March 31
My latest podcast is up, ready for your listening pleasure.
Comments on its content, including our new and funky music, is most welcome.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Finding The Sacred In A Bonsai
A few years ago I saw a PBS special on creating Bonsai sculptures. It was a shortcut method that would take any variety of small plants, cut the roots way back, repot the plant in a small container, and snip some of the growