unsaturated kind. The less water you use when cooking peas, the less vitamin C is lost. Steaming helps to conserve this vitamin.
Pumpkin As one of the most popular crops in the United States, 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced each year. The top pumpkin producing states in the U.S. include Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. Pumpkins are a warm weather crop that are usually planted in early July. When ripe, the pumpkin can be boiled, baked, steamed, or roasted. Often, it is made into various kinds of pie which is a traditional staple of the Canadian and American Thanksgiving holiday. Pumpkins that are still small and green may be eaten in the same way as the vegetable marrow/zucchini. Pumpkins can also be eaten mashed or incorporated into soup.
Quince A quince is a hard, round or pear-shaped fruit. It looks and tastes like a cross between an apple and pear. Unlike apples and pears though, quinces are inedible raw. When cooked, quinces develop a slightly grainy texture similar to a firm pear and develop a rosy amber color. Their season is very brief, from October to December, so be sure to get them when you see them. Quince is a great side for duck and other game meats. You can use it as a paste on cheese boards, compote, poach it and also tarte tatin.
Sage Once prized for its medicinal value, the most popular use of sage these days is in stuffing for the Thanksgiving turkey. In ancient Rome, it was considered to have substantial healing properties, particularly helpful in the digestion of the ubiquitous fatty meats of the time, and was deemed a part of the official Roman pharmacopeia. Sage has been used effectively for throat infections, dental abscesses, infected gums and mouth ulcers. Great when used with game meats.
Squash Types
The term "summer" and "winter" for squash are only based on current usage, not on actuality. "Summer" types are on the market all winter; and "winter" types are on the markets in the late summer and fall, as well as winter.
Acorn This winter squash is shaped like an acorn. Great for baking. A small acorn squash weighs from 1 to 3 pounds, and has sweet, slightly fibrous flesh. In addition to the dark green acorn, there are now golden and multi-colored varieties.
Butternut Beige colored and shaped like a vase, this is a more watery squash and tastes somewhat similar to sweet potatoes. It has a bulbous end and pale, creamy skin, with a choice, fine-textured, deep-orange flesh with a sweet, nutty flavor. It weighs from 2 to 5 pounds. The more orange the color, the riper, drier and sweeter the squash.
Spaghetti A small, watermelon-shaped variety, ranges in size from 2 to 5 pounds or more. It has a golden-yellow, oval rind and a mild, nut-like flavor. When cooked, the flesh separates in strands that resemble spaghetti. The most yellow squash will be the ripest and best to eat. Those that are nearly white are not very ripe. Spaghetti squash also freezes well.
Think outside the box when setting up your weekly menus and try different ingredients and techniques. You'll be glad you did and it's always great to get the family to try new things and expand their palette.
Ergo Chef
#BacktoSchool End of Summer Blowout!
My Juicer Back to School Special 20% OFF* 1 week only using Discount Coupon code: MYJUICER20 My Juicer
*Sale ends 8/22/16 Midnight.
My Juicer II Personal Blender Smoothie Maker with Grinder Assembly & Extra 20oz. Sport Bottle.
Blend Well – Live Better!
This new My Juicer II has an updated stylish design with a powerful heavy duty 300+ Watt motor for crushing Ice, blending juice drinks and smoothies for a healthy lifestyle. The My Juicer II by Ergo Chef extracts the nutrients from the food your blending so your body can better digest and absorb the nutrients, for a healthier you. The additional Grinder Cup and special blade allow you to grind nuts, coffee beans, Flax & Chia seeds & fresh herbs etc. Beautiful and sleek stainless steel & black design looks great in every kitchen.
INCLUDES: Stainless Steel and Composite black plastic Motor Base with suction feet, Blade Assembly, 2 – 20 Ounce Sport Bottles, Grinder Blade Assembly & Cup, Instruction Manu al & Recipes.
Powerful Heavy Duty Motor for Crushing Ice, Frozen Veggies & Fruit with 300+ WATTS (320 Watt Max Power)
Motor Base has suction feet for stable operation & Handle for easy storing and taking with you to the office
2 – 20 Ounce Sport Bottle is Triton(R) shatter Proof Composite Plastic Material when on the go & BPA Free for a healthier lifestyle Fits in most car cup holders
Bottle top has compression fit cap for no accidental spills
Bottle has measurement Marks on side so you fill it just right
Easy to use, convenient size and easy cleanup!
Motor Base Dimensions: Height: 6.750″, Width: 5.125″, Depth: 5.5″, Weight: 2 lbs. 5 Ounces, 2 Prong 120V Extension Cord Length: 44″ Long, Height with Sport Bottle Attached: 14-3/8″ Tall
Sport Bottle Dimensions: Height with Lid: 9.5″, Dia. at Base: 2.925″, Lid Size: 2.9″ Dia. with 1.3″ handle length for easy carry, Spout: 1.050″ Outer Dia. / .780″ Inner Dia. / .550″ Tall
G rinder Blade & Cup Dimensions: Height Assembled: 4.5″ Tall x 3″ Dia. Blade Assembly, Grinder Cup Size: 3.650″ Tall x 2.5″ Dia.
Cleaning: Simply place warm water in bottle upto fill line after use with a few drops of dish soap. Place on motor base and turn on. It will blend & naturally clean itself. If needed use sponge for dried on drinks. Take apart and dry with a clean towel.
ORDER NOW: My Juicer
Culinary School Kits & ALL WEBSITE PRODUCTS (services excluded)
USE Coupon Code: August15 for 15% OFF
That's right you read correctly, 15% off everything on our website!
Our Culinary kits were designed for #professionalchefs and #homecooks who shop for exceptional value and want a reliable knife set without spending a fortune. Designed for ergonomic comfort and precision, the blades are crafted from high carbon stainless steel and have an 18 degree cutting edge so they can slice, chop or carve up any food product you need.
Order Now: Culinary School Kits
The Myron Mixon @Lord_of_Q 3-in-1 Grill Tool is the ultimate tool for you Pitmasters. Pop it, Flip it & Slice it! The Myron Mixon Pitmaster Grill Tool is first tool to deliver a style and functionality that says "Game On"! The 3-in-1 design was specifically developed & tested for easily flipping all your proteins & large veggies on the grill with the patented flipper hook.
A good sharp knife is a must to slice up your mouth watering Q, hence we use the "Workhorse" an 8" Chef knife size blade with 7″ cut for slicing up your meats and veggies, from prep to serving. The blade is high carbon stainless steel for superior durability, ground precision sharp for perfect slices. It boasts an ergonomic non-slip grip handle over a full-steel tang for strength and balance, so cutting is effortless with ultimate control. Next, a flipper hook to easily grab your Q and turn it on the grill. Last but not least is the bottle opener, built into the blade to keep you cool, sipping your favorite beverage.Now get grilling your favorite foods, and be the boss of your grilling domain with the ultimate "Myron Mixon Pitmaster Grill Tool".
SPECIFICATIONS: • Tool Weight: 8.5 Oz. • Blade & Hook Thickness: .100″ • Blade Height: 200″ • Blade Length: 8″ w/ Precision Sharp 7″ Cutting Edge • Flipper Hook: 2.750″ • Handle Size / Material: 5-3/8″ long / Non-Slip TPR • OAL: 16.125″ • Blade Material: One Piece Carbon Stainless Steel (5Cr15MoV
Only $29.99 or upgrade to our Kit with Ergo bag & a 15" DUO Grill Tong for only $59.99 here: Grill Tool
Save big on all Michael Symon's Cutlery like this 3pc Starter Knife Set!
This Michael Symon Cutlery set provides you with your essential 9″ Chef knife for chopping up large fruits, vegetables and proteins. You also get a 6″ Serrated Utility knife for slicing up smaller soft veggies, bread, bagels and cheese. Lastly you have a 3.5″ paring knife for peeling and small cutting tasks, as well as fancy garnishes. Get cooking in your kitchen with these high quality tools.
Set Features: 9″ Chef knife, 6″ Serrated Utility knife, 3.5″ Paring knife, Lifetime Limited Warranty~30 Day Satisfaction Guaranteed – Money Back Guarantee! We guarantee you'll love the quality & craftsmanship of these tools designed with Iron Chef Michael Symon.
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This is a special 3pc Crimson G10 Knife set deal – List Price $390
Special $139.99 less extra 15% with a coupon code Crimson 3 PC Set Special
We hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and we'll be back with another blog post in October. Till then, all the best,
Mike Staib16 Must Have #Autumn Ingredients & "The Chop Talk #BacktoSchool End of Summer Blowout Sale!" 08.14.2016
New Website Design, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chili, New Ceramic Paring Knife & Kosher Knives
April 1, 2016 Mike Staib Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
Welcome to April!
Spring is in full swing and Ergo has some new and exciting news for you all. First up is the new design of our website and blog. We've made them much more user friendly, with a new sleek look and, we've added a great new "Live Chat" feature so you can now talk live to a customer service rep with any order or product questions you may have. Just click the blue "Live Help" button on the lower right hand side of the home page.
In this edition of Chop Talk, Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips covers a topic we can never revisit enough Knife Basics & Sharpening. We've got a delicious Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chili recipe for you from Elaine Giammetta,The Gourmet Girl. Finishing up, we have 3 new products for you to check out; Our new Presidential Chef's Choice 4″ Stealth Black Ceramic Paring Knife and our Pro-Series Extra Wide 2.3″ Chef Knife with no hollow grounds and our #Kosher Marked Knives by Rabbi-Q's Mendel Segal. Enjoy!
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips
Sharpening Your Knives
It's important to keep knives sharp to stay safe when cooking, as dull knives are a safety hazard and can be very dangerous. The more blunt a knife's edge is, the more pressure it takes to cut something, the more likely you are to slip and cut your finger instead. Sharpened knives reduce the time it takes to prepare your meals as well. To sharpen a knife, you can use a professional sharpening stone, also known as a whetstone, or a sharpening stick. Directions are usually provided with the sharpening products. Our 10″ and 12″ diamond sharpeners will keep your knives razor sharp with just a few passes or you can use our new Fast Edge manual pull through sharpener which cuts an 18 degree edge on your knives every time.
See the different types here: Ergo Chef Sharpeners. If you don't feel comfortable sharpening your knives yourself, many retailers offer professional sharpening or you can Google for knife sharpening in your area. You could also try your favorite cooking supply store, as most offer sharpening services.
How To Properly Hold & Use Your Knife
For more precise control, adopt a grip on the blade itself, with the thumb and the index finger grasping the blade just to the front of the bolster and the middle finger placed just opposite on the blade. When slicing or chopping, keep your fingertips curled inward. Use your fingernails in what is called a "claw grip," to help grip the food. The knife blade should rest against the foremost knuckle, helping keep the blade perpendicular to the board.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chili courtesy of Elaine Giammetta
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chili
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, deveined, seeded and minced
2 medium cloves of garlic, minced
28 oz can organic crushed tomatoes
1 c each: black beans, pinto beans (if canned, well drained)
2 c red kidney beans (if canned, well drained)
1/2 c dark ale
1 1/2 dried hot red peppers (crushed)
1 t oregano, dried
pinch cumin powder
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb ground pork
1/4 c low fat or organic creamy peanut butter
3 T serrano chili sauce
2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
2 T shaved dark chocolate
Heat 2-3 T oil in a large heavy bottom pot. Add the onion, green peppers, & garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent. Next add the crushed tomatoes, beans, beer, and spices. In a separate pan brown the ground turkey and pork, then add to chili mixture. Simmer for 45 minutes over low heat. Add the peanut butter, hot sauce, lime juice, cilantro and chocolate. Simmer an additional 15 minutes.
Spoon into soup bowl, top with dollop of yogurt or sour cream. Shave chocolate over topping. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro leaves and shredded cheddar. Serve with a tall glass of the ale used in the recipe.
Presidential Chef's Choice Stealth 4″ Ceramic Paring Knife
This knife is crafted from high quality ceramic ground to a razor edge. The ceramic is much more durable than past ceramic knives due to new technology and fibers to strengthen the blade. Ceramic is the next hardest material to diamonds so it will hold an edge with years of proper use. The handle is non-slip providing great feel and control for all your smaller cutting tasks. Created in a stealth black ceramic with Presidential Chef's Choice, Chef Sam Morgante.
Every purchase helps support "Rolling Thunder" by giving 10% of profits from sales to help veterans and active duty military & their families.
Includes: Official Silver Foil Printed Gift Box with Presidential Chef's Choice Seal Special Stealth 4″ Ceramic Paring Knife w/ Protective Sheath Comfort Texture Handle Grip for Safer Control. Exclusive "Presidential Chef's Choice The White House" Seal Laser Etched on Ceramic Blade.
To Order: Ceramic Paring Knife $24.99
Pro Series 2.3" Wide Ergonomic Chef Knife
Order the New Pro Series 2.3" Wide Ergonomic Chef Knife & get a Free Diamond Sharpener!* Clean sides with no hollow grounds!Pro Series 2.3" Wide Ergonomic Chef Knife This new 8" Pro-Series Wide Ergonomic Chef knife has an extra wide blade height 2.3", and is NOT hollow Ground.
Nice clean sides with no hollow grounds for easy cleaning and keeps it's strength and durability even after you sharpen it for years. Precision balanced and fully forged for a lifetime of use.The 8″ Chef knife is the work horse in the kitchen. Our patented design, with its ergonomic angled handle, can make virtually all types of cutting more comfortable and effortless than standard knives (cutlery).
This chef cutlery helps reduce wrist movement during chopping, and can decrease stress on the muscles in your wrist, hand and forearm; and the extended heel or blade of the knife prevents your knuckles from contacting the cutting surface. The cutlery is perfectly balanced and ground to perfection. Once you try it, you will want no other. Our knives were highly rated by many publications and by many culinary professors!
Features: Blade: German Made Carbon Stainless Steel (X50CrMoV15), Blade Length: 8″ of Cut, Blade Height: Wide 2.3″, Handle Length: 5.2″ Long, Handle Material: Durable POM, Knife Weight: 9.3 Ounces, Precision Balanced at Bolster, Lifetime Warranty & 30 Day Money Back Guarantee.
To Order: Pro Series 2.3″ Wide Ergonomic Chef Knife $69.99
*Limited Time Offer. While supplies last.
We now have #Kosher Marked Knives by Rabbi-Q's Mendel Segal. Save 10% with coupon code: IntroRabbiQ10
These are the best, most ergonomic and affordable knives on the market for your Kosher Kitchen! All knives are laser marked "Pareve" "Dairy" or "Meat" by Rabbi Mendel of RaBBi-Q.
Available knives:
Mendel's RaBBi-Q 8″ Chef Knife Marked Dairy by Rabbi Mendel of RaBBi-Q. This 8″ Crimson G10 Chef knife is laser marked for Dairy use in the Kosher kitchen. Cut with confidence feel the ergonomic difference in these precision balanced and edged kitchen knives. The 8″ Chef knife will slice, and chop everything except bone in your Kosher kitchen.
6″ Utility Knife Marked for Dairy by RaBBi Mendel of RaBBi-Q. This Crimson G10 handle utility knife is made from high carbon stainless steel for long edge life and easy maintenance. Designed for slicing all small dairy products with ergonomic comfort, balance and precision in your Kosher Kitchen.
8″ Chef knife marked Meat for a Kosher kitchen by Rabbi Mendel of RaBBi-Q. This Crimson G10 Chef knife features a high carbon stainless steel blade for precision cutting of all your meat. The ergonomic handle creates a comfortable grip for superior control and performance with great balance for smooth efficient slicing in your Kosher kitchen.
This 6″ Utility Knife Marked Meat for your Kosher Kitchen by Rabbi Mendel of RaBBi Q is easily identifiable. Made with quality high carbon stainless steel and G10 fiberglass resin handles for extreme durability. Slice your smaller proteins easily with the precision sharp edge on this quality blade in your Kosher kitchen.
This 8″ Bread Knife Marked Pareve for your Kosher Kitchen by Rabbi Mendel of RaBBi-Q is easily identifiable with the laser marked "Pareve" for your kitchen. It's made with quality high carbon stainless steel for long edge life and durability in any kitchen. The ergonomic G10 fiberglass resin handle is one of the world's strongest materials for a lifetime of use. Slice your breads, cakes and all items Pareve in your kitchen with this offset serrated bread knife.
This 3.5″ Paring Knife Marked Pareve for your Kosher Kitchen by Rabbi Mendel of RaBBi-Q is easily identifiable. Made from quality high carbon stainless steel for long edge life and easy maintenance. The G10 fiberglass resin handles are one of the world's strongest for a lifetime of use. This is a perfect paring knife for small Kosher kitchen tasks.
To find out more or place an order click here: https://www.ergochef.com/Kosher-Marked-Kitchen-Knives-by-RaBBI-Q.php
Until next time, happy cooking!
Mike StaibNew Website Design, Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chili, New Ceramic Paring Knife & Kosher Knives 04.01.2016
Autumn means Stocks & Soups, Food Shows, Sweepstakes Event, Chef Kern & a Fall classic, Pork Osso Bucco…
October 14, 2015 Mike Staib Events, Friends of Ergo Chef, Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
Welcome to October and the start of the Fall Season. We love this time of year for so many reasons. One, is that we get to attend some of the great food and culinary shows around the country and we look forward to to meeting and greeting you all face to face. That said, coming up this month is the Metro D.C. Cooking Show, Oct 24-25, 2015 in Washington D.C. & we'll be heading to Cleveland Nov 13-15, 2015 for the Fabulous Food Show.
The Metro DC Cooking Show Headlining this year's DC show will be Giada De Laurentiis and our good friend and partner, Chef Michael Symon. We'll be displaying and demoing all our great products, including the new Michael Symon Cutlery Line (Chef Symon will be at the booth both days to greet you up close) and the new Myron Mixon Grill Tool.
Saturday October 24 – Sunday October 25, 2015
Walter E. Washington Convention Center – Washington, DC
Saturday Hours: 10 am – 6 pm ~ Sunday Hours: 10 am – 5 pm
We'll be at Booth #1315. We hope to see you there!
Ticket prices: General Admission – $18 in advance; Children 4-12 – $10 in advance
www.MetroCookingDC.com
The Fabulous Food Show, Nov. 13-15, 2015
The Nation's Premier Culinary Celebration is bigger than ever! The 10th annual Fabulous Food Show returns to the I-X Center November 13-15, 2015. This is not your ordinary cooking show, it's a full weekend of food, fun, and entertainment! Spread out over 400,000 square feet of indoor space, this unparalleled cultural experience features the country's largest presentation of fine food, fine art, craft breweries, wineries, restaurants, and purveyors all under one roof!The Market Place: Sample and shop from a collection of hundreds of companies showcasing a variety of specialty foods and culinary gadgets.Taste, Try & Buy just in time for the holiday entertaining season.
Giant Eagle Market District Theatre: Custom built open theatre hosted by Jason Roberts. Featuring live exclusive content on stage all weekend with Michael Symon, Buddy Valastro, Gail Simmons, Aaròn Sànchez, Frankie Avalon, The Samples and Gospel Brunch presented by House of Blues Cleveland. All performances are included with admission. Seating is first come, first served.
We'll be there with all our great products and I'm sure Chef Symon will be stopping by to talk to you all about his new Michael Symon Cutlery Line. We'll be at Booth #1352. For more info, visit the official website here: www.fabulousfoodshow.com
Food Tips & Kitchen Tricks
To begin, let's take the simple definition. Most soups start with some type of broth or stock which is defined as; a liquid (usually water) that is fortified with a definite flavor. Different types of stocks include, vegetable, chicken, beef, duck, fish, lobster, corn, asparagus, etc The list is endless depending on what flavor you are looking for and, of course the ingredients that you are going to use it in. The final flavor you are trying to achieve determines how you are going to treat the ingredients going in. As an example were you to be making corn stock, your flavors would take on a completely different profile if you were using raw corn vs. roasted corn. Developing a base flavor is an important part, if not the most important part, of a successful soup and that can be achieved in many ways. If the home cook wants to make a meaty and rich soup for instance, it is important to caramelize the meat and vegetables first, then deglaze the pan with a liquid (sometimes red or white wine) to remove the flavorful pieces from the bottom of the pan (called fond) and add those flavors to the soup resulting in a richness of flavor called Umami.
A French term called 'Mirepoix,' is the foundation of most soups and stocks. This is a mixture of 2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, and 1 part celery. Make sure you have a good sharp Chef knife to break them down. Aromatics are flavor enhancers that are added to your stock to bloom or boost flavors. Aromatics include: peppercorns, bay leaves, juniper berries, any herbs, any onions, or garlic. Most importantly, we need to determine what type of stock we want to create, and then decide what the future of our beautiful stock will be. After you have added all your ingredients, you are now ready to let your stock simmer. A simmer is a temperature between 190-200 degrees and different stocks have different simmering times in order to reach their fullness of flavor:
Vegetable stocks~45 minutes
Fish stocks~1 hour 30 minutes,
Chicken (Poultry) stocks~2 hours,
Beef stocks~6 hours ( pre-roast the bones)
Once your stock is completely simmered to it's full richness, the final step is straining it properly. What we are looking for is a pure, smooth and beautiful liquid so at this point we need to pass it through a strainer or "cheesecloth" to remove all impurities and vegetables, or large ingredients. Your stock can now be used immediately, or can be frozen in smaller batches to be thawed and used the next time you decide to make a soup or sauce.
Soup is a food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables in stock or hot/boiling water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth. Traditionally, soups are classified into two broad groups: clear soups and thick soups. The established French classifications of clear soups are bouillon and consomme. Thick soups are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used: purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch; bisques are made from puréed shellfish thickened with cream; cream soups are thickened with béchamel sauce; veloutes are thickened with eggs, butter and cream.
Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include rice, flour, and grains and beans. The word soup originates from "sop," a dish originally consisting of a soup or thick stew which was soaked up with pieces of bread. The modern meaning of sop has been limited to just the bread intended to be dipped. Cooking with the seasons can be a lot of fun, so when thinking soups and stocks, consider ingredients available at that time of year and enjoy gathering ingredients that are at their peek of freshness. Autumn is a great season for soups, so be creative and enjoy!
Chef's Spotlight
Chef Justin Kern
When you see Justin Kern handling a busy kitchen you'll immediately say to yourself "that dude is fierce." You're not wrong. He gets it done. Hailing from Kingston, NY Chef Kern has been in the business since 1999. His love affair with food goes all the way back to his father. His father might not have been a chef, but he loved to cook and put his own spin on things. He explained, "From what I understand my mom couldn't cook to save her life. Sorry Mom. My father was a Marine and he just loved to cook, nothing fancy, but very eclectic. I learned to eat a lot of different foods very early. My Grandparents also used to dine out on all types of cuisines, so they really exposed me to lots of different cuisines."
Since building his initial kitchen chops at a pizza and BBQ joint in upstate NY, Chef Kern has been a private chef and caterer, been involved with beer dinners and special events as well as an uber successful series of pop-up dinners here in Connecticut. He stated, "I remember when I first started, it was a job. My very first job was pizza delivery and watching the guys in the kitchen, I was fascinated. I was 16 and within a year I was running the place, making all the food etc."
Chef Kern has worked with chefs from all over the county, and quite frankly, from all over the world. He knows a thing or two and is passionate about delivering not just a delicious meal, but also one that uses quality ingredients. At the top of his list is always locally grown ingredients. He believes it's important to support the people and businesses around him. Justin came to Meetinghouse Pub because he loved the vision of the owners. He also loved the team and how all the different personalities worked so well together. His favorite part of being a chef? "When you do it right, you can bring joy and make people feel good."
I asked him about his cuisine and food philosophy and he answered. "I love local and try to be local as much as I can with regard to my ingredients. For instance I can't get Ahi Tuna locally but I can get deep water shrimp from local day boats, caught the morning in Connecticut waters and have them on the plate that night. As for my cuisine I'd call it Americano, upscale pub food, focused on local ingredients and simple comfort food flavors. Simple dishes executed with great technique consistently." I asked him about Ergo Knives. "I love my Ergo knives. I have tendonitis in my hands and working with the Pro Series does take a learning curve, but I can use them all day with minimal abuse to my hands. I recommend them to everyone. They're quality knives. My go to is my 10″ Pro Series Chef Knife."
We then ended with brief rapid fire question and answer.
CT: Crocs or no crocs?
JK: No crocs
CT: Favorite tool in the kitchen?
JK: My 10″ Ergo Chef Knife
CT: Favorite junk food?
JK: Gummy Bears
CT: What do you eat after shift?
JK: (laughs) Alcohol
CT: Least favorite ingredient?
JK: Coconut
CT: Favorite ingredient?
JK: Pork
CT: Favorite spice?
JK: Salt
CT: Favorite cuisine to cook?
JK: Recently I'm exploring Italian. Sauces, pastas, etc.
CT: Favorite cuisine to eat?
JK: I'm a huge seafood fan, regardless of type, be it Asian, American.
CT: Fine dining or casual?
JK: I'm all about casual. The best things happen over food. Weddings, birthdays, holidays, all over food.
You can connect with Chef Kern via social media here: Twitter: @Chef_JKern Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jkern01?fref=ts
Pork Osso Bucco With Creamy Grits and Pumpkin Beer Gravy
Courtesy of Chef Justin Kern
Pork Ingredients:
4 Pork Shank
6 pack of your favorite pumpkin beer
1 Qt chicken stock
1 white onion roughly chopped
2 large carrots roughly chopped
1 bunch celery roughly chopped
3 tbs EVOO
Grits Ingredients:
1 C Grits (yellow corn)
1 ¼ C Chicken stock
1 ¼ C Heavy Cream
½ Onion diced
2 Tbs Mascarpone
In a large pan sear off pork with EVOO until golden brown on all sides. Add vegetables to pot and cook until onions are transparent and starting to brown. Then pour in beer and chicken stock until pork is completely covered by liquid. Cover your pot with a snug fitting lid or tin foil and place in a 375 deg oven for 4-6 hours depending on thickness of pork.. Your looking for it to pull apart with ease. Salt and pepper before you wear off meat and salt and pepper to taste.
When Pork is finished, in a medium pot add EVOO and turn to high heat. When pan is hot add Garlic and onions and sweat until onions are translucent. At that point add chicken stock, heavy cream and bring to a low boil. Turn heat to low and add grits. Stir frequently until grits have become soft and they absorbed all liquid (if there is no liquid left and there is still to much texture to the grits add chicken stock ¼ C at a time until done). Stir in Mascarpone to finish
Reserve about 2C of your braising liquid. In a small pot add 1 Tbs of cornstarch and water mixed. Bring to a boil and smother pork on plate!
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Ergo Chef & Simply Symon Fall Sweepstakes
Contest on Ergo Chef's Facebook Page!
Contest Starts October 15th at 10am! The Winner will be announced by November 16th via video on the event page by Chef Symon. Simply join the event and RSVP as "Going" for your chance to win. Find out more here: https://www.facebook.com/ergochef
Mike StaibAutumn means Stocks & Soups, Food Shows, Sweepstakes Event, Chef Kern & a Fall classic, Pork Osso Bucco… 10.14.2015
Tailgating, Chef Whitney Miller, Wine Tips for Tailgating with Michael Stubelt of The Wine Stash!
September 15, 2015 Mike Staib Friends of Ergo Chef, Recipes, Tips and Tools No comments
Welcome to the September edition of Chop Talk. It's hard to believe it but Summer is gone and soon we'll be getting ready for Goblins, Turkey and Pumpkins! With football season here and Fall right around the corner, in Food Tips & Kitchen Tips we're talking tailgating!! We're also sitting down with the 1st US Masterchef winner, Whitney Miller, for some advice for this season's contestants in this month's Chef's Spotlight. Whitney also provides us with a delicious Red Snapper Cevich Recipe. We'll need something to wash it down with so we'll be talking wine with The Wine Stash's, Michael Stubelt, who gives us tips for what wines to have when we're tailgating and his pick for this Autumn's 'must try' wine. Last but not least it's all about Kitchen Kapers, who've been "inspiring a little homemade fun in the kitchen since 1975…."
It's that time of year sports fans….tailgating season and we're giving you the lowdown on this annual fall tradition from it's humble beginning right up to the modern day extravaganza's fans now create before, during and after their favorite teams game. There are a few theories with regard to the origins of tailgating.
The first theory is that the tailgate party occurred during the first college football game between Rutgers and Princeton. Apparently, spectators spent their pre-game ritual grilling sausages at the "tail end" of the horse. This theory seems a bit weak to me, but it has persisted for a long, long time. The second theory seems a little bit more plausible, as it seems logical to the human mind. The story goes that a train transported a large number of fans to a Yale football game in 1904. By the time the fans had arrived to the game, most were quite famished and, according to Peter Chakerian's excerpt, the fans made sure to bring food and beverages to the stadium prior to the start of the game. The third is that Green Bay Packers fans coined the actual term "tailgating" during the teams first year in business in 1919. Back then, the fans would back their pickup trucks around the field and fold down their tailgates for seating. Naturally, food and beverages were brought along to keep the appetite in check. Unfortunately, says Packers team historian Cliff Christl, there isn't evidence to support this theory, however romantic. "I don't believe the story about Packers fans tailgating around the field is true, and we have no pictures that even prove there was tailgating at old City Stadium (the Packers home from 1925-56)," he states, adding that, like the Yale fans, he believes people would bring food and drink in their trunks, a practice that "continued at the new City Stadium."
Today tailgating is almost a full time occupation and it's so popular that a full 35% of the people that attend tailgate parties don't actually attend the game. In Knoxville, Tennessee, the so-called Vols Navy dock their boats outside of Neyland Stadium on the banks of the Tennessee River and partake in a floating tailgate they call "Sailgating." In Oxford, Mississippi, students and alumni gather at The Grove, an atmosphere likened to the pomp at the Kentucky Derby. The Sporting News called The Grove the "Holy Grail of Tailgating Sites."
The most famous tailgating party takes place on neutral turf. Since 1933, the Florida Gators and the Georgia Bulldogs have met in Jacksonville, Florida to, ostensibly, play football. What ensues from Wednesday to Saturday, this year's game taking place in early November, is what's called "The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail party," a term coined by a Florida Times-Union sports editor in the 1950s. The city of Jacksonville even embraced the nickname, using it as the game's slogan until 1988, but has since ceased doing so after a series of alcohol-fueled college antics.
Tailgating Defined
A tailgate party is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle. Tailgating often involves consuming alcoholic beverages and grilling food. Tailgate parties usually occur in the parking lots at stadiums and arenas, before and occasionally after games and concerts. People attending such a party are said to be 'tailgating'. Tailgate parties have spread to the pre-game festivities at sporting events besides football, such as basketball, hockey, soccer, and baseball, and also occur at non-sporting events such as weddings and barbecues.
In schools and communities throughout the United States, there are athletic departments, coaches and parents of student athletes who rely on post-game tailgating parties to build community and support for their program and team. Smaller, underfunded programs are assisted by the voluntary participation of parents and friends to feed the team and coaching staff post-competition, which establishes a strong core of support year after year.
Click the link for a comprehesive guide to tailgaiting: Play by play guide to tailgating
Chef Whitney Miller
Inspired by the hospitality of her 97 year-old great-grandmother and creativity of her mother, Whitney Miller's passion for the art of cooking began at an early age. At twenty two, she won the show "Masterchef," gaining the title of Fox's 1st U. S. Masterchef. Soon afterward, Whitney obtained her degree, with an emphasis in nutrition, from The University of Southern Mississippi.
Whitney has conducted cooking demonstrations at many Home and Housewares & Food shows with celebrity chefs such as Guy Fieri and Curtis Stone, Buddy Valastro, UK's "The Spice Prince" Reza Mahammad, and Italian Michelin Star chef Giorgio Locatelli. Her cooking demos have also been featured in the Masterchef app. As the youngest contestant and winner of Fox's first America's Masterchef, Whitney continues to inspire children, youth, and young adults, through cooking demos and speaking events at public and private schools, culinary classes and colleges, and children's museum events across the United States. She has a new cookbook coming out and there's even talk of a new cooking show. We caught up with her during a vacation break to get her take on this season's Masterchef contestants and what's happening for her now.
Chop Talk: So tell us about great-grandma and mom and their influence on your career….
WM: My mom I learned creativity of cooking…she had us in the kitchen from when we were little. Everything from scratch. From my great-grandmother I learned authentic Southern basics, from biscuits to how to make a roux to good gumbo. She taught me hospitality and how to feed a crowd. We had huge Sunday dinners at her house every Sunday after church. 30 people. I learned the skills of hospitality watching those great women cook and I decided I wanted to cook for a living. I saw how my grandma's cooking made people feel happy, and I wanted to emulate that.
Chop Talk: So how did Masterchef happen?
WM: I was in college and I saw online that Masterchef was having auditions in New Orleans. When I got chosen, I had no idea who Gordon Ramsay was, so I went back and watched his shows and thought, 'Oh no, what have I got myself in for?'
Chop Talk: Do you have any advice that you can pass along to this year's or future year's contestants?
WM: For me what really helped was my background in pastry and desserts. I see the same thing happen now, that happened in my season. When it comes to desserts those that are comfortable seem to have a better chance than those that are intimidated by pastry. Come knowing what you want to make as well. Have recipe's down cold.
Chop Talk: How did winning Masterchef change things for you?
WM: First let's talk the cookbook…they gave me four months. I grew up watching my grandma and a pinch of this pinch of that, we didn't measure anything. so that was an experience. I got to travel to four different countries after I won. Experiencing different cultures. Being in those kitchens was an education for me as well. and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to cook for so may people and introduce them to real Southern cooking.
Chop Talk: So what's coming up for Whitney Miller?
WM: I continue to do recipe developing for a number of publications. Guest blogging, writing for a few magazines my second cookbook is being released October 27th, 2015 called Whitney Miller's Southern Table. I have a cooking show in the works, so that is a bit exciting as well.
Chop Talk : You use Ergo Knives…
WM: I do. They are my everyday knives. I love them. They are so easy to use. I have my roll kit and they go everywhere with me. Just the ease and the use of them, knowing that it's gonna help prevent damage to my wrists in the long run is why I'm using them for the rest of my life.
You can find out more about Whitney on her website here: whitneymiller.net Whitney develops recipes, gives lectures, cooking demonstrations and cooking classes, and also can be booked to judge or MC awards events and benefits. She can tailor an appearance to suit your needs. To book Whitney Miller, contact Mary Miller by phone 601-795-3883 or email mary.e.miller7@gmail.com
Red Snapper Ceviche by Whitney Miller
1/2 pound skinless red snapper
1/4 cup julienned jicama
7 grape tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoon finely sliced red onion
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 fresh jalapeno, thinly sliced
Homemade or store bought Corn Tortilla chips
Slice the red snapper into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the cubed snapper in a shallow container or bowl. Pour the lime juice over the top to almost cover the snapper. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Add the jicama, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, cilantro, and jalapeño to the snapper. Lightly toss to combine.Season the ceviche with salt to taste. Serve immediately with the chips.
Wine Tips with Michael Stubelt of The Wine Stash
We caught up with artisinal winemaker, Michael Stubelt, of The Wine Stash for some expert advice on what wines go best with tailgating and thinking outside the box when selecting wines this fall.
He arrived in Northern California (by way of the east coast) in 1995 and he's been appreciating Napa Valley wine and terroir ever since. Growing up enjoying wines from across the pond, he was deeply influenced by French styles with subtle notes. If there is one thing that most French wines have in common, it is that most styles are meant to accompany food. The pairing of the two is a love that Michael and his wife Coleen (a talented culinarian) both share. Michael's philosophy remains in this tone; to let the grapes and the land dictate the direction of the varietal.
He does not limit himself to one region or style but truly appreciates the diversity that each bring. This opens the door for a wide-ranging culinary adventure. It's a rough life…but someone needs to do it. By sharing his deep passion and first-hand knowledge Michael creates lasting memories and friendships – one glass at a time. With its first vintage in 2007 "The Wine Stash" was formed by a group of friends with one common interest, to make and share great hand crafted wines with friends and family. Today the list of friends and family have certainly grown but the partner's philosophy is still the same. They locate small farmers and producers bringing hand crafted wines to the growing list of "Stash" followers.
Chop Talk: So Michael, what wine should we be bringing when we're tailgating?
MS: Start with light and crisp before the food. Something that wakes up your palette. Then, with meats and the types of spicy foods like chili, you want to keep it crisp, not too much alcohol content. Some of the more hearty rose's for example pair well with whatever's coming off the grill and still has a lighter touch. .
Chop Talk: With Fall coming , so also comes the list of the traditional 'Fall' wines. Can you give us something outside the mainstream thinking that makes a nice fall wine?
MS: Find a single varietal of a grape that is normally used in blending. It's worth it to try different wines like this to see the subtle differences. Cab Franc for instance. This season through the Holidays. It's a soft and subtle wine, but has a lot of character. It's very inviting to a wide variety of people because it has less astringency, it goes great with the cuisine this time of year. It's usually used as a blend to soften say, a Cabernet's, but on it's own it's great, hint of cranberries, subtle little fruit notes.
Chop Talk: Tell us about The Wine Stash
MS: Everything we do is from Napa. so we have relationships with growers and producers in each district and the Valley really determines what wines we'll be making. We're located in Yountville and we seem to like varieties that are mountain/hillside grown, the complexities, a bit stressed. Something about the thicker skin, smaller more compact fruit.
The Wine Stash
From the Wine Stash website:
"The Wine Stash® is dedicated to crafting wines in small batches for friends and family. After 5 years we have produced some exciting and exceptional wines and as one can imagine we have a bunch of new friends.
All of our grapes are grown on family vineyards that in many cases are just a few select acres. We are very selective about the vineyards and how the fruit is harvested. In some cases the Wine Stash® team even goes out into the vineyard and will pick the grapes ourselves. We implement a gentle gravity flow system that allows us to reduce "bottle shock" so the wine goes directly from barrel to bottle. We produce some very small, select lots which will occasionally be hand crafted and labeled as well as now with production increasing we utilize a boutique bottling line to bring you the very best wines with the teams personal touch. Thanks for your support, sharing and allowing us to bring some of our wines to your dinner table."
In addition to the retail establishments listed on their site, The Wine Stash can ship wine to all states that allow direct to consumer commerce. Click here for details: Where to Buy
Gourmet Store Spotlight
A National Retailer with Local Roots, Kitchen Kapers has been Inspiring A Little Homemade Fun Since 1975. The seed was planted in 1975 when they opened their first store in Voorhees, New Jersey. Over the years they've carefully expanded their business and have been serving neighborhoods and communities all across the Greater Philadelphia Region with 10 retail stores from Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Wilmington, Delaware and Princeton, New Jersey. The secret for Kitchen Kapers continued success is rooted in offering customers value, selection and quality, combined with fast, friendly and knowledgeable service. The web, along with our mail order business, gave us the opportunity to serve neighborhoods and communities well beyond the Mid-Atlantic. Casual cooks and serious chefs throughout the United States have come to depend on them for the latest cooking and baking innovations along with a great selection of gourmet cookware, bakeware, kitchen knives and the hottest kitchen gadgets. And, of course their passion for good food and cooking with family and friends.
The Moorestown, New Jersey store located in East Gate Square features the Cooking School. Classes range from Cooking for Kids, Couples 5-star Cooking, to Girl's Night Out Classes and Private Birthday Parties. "
Visit thier website here: https://www.kitchenkapers.com/
Mike StaibTailgating, Chef Whitney Miller, Wine Tips for Tailgating with Michael Stubelt of The Wine Stash! 09.15.2015
Food Hacks, Chef Michel Nischan & the Myron Mixon Grill Tool!
August 16, 2015 Mike Staib Friends of Ergo Chef, Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips: 10 Easy Food Hacks
Food hacks are all the rage this year so we thought we jump on the bandwagon…although we've been doing Food Tricks here for going two years now, so we'd like to think that we were ahead of the curve and the rest of the food world is just catching up! Enjoy
1. Do you have a craving for hard tacos but no shells? Here's a speedy solution: Put soft tortillas in mugs and nuke em for a few minutes. They'll crisp up without any frying!
2. Who doesn't love fish on the grill? One of the problems is that is sometimes sticks to the grill. Place the fillet on a bed of lemons and you won't be scraping salmon off of the grates.
3. After all your hard work making a cake, the last thing you want is for it to go stale. After cutting into a cake, use toothpicks to cover the exposed portion with piece of bread to keep cake nice and soft.
4. Love having barbecues but hate when the bugs want to share your cool refreshing drink? Exterminate that problem by putting cupcake liners over your drinks and sticking a straw through.
5. Have a waffle iron gathering dust. No more! Julienne those potatoes and make them perfect in your waffle iron every time.
6. Wrap banana crowns in plastic wrap and they'll last 3-4 days longer.
7. There's not much worse to a baker than to pull out the brown sugar to find you now have a brown sugar brick. Put a marshmallow in your brown sugar, though, and it won't clump or dry out.
8. Rubbing egg shells with vegetable oil before refrigerating them helps keep them fresh for an additional three to four weeks.
9. Get the most out of your fresh herbs chop and mix fresh herbs with melted butter or oil, or just plain water, pour into ice cube trays to preserve portions for future meals.
10. Cut corn off the cob with no problem by using a bundt pan to both hold the cob as you cut and catch the corn that comes off.
Chef's Spotlight: Michel Nischan
Michel Nischan, Chef, Author and Food Equity Advocate
Michel Nischan is a three-time James Beard Foundation award winning celebrity chef with over 30 years of leadership experience advocating for a more sustainable food system. He is Founder, President and CEO of Wholesome Wave, Co-Founder of the Chefs Action Network, as well as Founder and Partner with the late actor Paul Newman of the former Dressing Room Restaurant. He and his Wholesome Wave team were successful at influencing legislative language for the recently passed Federal Farm Bill. He's also the author of three cookbooks and a variety of articles focused on sustainable food systems and social equity through food. A lifetime Ashoka fellow, Nischan serves on the board of the Amazon Conservation Team, and The National Young Farmers Coalition.
He recently joined forces with First Lady Michelle Obama, WGBH, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a judge in the fourth annual Healthy Lunchtime Challenge early this year. The aim of the lunchtime challenge is to promote culinary education and healthy eating among youth across the country. On July 9 and 10th, Chef Nischan participated in a day-long welcome event for the 2015 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge winners, demoing some of his favorite, affordable and healthy recipes, and attending the Kids "State Dinner" at the White House.
Nischan and his team at Wholesome Wave have been at the forefront of advocating for a healthful, just, and sustainable food system. Working through a network of partners, the team has been successful in increasing access to affordable, local produce in underserved communities, improving the health of individuals, and increasing revenue for small and mid-sized farm businesses. A lifetime Ashoka fellow, Nischan serves on the board of the Rodale Institute and the Amazon Conservation Team, and is a former trustee of the James Beard Foundation and Harvard University's Center for Health and the Global Environment.
About Wholesome Wave
Increase Affordability and Access to Healthy, Locally Grown Food
Nearly 30 million Americans lack access to healthy, affordable foods. Our initiatives provide tens of thousands of families annually with the opportunity to purchase affordable, healthy, locally grown food, and open doors for schools, hospitals, and food banks to purchase farm fresh food from regional food hubs.
Improve Health Outcomes
One in three people are overweight or obese. Annual medical costs of obesity in the United States are more than $145 billion. Prevention is key. Our initiatives lead to decreased BMI for participating children and increased fruit and vegetable consumption among participants of all ages.
Bolster Local and Regional Economies
American farmers receive just 11.6 cents of every dollar spent on food in the US. Farmers markets and food hubs provide forums for farmers to receive 100 percent of the revenue from their food sales. More than 3,500 local and regional farmers received $2.5 million in farmers market sales from federal nutrition benefits, nutrition incentives, and fruit and vegetable prescriptions. Hundreds of farmers, producers and fisherman received upwards of $7 million in revenue generated by our food hub partners.
Generate Revenue for Small & Mid-Sized Farms
Local food sales in the US totaled $4.8 billion in 2008, just 0.4 percent of total agricultural sales. SNAP, farmers markets and food hubs are powerful economic multipliers – every $1 in SNAP generates as much as a $1.79 in local economic activity. Our program participants spend their food dollars locally by shopping at farmers markets, and continue to spend at nearby businesses on market days. Increased revenue to farmers and food hubs results in the creation of new jobs and the retention of existing jobs.
To support Wholesome Wave's initiatives, Donate Today
Recipe: Chicken Wrap
Recipe courtesy of The Victory Garden's Edible Feast by Chef Michel Nischan Grilled chicken salad wrapped in collard greens.
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
15 large collard green leaves
1/2 cup chopped green and black olives
1 cup diced assorted sweet peppers
1/2 cup diced red onion
3 tablespoons assorted herbs hand torn
2 cups cooked black barley
Heat an oiled grill pan over medium high heat or preheat outdoor grill, grate oiled, to medium heat. Pat chicken breasts dry and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Set chicken aside and allow to cool for ten minutes. When chicken has cooled to touch dice each breast into 1/4-inch pieces.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanche the collard greens for 5 minutes. Using tongs carefully remove the leaves from the boiling water and shock in an ice bath. Once cooled, remove the leaves and set aside onto a sheet pan lined with paper towels.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients except collard greens and mix well.
Lay a collard green leaf onto a cutting board. Place about 1/3 cup of filling in the center of a collard green leaf. Fold the bottom third of the leaf up over the filing. Take the left side of the leaf and fold it over the filling. Repeat with the right side of the leaf, and then roll it up to enclose the filling.
Repeat using remain leaves and filling. Slice each wrap in half and place onto serving platter.
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Mike StaibFood Hacks, Chef Michel Nischan & the Myron Mixon Grill Tool! 08.16.2015
History of Fried Chicken & Spotlight on Chef Duff Goldman…
July 15, 2015 Mike Staib Friends of Ergo Chef, Press & Praise, Recipes, Tips and Tools 1 comment
Hello and welcome to July's Chop Talk!
Special announcement: Holiday Contest and Sweeps, is pleased to team up with Ergo and Chef Michael Symon to offer a chance for one lucky winner to own a Michael Symon Signature 3 Pc. Knife Set!!! Set includes: 9″ Chef Knife, 7′ Vegetable Cleaver,6″ Serated Utility Knife. Click the link below for contest details and to enter for your chance to win! 3 Pc. Knife Set Giveaway Offer Ends 7/20/15
This month's Chop Talk is packed full of great info, chef's and more. In Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips is History of Fried Chicken with a Step by Step Guide. We will help you look deeper into the world of Southern Fried Chicken! Our Chef's Spotlight this month is Food Network's Chef Duff Goldman. This month's Recipe is sure to please; Simple Southern Fried Chicken and our Gourmet Store Spotlight is North Carolina's Whisk is the destination for cooks, foodies, chefs and gadget hounds in the Raleigh-Durham, NC area. Enjoy!
Down south, fried chicken is a religion, and people swear by their own recipes and family traditions. While we may not be an authority in Southern hospitality, we will help you look deeper into the world of the amazing comfort food… Southern Fried Chicken!
The Scots, and later Scottish immigrants to the southern United States, had a tradition of deep frying chicken in fat as far back as the middle ages, unlike their English counterparts who baked or boiled chicken. When it was introduced to the American South, fried chicken became a common staple. Later, Africans brought over on the slave trade, became cooks in many southern households and incorporated seasonings and spices that were absent in traditional Scottish cuisine, enriching the flavor. Since fried chicken traveled well in hot weather before refrigeration was commonplace, it gained further favor. In the south, Fried chicken continues to be among this region's top choices for "Sunday dinner." Holidays such as Independence Day and other gatherings often feature this dish as well.
In Asia, they have their own version of this dish, called Crispy fried chicken, a standard dish in the Cantonese cuisine of southern China and Hong Kong. The chicken is fried in such a way that the skin is extremely crunchy, but the white meat is relatively soft. The dish often served with two side dishes, a pepper salt and prawn crackers The pepper salt, colored dark white to gray, is dry-fried separately in a wok. Traditionally, it is to be eaten at night. It is also one of the traditional chicken dishes used in Chinese weddings and other Asian weddings.
Korean fried chicken or seasoned chicken is traditionally eaten as fast food, at bars, or as an after meal snack in Korea. It is not often consumed as a meal. It is prepared in a way that removes the fat from the skin, resulting in a crust described by Julia Moskin of The New York Times as a "thin, crackly and almost transparent". The chickens are usually seasoned with spices after being fried. In South Korea, chickens are relatively small, so Korean fried chicken restaurants fry whole chickens before hacking it into bits. In the United States, chickens tend to be larger and Korean restaurants find it more difficult to deal with large breasts and thighs. As a result, many Korean fried chicken restaurants in the United States usually serve wings and small drumsticks. Pickled radishes, beer, and soju are often served with Korean fried chicken.
So lets get to the how to's. Making fried chicken is a LOT of work (at least according to today's 30 minute meal prep orientation). The preparation of the chicken, the breading of the chicken, the temperature regulation, the actual cooking, the cleanup of the cooker, the kitchen and you, but the work is worth it in the delight of biting into a fresh, warm, crunchy, piece of perfectly golden, home-fried chicken. It's a food of love thing.
There are three main techniques for frying chickens: pan frying, deep frying and broasting;
Pan frying (or shallow frying) requires a frying pan of sturdy construction (cast iron works best) and a source of fat that does not fully immerse the chicken. Generally the fat is heated to a temperature hot enough to seal (without browning, at this point) the outside of the chicken pieces. Once the pieces have been added to the hot fat and sealed, the temperature is reduced. There is debate as to how often to turn the chicken pieces, with one camp arguing for often turning and even browning, and the other camp pushing for letting the pieces render skin side down and only turning when absolutely necessary. Once the chicken pieces are close to being done the temperature is raised and the pieces are browned to the desired color (some cooks add small amounts of butter at this point to enhance browning). The moisture from the chicken that sticks and browns on the bottom of the pan become the fonds required to make gravy. Chicken Maryland is made when the pan of chicken pieces, and fat, is placed in the oven to cook for a majority of the overall cooking time, basically "fried in the oven."
Deep frying requires a deep fryer or other device in which the chicken pieces can be completely submerged in hot fat. The pieces are floured or battered using a batter of flour and liquid (and seasonings) mixed together. The batter can/may contain ingredients like eggs, milk, and leavening. The fat is heated in the deep fryer to the desired temperature. The pieces are added to the fat and a constant temperature is maintained throughout the cooking process.
Pressure cooking uses a pressure cooker to accelerate the process. The moisture inside the chicken becomes steam and increases the pressure in the cooker, lowering the cooking temperature needed. The steam also cooks the chicken through, but still allows the pieces to be moist and tender while maintaining a crisp coating. Fat is heated in a pressure cooker. Chicken pieces are then floured or battered and then placed in the hot fat. The lid is placed on the pressure cooker, and the chicken pieces are thus fried under pressure
Selecting The Best Chicken
The best size chicken to fry is a 4-pound fryer. Never fry any chicken larger than 5 pounds as it will take the pieces too long to cook. Chickens smaller than 3 pounds are too small for good fried chicken.Traditional fried chicken HAS SKIN. Skinless fried chicken is a weird invention of those who think that it makes for a lower-fat chicken (and what are those people doing eating Fried Chicken in the first place?) The skin is necessary to provide the support for the breading, and to add that element of 'crisp' that is the goal of the great chicken fryer. I also think that the skin actually helps keep the chicken meat lower in fat as it serves to shield the meat from the fat.
Follow these steps below to help you along the way:
Marinating: Some say that marinating or soaking the chicken in a brine or buttermilk for 30 mins to a few hours can increase tenderness and develop great flavor profiles.
Coating: Apply different coatings and coating techniques. Try dipping the chicken in milk, then flour, then milk, and then the flour again. Some cast-iron cooks dip it in a milk-egg mixture and then dredge it in flour. Some don't use flour at all and cover it with cracker crumbs, potato flakes, or cornmeal.
Air Drying: After you coat your chicken, let it air-dry. Air-drying your chicken for 20 minutes to a half hour after it has been coated lets the coating firm up and produces a crispier crust.
Seasoning: Use plain old salt and pepper or create special seasoning mixes. You may want to season the flour that you dredge the chicken through; you can also season the chicken itself. Some people swear that paprika enhances the flavor; others claim it's just there for color.
Cooking: The real secret to the ultimate in comfort food, Southern Fried Chicken, isn't in the recipe; it's in the cooking. Properly pan-fried chicken is tender and moist (not greasy) on the inside and golden brown and crispy on the outside. Keep your oil very hot. To make sure that your chicken doesn't get greasy, you want the oil hot enough (375 degrees Fahrenheit) that the water in the chicken stays above the boiling point during frying. The force of the steam leaving the chicken keeps the oil from being absorbed. The hot oil also makes the outside wonderfully crispy.
Some tips for keeping the oil at the temperature you want are as follows:
Use peanut oil, which has a hotter smoking point than vegetable oils or shortenings.
Allow the chicken to come almost to room temperature before you cook it so that when you put it into the hot oil, it doesn't reduce the oil temperature as much as really cold chicken would.
Don't overcrowd the chicken in the pan. Putting too many pieces in the pan causes the temperature to drop and takes it longer to heat up again. It can also cause the chicken to steam as opposed to fry.
Use a deep-sided cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven and an iron cover. Cast iron is the cook's best friend when pan-frying. It absorbs heat evenly, eliminating hot spots and its ability to retain heat keeps the temperature of the oil as even as possible.
Brown the chicken quickly to seal in the juices. After the initial browning, reduce the heat to allow the chicken to cook through without drying. Then return the heat to medium-high to re-crisp it before you remove it from the pan.
Use tongs to turn and move the chicken. Tongs won't pierce the chicken and let the juice escape.
Drain fried chicken on a paper towel and then place it on a metal wire cooling rack in a warm oven. This simple step keeps your cooked chicken crisp and warm. After all, what good is a crispier crust if it just gets soggy and cold while sitting in a puddle of oil?
Serving:Make sure its crisp, hot, and you have a napkin handy! It's common to serve fried chicken with a creamy gravy, or a kicked up hot sauce. Enjoy!
Chef's Spotlight: Duff Goldman
Chef Duff has been cooking since the age of four, when his Mom caught him in the kitchen watching Chef Tell and swinging around a meat cleaver. A few years later, his culinary curiosity almost cost him a finger when he decided the best way to carve a pumpkin was with the largest knife he could find in the kitchen. Despite the incident, Chef Duff found his calling and started working professionally when he was just 14 and has never turned back.
Inspired by his Great-Grandmother, "Mamo", a legendary baker and cook who came to the U.S. from the Ukraine at age 16, baking was in Duff's blood. His artistic streak was expanded when he studied art at the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, D.C. – – becoming a local graffiti artist of some notoriety.
Duff started working for acclaimed Baltimore Chef Cindy Wolf, and then left Baltimore to study pastries at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California. While in Napa, Duff was a stagiere at the French Laundry, working under acclaimed pastry Chef Steven Durfee. Following graduation from the CIA, Duff became Executive Pastry Chef of the Vail Cascade Hotel and Resort in the mountains of Vail, Colorado. With his culinary degree and growing experience, Duff left Colorado to cook and bake bread for Todd English's Olives in Washington, D.C.
Duff's entrepreneurial spirit took him back to Baltimore in 2000, where he finally realized his dream in 2002, and opened Charm City Cakes……in his apartment. A growing clients list helped propel Duff into an even bigger location: an old church he retrofitted into his current modern bakery. As word about his unusual and daring cakes got out, Duff hired staff with more artistic experience than the typical pastry chef, like painters, architects and sculptors. His out-of-the-ordinary team is known for producing highly creative cakes that range from Star Wars characters, a replica of the Stanley Cup, a working life-size motorcycle, and Hogwarts Castle for Warner Bros. and the premiere of Harry Potter.
Following several appearances on its cake competition Challenge series, Food Network tapped Chef Duff and his fellow cake baking artists at Charm City Cakes to star in Ace of Cakes. After 10 seasons on the Food Network, the show wrapped as one of the longest running reality shows in history to feature the same cast.
Duff has appeared on numerous shows including Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Iron Chef America, Chopped, Cupcake Wars, and Best Thing I Ever Ate. His work has also been featured on The Price is Right, Jon & Kate Plus 8, No Reservations, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Talk, The Chew, The View, Good Morning America, Dr. Oz and many more. He is the best selling author of Ace of Cakes: Inside the World of Charm City Cakes (HarperCollins), which published in October 2009.
In 2009, Duff paired up with the team at Gartner Studios in Stillwater, Minnesota to design and launch the Duff Goldman by Gartner Studios line of cake baking and decorating products. The signature line of professional-grade products was designed to take the fear out of cake decorating with fun products that are easy to use. "I've built my career on an unconventional approach to cakes: having a good time and using tools that may not be considered traditional. When I was starting out, I wanted to use what the pros used. Later, I wanted to design a line of my own. Gartner Studios told me they could make a custom line of products to let people create signature cakes of their own. Now, anyone can do what I do at home with these products." Duff was deeply involved in product development and personally approved every product, from cake tattoos, to edible cake graffiti, to an airbrush machine. Today, the product line is one of the finest collections available outside of professional bakeries.
In 2012, Duff's horizons continued to expand as he opened Charm City Cakes West in Los Angeles and Duff's Cake mix, a do-it-yourself cake decorating shop. Duff was also named Culinary Ambassador by the White House, and created the cake for President Obama's Commander-in-Chief Ball. He is currently creating a new baking cookbook, slated for release in November, 2014.
Fans of Duff can find him on Food Network's new series Duff Till Dawn, where he serves as both host and judge. He is also a judge on Holiday Baking Championship and Spring Baking Championship. And with Valerie Bertinelli, he hosts and judges Kids Baking Championship. More information about Duff can be found on his website, www.charmcitycakes.com.
Like Duff on Facebook, Follow @Duff_Goldman on Twitter
Make 8 Pieces of Buttermilk Fried Chicken
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp ground dried herbs, or poultry seasoning
3 1/2 pound chicken, cut in 8 pieces
For the seasoned flour:
1/2 tsp onion powder
1-2 qt. Vegetable or Peanut oil (enough to fill a large cast iron pan 1/2 way)
Add the marinade ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. Add the chicken parts and toss to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure the chicken is submerged. Refrigerate for 6 hours or more.
Mix together the seasoned flour ingredients in a large baking dish. Drain the chicken pieces and toss into the flour. Toss the chicken and coat completely with the flour mixture. Shake off and place on a rack and let dry for at least 1/2 hour before frying.
Fill a cast iron skillet halfway up with oil and heat to about 375 degrees F. Carefully add the chicken, leaving at least 2 inches between pieces and fry for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown, reaching and internal temperature of 180 degrees F. Allow to drain on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serve with smashed potatoes, brown gravy and some corn on the cob. And remember, be sure that the love and effort you put into the preparation carries through to the plate and whatever your cooking pleasure, be it baked or fried, we hope these simple steps help you wow your friends and family...
The Whisk Experience
You know the feeling. It happens rarely, but it does happen. It is the sense of wonder and adventure that takes place when you discover a really special store.
Welcome to Whisk — a unique retail experience that feeds your passion for cooking and home entertaining.
Whisk is the destination for cooks, foodies, chefs and gadget hounds in the Raleigh-Durham area, as well as anyone who aspires to improve their cooking experience. At our store, you will find a diverse array of merchandise for both food preparation and presentation.
Stocked with fine cookware and hardworking professional tools, attractive dinnerware, specialty foods, fun go-to gadgets, and one-of-a kind items, Whisk is a contemporary purveyor of food, fun and learning for Cary and the greater Raleigh community. Their vast product selection and assortment allow you the opportunity to indulge in all aspects of cooking — from technique and style, to the pure fun and enjoyment of crafting a newly-created dish.
Explore Our Array of Raleigh & Cary Cooking Classes & Services
Join them for one of their Cary, NC cooking classes, and learn something new from one of our many visiting chefs. Taste some of our specialty foods at one of our regular food samplings. Bring your dull knives in for sharpening and hone your skills in using them. Sample our coffee as you browse and just enjoy your time here.
We welcome you to partake in the rich experience of Whisk, and we hope you have as much fun shopping at our unique cooking store as we do working here.
Whisk is a Cary, NC cooking store that provides a unique range of kitchenware, cooking expertise, and culinary inspiration to customers in Raleigh, Durham, Apex, Morrisville, and beyond. We offer everything a kitchen or dining room could need, with a selection of cookware that includes kitchen appliances, gourmet foods, and cooking utensils — all from respected brands like Kaiser, Nordicware, and Wusthof.
Whisk offers a full range of high-quality cutlery and kitchen knives to keep your cooking skills sharp. Having the right, sharpened blade for the job is the key to both safety and efficiency in the kitchen. Whether you need a trusty, all-purpose knife set or hard-to-find specialty knives, our Raleigh-Durham cooking store's cutlery selection will meet any need.
We carry everything from cutting boards and knife sharpeners to cleavers, ceramic knives and steak knives from respected brands like Wusthof, Joseph Joseph, Kyocera, and Victorinox. Our cutlery products are held to a high standard, offering quality and value to match any skill level. We also offer in-store knife and scissors sharpening services.
Whisk is the Cary, NC kitchen store that brings the best in cookware, cooking classes, and culinary expertise to Raleigh, Durham, Apex, Morrisville, and beyond. Our selection includes high-quality products for every skill level, as well as top name brands like Kyocera, Wusthof, Zwilling and more.
Waverly Place Shopping Center, 316 Colonades Way – Suite 214, Cary, NC 27518, 919-322-2458 Store hours Monday-Saturday: 10AM – 6PM, Sunday: 12PM – 5PM
Mike StaibHistory of Fried Chicken & Spotlight on Chef Duff Goldman… 07.15.2015
The Five Mother Sauces, Chef Ming Tsai & The Big Green Egg
May 26, 2015 Mike Staib Friends of Ergo Chef, Press & Praise, Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
The cold has finally broken and it's beautiful May weather! Welcome to this month's Chop Talk! Just a quick note that we are taking Pre-Orders this month for the new Michael Symon Knife Line, which should be available late June~early July and we'll keep you informed with all the latest updates.
In our Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips we're talking "Mother Sauces." Cooking can be a fun filled experience in the kitchen which allows the home cook to be creative and speak from their heart. We'll teach you all the secrets on how to make Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Tomato and Hollandaise. Our Chef's Spotlight is Chef Ming Tsai. Ming is a James Beard and Emmy award winning chef, author, TV/new media host and producer, product developer, food allergy advocate and East-West lifestyle expert. Our video recipe this month from Chef Tsai is his Perfect Eggs Benedict with Guilt Free Hollandaise in keeping with our theme. Our Gourmet Store Spotlight brings you the Big Green Egg and ties into our Product Specials & Highlights which is our 2 pc knife set, specifically designed for Big Green Egg. Enjoy!
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips: Mother Sauces
Cooking can be a fun filled experience in the kitchen which allows the home cook to be creative and speak from their heart. There is not a day that goes by that we don't feel that passion and love for ingredients. In the 19th century, Marie-Antoine Carême anointed Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, and tomato sauce as the building blocks for all other sauces in his work L'Art de la Cuisine Française au Dix-Neuvième Siecle. Later on, Hollandaise got added to the family. He is credited with developing a variety of sauces that all stemmed from a series of 4 focused sauces. These became known as the "Mother Sauces", and were used as a base sauce to create hundreds of derivatives. In the 20th century, Auguste Escoffier updated these sauces and added a 5th mother sauce.
Today, they are recognized as the following 5 sauces:
Bechamel – a milk based sauce that is thickened with a roux (clarified butter and flour). This sauce is named after its creator Louis XIV's steward, Louis de Béchamel. Considered the king of all sauces, and often called a cream sauce because of its consistency, this sauce is most often used in all types of dishes. Examples may include crème, mornay & soubise.
Velouté – a sauce made with white stock and roux. It is most often made with chicken or fish stock, and can sometimes be enriched with egg yolks or cream. Examples would include sauce allemande, white bordelaise, and supreme.
Espagnole or Brown Sauce – a brown stock based sauce often made with a rich meat stock (veal, beef, or lamb) a mirepoix of vegetables (carrots, celery and onion), a brown roux (the roux must be cooked until it changes color) fresh herbs, and tomato paste. Examples would include sauce bordelaise, chasseur, Madeira, Chateaubriand, and a refined Demi glace.
Tomato Sauce – a tomato based sauce normally made with onion, tomato & fresh herbs. Examples would include marinara, and spaghetti sauce.
Hollandaise/Emulsions – sauces that are emulsified, meaning a fat and a liquid made into one coalescent mixture. This can be as basic as a vinaigrette, or more in depth such as a hollandaise or mayonnaise.
Sauce can be defined as a flavorful liquid or semi solid liquid that is served on or alongside of food. In French Cuisine, sauces can date back all the way to the middle ages. Back then, when refrigeration was not available, the shelf life on food was much shorter. Sauces were used to mask the foods' poor quality, and give the plate a more pleasing taste. Over the years, sauces became more popular for their flavor, and chefs began using creativity to wow the palate with their skills.
Today, all 5 mother sauces or "grand sauces," are still used as a foundation to assist chefs and cooks in the kitchen. Pay close attention to the quality of ingredients going into the sauce, as it is very important to the success of the final sauce's taste. Like anything you do in life, if you put less than quality ingredients in, you get a less than quality result and that fact couldn't be more true than with this very important element of the plate. Selection of good quality wines and vegetables can be new for some people, so consult with your local store manager to get answers to any of your questions.
How To Make Roux
Roux can be an intimidating process, so lets take a closer look at the components and how they are prepared. Roux is simply a cooked mixture of equal parts wheat flour (use all purpose) and a fat, traditionally clarified butter. First melt the fat in a pot or pan, then slowly add the flour being sure to whisk it until the flour is completely incorporated. It is also important to cook the roux until there is no longer a raw flour taste, and can continue cooking until the desired color has been achieved. The color can range from white to dark brown depending on how long it is left on the heat. The end result is a flavoring, coloring, thickening agent that can enhance the flavor and consistency of sauces, soups and stocks.
Here are some tips for a more successful sauce. When using a roux to thicken, be sure to constantly stir during cooking to prevent lumps. If lumps remain, attempt to use a whisk to break them up. If that doesn't work, run the sauce through a strainer and then adjust seasoning. When cooking an egg thickened sauce, be sure to stir the sauce over a double boiler over medium heat (not boiling) to lightly and slowly cook the egg. Be careful not to let the sauce boil, as the eggs will curdle and destroy the consistency of the sauce. Also make sure the water in the double boiler doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl, this will prevent the transfer of heat from happening too fast and potential scrambling the sauce.
When making a cold emulsion such as a vinaigrette or mayonnaise, be sure to add the fat slowly. This will allow the emulsion to take place and the liquid to accept the fat while whisking. If the fat is added too fast, the sauce will "break," leaving a pool of oily mess with a destroyed look and flavor.
We hope this helps you explore the exciting preparations of sauce making. Try adding different herbs and spices or cook with a different wine of your choice. Remember, sauces are to enhance a dish, so always be sure that the main protein, vegetable and/or starch is great quality and purchased from a reputable supplier. It is our hope that with this series that you will start attempting a little more complexity in the kitchen and that in some small way, we're helping bring out your inner 'Gourmet Chef.'
Chef's Spotlight: Chef Ming Tsai
Ming's love of cooking was forged in his early years. Ming was raised in Dayton, Ohio, where he spent hours cooking alongside his mother and father at Mandarin Kitchen, the family-owned restaurant. His experience also taught him about restaurant operations and the art of making customers happy.
Ming headed east to attend school at Phillips Academy Andover. From there, Ming continued to Yale University, earning his degree in Mechanical Engineering. During this time, Ming spent his summers attending Le Cordon Bleu cooking school and apprenticing at area restaurants in Paris. After graduating from Yale, Ming moved to Paris and trained under renowned Pastry Chef Pierre Herme and then on to Osaka with Sushi Master Kobayashi. Upon his return to the United States, Ming enrolled in graduate school at Cornell University, earning a Master's degree in Hotel Administration and Hospitality Marketing.
In 1998, Ming opened Blue Ginger in Wellesley, MA and immediately impressed diners from Boston and beyond with the restaurant's innovative East-West cuisine. In its first year, Blue Ginger received 3 stars from the Boston Globe, was named "Best New Restaurant" byBoston Magazine, and was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as "Best New Restaurant 1998″. That same year, Esquire Magazinehonored Ming as "Chef of the Year." The James Beard Foundation crowned Ming "2002 Best Chef Northeast" and, since 2002, the Zagat Restaurant Guide has rated Blue Ginger within the "Top 5 ofMost Popular Boston Restaurants." In 2007, Blue Ginger received the Ivy Award from Restaurants & Institutions for its achievement of the highest standards in food, hospitality and service. In 2009, Ming and Blue Ginger won IFMA's Silver Plate Award in the Independent Restaurant category recognizing overall excellence in the country. Most recently in November 2012, Boston Magazineranked Blue Ginger as one of The 50 Best Restaurants.
In early 2013, Ming opened his second restaurant Blue Dragon – an Asian gastro pub located in the Four Point Channel area of Boston. The tapas-style menu features Ming's East-West approach but now takes a twist on traditional pub favorites. Blue Dragon was named one of Esquire Magazine's "Best New Restaurants 2013" and one of Zagat's "24 new restaurants you need to know about around the US".
Ming serves as the President, National Advisory Board, of the Family Reach organization, a non-profit who's mission is to provide financial relief and support to families fighting cancer.
Ming is a national spokesperson for the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), and is proud to have developed the Food Allergy Reference Book. First used at Blue Ginger, the Reference Book is a pioneering system that creates safeguards to help food-allergic people dine safely. For four years, Ming worked with Massachusetts Legislature to help write Bill S. 2701, which was signed into law in 2009. This groundbreaking legislation, the first of its kind in the US, requires local restaurants to comply with simple food allergy awareness guidelines.
In 2012, Ming was invited by Secretary of State, The Honorable Hillary Clinton, to represent the U.S. with the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership Initiative/American Chef Corps. The Chef Corps is a network of chefs from around the country that participate in a number of official government programs that use food as a foundation for public diplomacy efforts at home and abroad.
Ming is the host and executive producer of the public television cooking show, SIMPLY MING. In 2009, SIMPLY MING received two Emmy nominations for 'Outstanding Culinary Program' and 'Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host,' and received two Bronze Telly Awards in the categories of 'Lighting' and 'Art Direction.' His SIMPLY MING video podcasts, the first of their kind, feature tutorials on everything from filleting fish to food allergy basics (available on ming.com). Ming began cooking for television audiences on the Food Network, where he was the 1998 Emmy Award-Winning host of East Meets West with Ming Tsai. Ming's Quest, his popular cooking adventure series, also aired on Food Network. In the summer of 2008, Ming traveled to the Beijing Olympics with NBC's Today show to provide viewers with insight into food customs and traditions that define his Chinese heritage.
In addition to television, Ming is the author of five cookbooks: Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai, Simply Ming, Ming's Master Recipes, and Simply Ming One-Pot Meals and Simply Ming In Your Kitchen.
You can connect with Ming on his social channels here:: Twitter; @chefmingtsai, Facebook: Simply Ming and visit his website here: Ming.com
Perfect Eggs Benedict with Guilt Free Hollandaise Sauce from Chef Ming Tsai
Retailer Spotlight
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Hey all, we have partnered with Big Green Egg
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The 8 in / 20cm Chef Knife features a hollow ground blade with a ergonomically angled handle and precision balanced (and very sharp) 18 degrees cutting edge.
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Mike StaibThe Five Mother Sauces, Chef Ming Tsai & The Big Green Egg 05.26.2015
March: GMO's, Michael Symon & the new Ergo/Symon knives
March 15, 2015 Mike Staib Events, Friends of Ergo Chef, Press & Praise, Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
We here at Ergo have a great announcement for you all. Later this year you'll be able to add Michael Symon knives to your kitchen. Cleveland's Iron Chef and co-host of ABC-TV's daytime hit show "The Chew" inked a deal with Ergo Chef to create a line of signature blades.
We will produce five individual knives for the Symon series. The blades will include a 9-inch chef knife; a 6-inch chef knife; a 6-inch serrated utility knife; a 7-inch vegetable cleaver; and a 3.5-inch paring knife. A four-piece steak knife set will also be available. Symon says that the opportunity to produce his own line of knives was appealing because of the quality of the tools Ergo Chef produced for a small number of other celebrity chefs.
"They sent me a knife years ago which has always been one of mine and Lizzie's [wife Liz Symon's] favorites in the kitchen – even though it is sitting next to knives 5 times its price," Symon describes the knives as providing "good balance and strength of blade." The knives will be ground in the conventional Western-style, rather than with a Japanese beveled edge that is growing in popularity. He's opted for a small selection of blades, rather than an extensive collection of knives. "I'm of the belief you don't need a giant set of knives – just a couple that perform at a high level," Symon added. "It will have a unique handle that is not only stunning but also very comfortable and durable," Symon said. We are very excited to partner with Michael and will keep you all up to date as to when the knives will be available.
This month we are going to cover what is a very controversial topic, GMOs. We'll take a look at the What's Why's, When and How's of this topic. We are definitely in the NON GMO camp here at Ergo and thought you should have the facts so you can make the right food decisions for your family. There are two very diverse camps, for and against to GMOs and we'll explore both sides to be fair.
So what exactly are GMOs?
Genetically modified foods (or GM foods) are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. These techniques have allowed for the introduction of new traits as well as a far greater control over a food's genetic structure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding.
Commercial sale of genetically modified crops began in 1994, when Calgene first marketed its Flavr Savr delayed ripening tomato. To date, most genetic modification of foods have primarily focused on cash crops in high demand by farmers such as soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. These have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides and better nutrient profiles. GM livestock have also been experimentally developed, although as of November 2013 none were on the market.
There is broad scientific consensus that food on the market derived from GM crops poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food. However, opponents have objected to GM foods on several grounds, including safety issues, environmental concerns, and economic concerns raised by the fact that GM seeds (and potentially animals) that are food sources are subject to intellectual property rights owned by corporations, so we'll look at both sides pf this controversial coin:
On The Plus Side:
These plants can help farmers boost their yield by making crops that can live through a drought or the cold and resist disease. Backers say GM products will help us feed the extra 2 billion people that will fill the planet by 2050. GMO supporters believe that using science to make the changes is better for the planet than older farming methods. Crops built to resist pests lower farmers' need for toxic chemical pesticides. They also require less soil to be tilled, reduce runoff, and keep the soil in place. Scientists can create crops that contain vital nutrients. Swiss researchers created a strain of "golden" rice with high amounts of beta-carotene. Monsanto produced soybeans with lots of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Other crops, like papaya and cassava, can be made to withstand disease.
On the Negative side:
Crops built to withstand herbicides could breed with each other and transfer their genes to weeds. These "superweeds" would also beat the herbicides. On the other hand, GM fans say this is nothing new. Even nonchemical technologies create superweeds. The process often mixes or adds proteins that don't exist in the original plant. GMO foes fear these will create new allergic reactions. They also worry that foods made to resist disease and viruses will linger in your system after you eat them, and that could make antibiotics less effective. But no studies confirm this claim. The long-term effects of adding new genes to common crops are still unclear. While the industry and health leaders cite hundreds of studies to support its safety, not to mention 20 years of animal data, experts say studies that show bad effects on animals — like harm to the kidneys, liver, heart, or other organs — should carry more weight.
So Are GMOs safe?
Most developed nations do not consider GMOs to be safe. In more than 60 countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and all of the countries in the European Union, there are significant restrictions or outright bans on the production and sale of GMOs. In the U.S., the government has approved GMOs based on studies conducted by the same corporations that created them and profit from their sale. Increasingly, Americans are taking matters into their own hands and choosing to opt out of the GMO experiment.
Are GMOs labeled?
Unfortunately, even though polls consistently show that a significant majority of Americans want to know if the food they're purchasing contains GMOs, the powerful biotech lobby has succeeded in keeping this information from the public. 64 countries with over 40% of the world's population already label genetically engineered foods, including the entire European Union. China labels genetically engineered foods. The same companies that fight GMO labeling in the US reformulate or label GMOs in the foods they sell overseas. Labelling was introduced to give consumers the freedom to choose between GMOs and conventional products. Essentially, if a foodstuff is produced using genetic engineering, this must be indicated on its label. Actual labelling practice, however, is far more complicated – and must be planned and regulated with issues such as feasibility, legal responsibilities, coherence and standardisation in mind.
How common are GMOs?
In the U.S., GMOs are in as much as 80% of conventional processed food.
Alfalfa (first planting 2011)
Canola (approx. 90% of U.S. crop)
Corn (approx. 88% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Cotton (approx. 90% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Papaya (most of Hawaiian crop; approximately 988 acres)
Soy (approx. 94% of U.S. crop in 2011)
Sugar Beets (approx. 95% of U.S. crop in 2010)
Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash (approx. 25,000 acres)
Some ingredients that seem low-risk may have less-visible high-risk ingredients. Take, for example, dried fruit. Raisins and similar fruit are sometimes packed with a small quantity of oil to keep them moist. This oil, when used, is sometimes high-GMO-risk. As such, it is critical that we do take the time to look carefully at ingredient spec sheets during the verification process, to ensure that risks like this are effectively mitigated, even in apparently low-risk products. Contamination incidents have occurred with seemingly "low-risk" products (rice, starling corn, flax). Non-GMO Project Verification supports manufacturers in being able to quickly and proactively respond to unexpected contamination issues. Verifying only high-risk products puts a heavy burden on consumers to know what products are at risk of containing GMOs. Many people, even in the world of Natural Foods, don't know what a GMO is, let alone which crops and processed ingredients are high-risk.
Through verifying low-risk products, the Non-GMO Project's work builds consumer interest and industry investment in Non-GMO, even for crops that aren't genetically engineered yet. Biotech is constantly working to patent and commercialize new organisms (salmon, apples, etc.), and the more companies that have committed to Non-GMO production, the more resistance these new developments will see prior to release.
What are the impacts of GMOs on the environment?
Over 80% of all GMOs grown worldwide are engineered for herbicide tolerance. As a result, use of toxic herbicides like Roundup has increased 15 times since GMOs were introduced. GMO crops are also responsible for the emergence of "super weeds" and "super bugs:' which can only be killed with ever more toxic poisons like 2,4-D (a major ingredient in Agent Orange). GMOs are a direct extension of chemical agriculture, and are developed and sold by the world's biggest chemical companies. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment these novel organisms cannot be recalled.
How do GMOs affect farmers?
Because GMOs are novel life forms, biotechnology companies have been able to obtain patents with which to restrict their use. As a result, the companies that make GMOs now have the power to sue farmers whose fields are contaminated with GMOs, even when it is the result of inevitable drift from neighboring fields. GMOs therefore pose a serious threat to farmer sovereignty and to the national food security of any country where they are grown, including the United States.
Chef Michael Symon cooks with soul. Growing up in a Greek and Sicilian family, the Cleveland native creates boldly flavored, deeply satisfying dishes at his four restaurants in America's heartland: Lola, Lolita, Roast and B Spot. He also shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with viewers as an Iron Chef on the Food Network.
Since being named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine in 1998, Michael and his restaurants have been awarded numerous honors: In 2010, he was the first chef ever to host the annual Farm Aid benefit concert; Bon Appetit magazine included B Spot on their list of "Top 10 Best New Burger Joints"; and B Spot's Fat Doug burger won the People's Choice Award at the SoBe Wine & Food Festival. In 2009, Michael earned The James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef Great Lakes and the Detroit Free Press named Roast "Restaurant of the Year." In 2000, Gourmet magazine chose Lola as one of "America's Best Restaurants."
In 2010, Michael appeared on four Food Network/Cooking Channel shows, hosting Food Feuds and Cook Like an Iron Chef, judging season three of The Next Iron Chef and competing on Iron Chef America. Michael won season 1 of The Next Iron Chef in 2008, earning him a permanent spot on the panel of esteemed Iron Chefs. He made his debut on the network in 1998 with appearances on Sara's Secrets with Sara Moulton, Ready, Set, Cook and Food Nation with Bobby Flay, before being tapped to host more than 100 episodes of The Melting Pot. He is now the co-host of ABC's popular daytime show "The Chew" and can be seen in a new Foodnetwork's new hit show "All Star Academy"
While Michael shines on television, he is a genuine hometown guy who made his name cooking in his Midwestern restaurants, all of which became critically acclaimed. Lola opened in 1997 and is now the cornerstone of Cleveland's dining scene. Lolita, a Mediterranean-style bistro in Cleveland's historic Tremont neighborhood, opened in 2005. Roast brought Michael's meat-centric cooking to Detroit's Westin Book Cadillac in 2008, and two Cleveland locations of B Spot opened in 2009, showcasing his passion for burgers, bratwurst and beer.
Michael published his first cookbook, Michael Symon's Live to Cook: Recipes and Techniques to Rock Your Kitchen, in 2009, sharing home cook-friendly recipes that draw on the flavors of his heritage. In 2012 he published Michael Symon's Carnivore: 120 Recipes for Meat Lovers, and his latest book in 2013, Michael Symon's 5 in 5: 5 Fresh Ingredients + 5 Minutes = 120 Fantastic Dinners
When he's not working, Michael is riding his motorcycle through Cleveland, cooking at home, playing golf, thinking about his next tattoo, gardening in the backyard and spending time with his wife, Liz, and their bullmastiff, Ruby, and Old English bulldog, Ozzy.
This month, rather than just give you one recipe we thought we'd spotlight our new partner Michael Symon, who gives us some great recipes from his Cooking Channel Show, Symon's Suppers, using bacon. We hope you enjoy!
Mike StaibMarch: GMO's, Michael Symon & the new Ergo/Symon knives 03.15.2015
The Language Of The Kitchen & Food Network's, Jeff Mauro
January 15, 2015 Mike Staib Events, Friends of Ergo Chef, Recipes, Tips and Tools 1 comment
Hi and welcome to the first Chop Talk of 2015. We're excited this year with some new products and happenings here at Ergo. We'll have more on that later on in 2015. Starting off this year since everyone likes a good list, in our first Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips we've compiled a pretty cool selection of phrases heard in professional kitchens everywhere. From Amuse-Bouche to Velouté, we cover the Language of the Kitchen. Next up is a Chef's Spotlight on Food Network's Sandwich King, Jeff Mauro. Jeff graciously gives us a recipe for a decadent Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich as well. We are proud to announce to new product for 2015. Last month we debuted our new Juicer, this month, Ergo is bringing you Crimson Series Straight Handled Chef's Knives for you traditionalists out there. Enjoy!
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips:
The Language Of The Kitchen…contibuted by Louis S. Luzzo
To some, the language of the professional kitchen is like a second tounge. I have heard it described as "the linguistic abnormalities that sometimes ascribe themselves to the professional, and/or commercial kitchens" In this edition of Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips, #FTKT, we'll explore and explain the phrases, definitions and concepts in relation to cheffing and working in a commercial kitchen. This way , the next time you receive a Tourchon, you'll know what your getting! Following is a list of words and definitions. Some words you need to know. Some you probably should know. Some are just fun to know. Then there are the ones you want to know, in order just to show off. Secondly, because everybody loves a good list. Third is because in order to be a complete chef in your own kitchen, cooking, interpreting recipes and mastering the techniques, you need to be able to understand what's being asked of you by a particular cookbook or chef's recipe. Enjoy!
Culinary Words Index
Amuse-Bouche ~ also known as amuse-gueule, amusee, petite amuse and lagniappe. A French term that literally means 'mouth amusement.' These are tiny bites of food served before a meal to whet the palate and invigorate the appetite. They're more whimsical than hors d'oeuvres, and smaller than appetizers.
Aperitif ~ French term for an alcoholic beverage served before a meal as an appetizer to stimulate the appetite. It can be a punch made to complement the meal, but it is usually a white wine, sherry, champagne, or a sparkling wine.
Assiette ~ French for "assortment," as in cheeses.
Bain-Marie ~ A hot water bath that is used to keep food warm on the top of a stove. It is also to cook custards and baked eggs in the oven without curdling or cracking and also used to hold sauces and to clarify butter.
Béarnaise ~A classic reduction of wine, vinegar, tarragon and shallots, finished with egg yolks and butter.
Béchamel ~A basic white sauce of milk, butter and flour.
Beurre blanc ~A thick sauce of butter, white wine and vinegar.
Beurre noisette ~Butter cooked to a hazelnut (noisette) color.
Beurre rouge ~ Beurre blanc, but with red wine instead of white.
Blanch, blanching ~ To briefly plunge food into boiling water and then into cold water to stop cooking.
Bouquet garni ~ It is a small bunch of herbs, which traditionally consist of a bay leaf, sprig of thyme, and a sprig of parsley, tied together with kitchen twine and tossed into the sauce as is.
Braise ~ a slow-cooking method for tough cuts of meat or poultry and even stringy vegetables.
Brine ~ A mixture of salt water, sometimes herbs and spices designed to increase the moisture holding capacity of meat. by having the meat soak in it for from three hours up to three days, resulting in a moister product when cooked.
Brunoise ~ It is a French word used to describe a mixture of vegetables, usually onion, celery, and carrot, which has been very finely diced, then cooked slowly in butter.
Butterfly ~ To split food (usually meat, fish, or poultry) down the center, cutting almost, but not completely through. The two halves are then opened flat to resemble a butterfly. Often this is the first step when preparing a roast that is to be stuffed and rolled.
Caramelize ~ (1) To heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a clear caramel syrup ranging in color from golden to dark brown. (2) Heating of meats or vegetables until the natural sugars in them break down and turn light brown. Sugar will begin to caramelize at 320 degrees F.
Carry-over cooking ~ heat transferring from the hotter exterior of the meat to the cooler center. As a general rule, the larger and thicker the cut of meat and the higher the cooking temperature, the more residual heat will be in the meat, and the more the internal temperature will rise during resting, due to carry-over cooking. This means the meat must be removed from the heat at an internal temperature lower than your desired final internal temperature, allowing the residual heat to finish the cooking.
Cassoulet ~ A slow-cooked marriage of white beans and assorted meats such as pork, duck or goose.
Celeriac ~ More commonly known here as celery root.
Charcuterie ~ The French term for delicatessen-style items.
Chasseur Sauce ~ Chasseur is French for hunter. It is a hunter-style brown sauce consisting of mushrooms, shallots, and white wine (sometimes tomatoes and parsley). It is most often served with game and other meats.
Chef de Partie ~ Also known as a "station chef" or "line cook", is in charge of a particular area of production.
Chiffonade ~In culinary terms, a chiffonade describes a way of cutting herbs and lettuces into thin strips or shreds, which look a bit like rags.
Coddle ~ To cook food slowly in water just below the boiling point.
Cold-smoking ~ Curing meat (hams, sausages, bacon, fish) in the smoke of smoldering wood or corncobs at temperatures from 60 to 100 degrees F.
Compote ~ refers to a chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slowly cooked in sugar syrup, which may also contain alcohol or liqueur and sometimes spices.
Compound butter ~ Also known as finishing butter, flavoring butter, or beurre composé in French, A compound butter is butter that has been flavored by blending softened butter together with various ingredients.
Confiseur ~ The candy cook.
Confit ~ Meat (usually goose, duck or pork) that is slowly cooked in its own fat and preserved with the fat packed around it as a seal.
Consommé ~ Meat or fish stock that has been clarified.
Coquilles St. Jacques ~ Scallops cooked in white wine with a little salt, peppercorn, parsley, bay leaf, chopped shallots, and water. A sauce of fish stock, butter, flour, milk, egg yolks, and cream accompanies them.
Coulis ~ A type of a sauce which derives its body (either entirely or in part), from pureed fruits or vegetables.
Court bouillon ~ It is a French term that means, "short broth." It is used in place of water when boiling various types of food (mostly used for poaching fish or as a base for fish soups). The broth is made of wine, water, herbs, and spices. It usually is also flavored with onions, celery, carrots and cloves.
Crème anglaise ~Rich custard sauce, often used as a topping or plating accompaniment to fruits and pastries.
Crème fraîche ~ Cream that is allowed to set and thicken to a velvety rich texture.
Dauphine ~ Croquettes made by combining potato puree with pastry dough, forming the mixture into balls and then rolling them in bread crumbs and deep-fried.
Deglaze ~ To dissolve the remaining bits of sautéed or roasted food in (a pan or pot) by adding a liquid and heating. The resultant mixture often becomes a base for a sauce to accompany the food cooked in the pan.
Demi-glace ~ A rich brown reduction of meat stock, Madeira or sherry, and other ingredients. Used as a base for many other sauces.
Duxelles ~ Often used as a garnish or to flavor sauces and soups, duxelles is a mixture of finely chopped mushrooms, shallots and herbs cooked in butter until it forms a thick paste.
Emulsion ~ The mixture of two liquids that cannot normally combine smoothly (e.g., oil and water). Mayonnaise and hollandaise are two familiar emulsions.
En croute ~ A food that is wrapped in pastry and baked.
Enophile ~ A person who is knowledgeable about and enjoys wine.
Epicure ~ A person of refined taste who cultivates the knowledge and appreciation of fine food and wine.
Fumet ~ An intense stock made most often from fish or mushrooms, used to add flavor or body to another stock or sauce.
Hollandaise ~ An emulsion of egg yolks, lemon juice and hot melted butter, the smooth, rich sauce is often an accompaniment to vegetable, fish and egg dishes.
Meunière ~ Literally "miller's wife" in French, this cooking technique (used primarily for fish) involves a light coating of flour before sauteing in butter or oil.
Mirepoix ~ A combination of diced carrots, onions, celery and herbs cooked in butter; used to flavor a wide range of dishes.
Mousseline ~ A sauce made airy with the addition of whipped cream or beaten egg whites.
Niçoise ~ Dishes typical of cuisine from the Nice, France, region, where garlic, black olives, anchovies and tomatoes are nearly always part of the mix.
Noisette ~ a) French for hazelnut; b) small, very tender round steak, usually of lamb beef or veal, cut from the rib or loin; c) as in beurre noisette: butter heated until it turns nut brown; used as a finishing touch for many dishes, especially fish.
Paillard ~ A thin slice of meat, grilled or sautéed.
Papillote ~ The term "en papilotte" is used to describe a dish that is cooked (and usually served) in a parcel of greased parchment paper that protects it from the high heat of the oven and retains aroma and flavor.
Pâté ~ Ground meat, fish or vegetables blended with fat and seasonings; can be smooth or chunky, served cold or hot.
Pâte ~ French for dough, paste or batter.
Pot-au-feu ~ Meat and vegetables simmered in water.
Poussin ~ A small, young chicken.
Prix fixe ~ French for fixed price, a complete meal that features a limited number of selections at a preset price.
Quenelle ~ A small, delicate, poached dumpling of meat, fish or vegetables.
Rillettes ~ Meat, usually pork, slowly cooked in seasoned fat and made into a smooth paste, then packed and sealed with a thin layer of fat. Served cold.
Roulade ~ A French term for a thin roll of meat or cake around savory or sweet fillings.
Roux ~ A slow-cooked mix of flour and fat, used to thicken soups and sauces.
Terrine ~ a) kind of pâté made of pieces of meat in a deep dish with straight side; b) an earthenware container, or the dish cooked therein.
Torchon ~ Method of cooking foie gras by which it is placed in a towel (torchon in French) and poached.
Velouté ~ A creamy white, stock-based sauce.
Verjus ~ Sour liquid made from unripe fruit; used to flavor sauces and condiments.
Chef's Spotlight: Jeff Mauro
Born in 1978 in Chicago, IL, Jeff Mauro was a ham on a roll from the very beginning. As one of 4 kids, he competed for attention not by making his sisters cry, but by making his family laugh. Jeff's flair for the stage was discovered early on in the Roosevelt Jr. High 3 legendary production of Let George Do It! From that point on, he immersed himself in the performing arts and flourished.
After graduating from Bradley University in glorious Peoria, IL, he opened up a deli with his cousin and instantly fell in love with cooking. During the day Jeff would craft sandwiches. During the night, he satisfied his comedic bug playing the role 'Tony' in Tony and Tina's Wedding. With both his professional cooking knowledge and performance skills polished, he moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to meld his two loves – cooking and comedy.
After a few years hustling in Hollywood, he upped the ante and enrolled in culinary school to refine his cooking skills. Jeff graduated Valedictorian, packed up his Honda and returned to Chicago where he was a culinary instructor, a successful private chef, and local comedic performer. After 3 unsuccessful audition attempts, he finally landed himself on Season 7 of Food Network Star, which he totally won.
Jeff Mauro is now the star of Food Network's Emmy-nominated Sandwich King, $24 in 24 hrs and The Kitchen. He has appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Steve Harvey Show, Chopped, Cupcake Wars. When not making TV, Jeff loves spending time with his wife and first love Sarah, playing above average blues guitar and roughhousin' with his five-year-old son and co-star Lorenzo. His favorite color is pastrami. You can get more information about Jeff on his website: www.jeffmauro.com Follow him on Social Media: twitter, facebook, instagram.
Courtesy of Jeff Mauro
SHOW: The Best Thing I Ever Made
EPISODE: Bring the Heat
6 jalapenos, cut in half lengthwise
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 cup shredded aged Cheddar
8 slices country white bread
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the jalapenos with 1 tablespoon olive oil, some salt and pepper and lay skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the skin is blistered, 10 to15 minutes. Place in a plastic baggie for about 5 minutes loosen the skin. Pull off the skin, remove the majority of seeds and ribs, and slice. Set aside.
Spread the mascarpone on 4 slices of bread and divide the Cheddar among the other 4 slices. Divide the sliced jalapenos among the 4 sandwiches. Close, and butter both sides of the bread.
Heat half of the remaining oil on a flat griddle over medium heat. Grill one side of the sandwiches until golden. Remove, heat the remaining oil and repeat with the second side until golden and the insides are all melty and gooey.
Ergo Products Spotlight
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The New Crimson SH (Straight Handle) 8″ Chef knife is designed with a comfort handle and tapered bolster. Ergo Chef designed this for the tradition knife lover while sticking to our precision blades and heat treat process for longer edge life. The blade steel is made in Germany for unmatched quality and precision ground and finely honed to perfection. The handle is crafted with G10 (Fiberglass Resin) which is deemed the worlds strongest handle material by many. The beautiful look is created to mimic wood grain without the maintenance of wood. Lifetime Warranty. Order yours today & discover the Ergo Chef difference! List Price: $130.00 Price: $94.99
Cooktique, is located in Tenafly NJ. They celebrate 37 years of providing professional service in a small town atmosphere. Looking for an unusual gadget, a wedding present, a hostess gift, or specialty food? They are just the place you need. Avoid the hectic rush of mall shopping while enjoying some of these perks: unbeatable prices, no lines and friendly service, park right behind the store; get free gift wrapping; have a custom made gift basket created as you wait; purchase and ship a gift the very same day; and much, much more. There is always something new at Cooktique as they constantly seek out new vendors, lines and colors, as well as the latest in specialty food trends and gadget inventions. Check out the specialty gourmet coffee department. They offer 28 varieties, guaranteed to be fresh and satisfying, at the lowest prices or your money back. They carry all the Ergo Products so stop buy for all your kitchen ware needs. West Railroad Avenue. Tenafly, New Jersey 07670 Phone: (201) 568-7990 Fax: (201) 568-5966 E-Mail: cooktique@msn.com
Mike StaibThe Language Of The Kitchen & Food Network's, Jeff Mauro 01.15.2015
2015 Food Trends, Johnny Iuzzini & My Juicer
December 15, 2014 Mike Staib Friends of Ergo Chef, Recipes, Special Offers, Tips and Tools No comments
Hello everyone and welcome to the last blog of 2014. Can you believe that the year has gone by already? Seems just yesterday we were celebrating the New Year and here we are again with Christmas and 2015 right around the corner. It's been a great year and we thank you all for you continued support of our blog, Chop Talk and our company. All of us here at Ergo appreciate your patronage and look forward to bringing you more great content throughout the coming year. To that end we thought we'd give give you a preview of what's trending in food and culinary world for the coming year with our latest Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips, Food Trends of 2015. We have a special Chef's Spotlight with 3 starred Michelin Chef and host of Top Chef Desserts, Chef Johnny Iuzzini, who also give us a delicious and easy Recipe; Butternut Maple Blondies. In our Gourmet Store Spotlight we bring you Warren Kitchen & Cutlery. Our Where's Randy follows the Ergo/Costco Road show and Chef Randy to New Jersey and finally, a fantastic announcement: We are introducing a new product for 2015, called "My Juicer(TM)," A Personal Juicer/Blender with Sport Bottle that we know you're going to love. If you pre-order now, we'll give you a 20% discount!!! So without further ado, let's Chop Talk!
Food Tricks & Kitchen Tips: Food Trends of 2015
Perfect for a year ending #FTKT, we bring you a preview of what's trending in food and culinary world for the coming year.
The Rise of Fermented Foods
2015 will be the year fermented foods – foods like yogurt, tempeh and sauerkraut take center stage. These foods contain live cultures, or are preserved in liquid so their sugars and starches can become bacteria-boosting agents. After multi-year growth of gluten-free foods, many consumers have found their digestive health improved.
Locally sourced meats and seafood
The trend in using locally sourced meat, seafood and produce will hopefully continue and increase throughout areas that aren't already utilizing their local communities. Purchase seasonal, sustainably raised, locally and regionally farmed products without the use of antibiotics, hormones and genetically modified ingredients; and limited or no use of herbicides and pesticides. Spend our dollars purchasing from local and regional small farms committed to sustainable farming practices.
Locally grown produce
The term "local food system" (or "regional food system") is used to describe a method of food production and distribution that is geographically localized, rather than national and/or international. Food is grown (or raised) and harvested close to consumers' homes, then distributed over much shorter distances than is common in the conventional global industrial food system.
Environmental sustainability involves making decisions and taking action that are in the interests of protecting the natural world, with particular emphasis on preserving the capability of the environment to support human life. Environmental sustainability is about making responsible decisions that will reduce your business' negative impact on the environment.
Healthful Kids' Meals
Demand for healthful kids' meals is increasing. "Feeding kids healthfully is not taking anything away from them but instead gives them the building materials they need, through nutritious foods, to grow and learn and live a full life," David Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center.
Natural ingredients/minimally processed food
This is a bit misleading. "Natural foods" and "all natural foods" are widely used terms in food labeling and marketing with a variety of definitions, most of which are vague. The term is assumed to imply foods that are minimally processed and do not contain manufactured ingredients, but the lack of standards in most jurisdictions means that the term assures nothing.
New cuts of meat
Tri-tip, Flat Iron Steak, Spinalis, Boneless Chuck Short Ribs, Filet of Sirloin, Denver Cut Steak.
In recent years, as foodies have proliferated, culinary topics have become increasingly vital and the once impenetrable wall between professional chefs in the kitchen and the public has come tumbling down, and there has been increased use of the term "chef's cuts" to describe tasty but less common cuts of meat (not just beef).
Hyper-local sourcing
Restaurant gardens, is a practice that is gaining ground among local restaurateurs and barkeeps. chefs are planting gardens, keeping bees all in an effort to control the quality of herbs and vegetables making their way to your plate.
Sustainable seafood is seafood that is either caught or farmed in ways that consider the long-term vitality of harvested species and the well-being of the oceans. It was first promoted through the sustainable seafood movement which began in the 1990s. This operation highlights over-fishing and environmentally destructive fishing methods.
Food waste reduction/management
We throw away 7.2 million tons of food and drink from our homes every year, the majority of which could have been eaten. This costs us billions a year, harms the environment and wastes resources. Preventing food waste is better for the environment than any treatment, and can save money for businesses and households.
Gluten-free Cuisine
For anybody paying attention to new health and food trends, gluten free diets have become very popular lately. For Celiacs, this has been an all to real lifestyle requirement. A number of experts now are beginning to believe that celiac disease is at the extreme end of a spectrum of gluten sensitivity, and a number of people are adopting gluten-free diets to treat celiac-like symptoms in the absence of a positive test for celiac disease.
Our Chef's spotlight this months is Chef Johnny Iuzzini.
Chef Johnny Iuzzini's interest in the pastry arts began at age seventeen when he started working at The River Café in Brooklyn, New York. Although his primary focus at the restaurant was in savory, Johnny frequently visited the pastry kitchen to marvel as Pastry Chef Eric Gouteyron piped chocolate butterflies. As Johnny's fascination with pastry grew, he began assisting Chef Eric after completing his regular shifts in the kitchen. Johnny eventually moved to pastry full-time, cementing his desire to pursue a career as a pastry chef. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Johnny joined the pastry department of the original Daniel on Manhattan's Upper East Side and eventually became Pastry Chef François Payard's right-hand man. Johnny traveled to Europe in 1998 where he apprenticed in some of France's finest pâtisseries, including the famed Ladurée in Paris. He also completed an intensive two-week chocolate course at L'Ecole DGF du Chocolat et Patisserie. In the Fall of 1998, Johnny returned to the US for the debut of Café Boulud and then moved to the 65th Street location of the new Daniel for its opening. Johnny was named Executive Sous Chef for the new restaurant and held that position for the next two years under Executive Pastry Chef Thomas Haas. During that time, Comité Colbert named Johnny one of the "Emerging Young Artists of 2000."
In 2001 Chef Daniel Boulud promoted Johnny to Executive Pastry Chef. In May 2002, Chef/Owner Jean Georges Vongerichten named Johnny the Executive Pastry Chef at his famed four-star namesake, Restaurant Jean Georges, as well as its café, Nougatine. In addition, Johnny also oversaw the pastry program for the opening of Perry Street from 2005-2006, which earned three stars from the New York Times. During that same year, Restaurant Jean Georges earned its most prestigious award to date, three Michelin stars. It was one of only four restaurants in New York City to receive this honor. In this position, Johnny was recognized with numerous awards including "Best New Pastry Chef" by New York Magazine and "10 Best Pastry Chefs in America" by Pastry Art and Design Magazine. In May 2006, The James Beard Foundation awarded Johnny "Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year" and Forbes.com identified Johnny as one of the 10 most influential chefs working in America.
Johnny's first cookbook, Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets From A Four-Star Pastry Chef, was published December 30,2008. Through beautiful photography and easy-to-follow recipes, this book enables trained chefs and home cooks alike to explore Johnny's use of single ingredients as primary inspiration for the dessert quartets featured on his seasonal menus at Jean Georges. Johnny has appeared in numerous TV segments for The Food Network, Martha Stewart, Top Chef, Today in NY, Paula's Party, Today Show, Good Morning America, The Tony Danza Show, Cutthroat Kitchen, and Iron Chef America.
He was the head judge of Bravo's culinary competition series "Top Chef Just Desserts" for two seasons. Since leaving Restaurant Jean Georges, Chef Iuzzini has started his own pastry consulting company, aptly named Sugar Fueled Inc. In addition to participating in numerous charity events and initiatives, Johnny is a chef ambassador for Family Reach foundation. His highly anticipated second book Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking was published in September 2014. To order Johnny's book, click here. You can also follow Johnny via social media on facebook & twitter.
Courtesy of Chef Johnny Iuzzini
Butternut-Maple Blondies
Makes about 12 blondies
There are really no rules on what you can and can't use in a great dessert, and I find that vegetables offer flavors, textures, and colors that work well in the sweet environment. They also can add tons of moisture to a dessert, as the squash does for these blondies. Here the rich, moist squash eliminates the need for the heavy, flavorless corn syrup usually found in blondie recipes.
One 2-pound butternut squash, halved and seeded (907 g)
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced, plus more for the pan (170 g)
2 to 3 tablespoons Demerara sugar, for the pan
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar (232 g)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (34 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 g)
2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder (6 g)
¾ teaspoon ground cumin (1.5 g)
¾ teaspoon ground ginger (1.5 g)
¼ teaspoon ground mace
½ teaspoon kosher salt (2 g)
6 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped (170 g)
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and put the squash halves on it, cut side down. Roast until the flesh is fork-tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the skins into a food processor and puree until smooth.
3. Transfer the squash to a saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture. Remove from the heat, measure 1 cup for the blondies, and reserve the remaining puree for another use.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Grease an 8 × 11-inch baking dish or cake pan with butter and coat it generously with the Demerara sugar, tapping out the excess.
5. In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, toss the ¾ cup butter and the brown sugar together with your hands until the butter is coated. Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until lightened and no clumps of butter remain. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula between additions. Add the syrup and vanilla and mix well.
6. Sift the flour, baking powder, cumin, ginger, and mace together; sprinkle the salt over the top. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, mixing until just combined. Add the cooled squash and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in two thirds of the white chocolate pieces.
7. Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate pieces evenly over the top. Bake on the center rack until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
8. Cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into 12 equal-sized pieces.
This month our Spotlight is Warren Kitchen & Cutlery.
Located in historic Rhinebeck, in New York's beautiful Mid-Hudson Valley, Warren Kitchen & Cutlery is a true kitchenware emporium – a place where inspired chefs and cooking enthusiasts can find their favorite knives, cookware, appliances, kitchen tools and serving pieces for home or restaurant. Knives are their specialty; they have more than a 1,500 different styles and sizes in stock. They encourage you to take advantage of our in-store sharpening and engraving services.
6934 Route 9 Rhinebeck, NY 12572 ~ 845-876-6208 ~ info@warrenkitchentools.com ~ Facebook
Where's Randy
This month the Ergo/Costco Road Show will be in:
Mon. Dec. 15 — Wed. Dec. 24 (10 days)
Randy will be at the Costco
100 Grand Ave, North Brunswick, NJ 08902
Come out, say hello & see Chef Randall Smith. He'll be all set and waiting with all the great Ergo products! Great Christmas gifts for the chef, cook or culinary student or home cook or food enthusiast in your life!
Ergo Product Showcase
The Ergo Chef's brand new My Juicer(TM) is made with top quality components for easily blending up healthy smoothies and shakes. The powerful 300 watt motor and 4 Stainless Steel blades are engineered for quick and easy blending of frozen fruits, veggies and even desserts. My Juicer(TM) is the first part of Ergo Chef's new "Kitchen Collection" of electrics. Estimated Ship Date is April 2015. Includes: High Quality Stainless Steel & Black Plastic Base with NON-Slip Suction Feet. Durable BPA Free Plastic Sport Bottle with Removable Lid with Handle and One Juicer Blade Assembly. Pre-Order My Juicer today and save 20%! To order click here: My Juicer
From all of us at here Ergo Chef, from our families to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah and a healthy Happy New Year!
Mike Staib2015 Food Trends, Johnny Iuzzini & My Juicer 12.15.2014
We never get sick of talking about knives... and other stuff. Brought to you by @ergoknifeguy Mike Staib and his bro Scott.
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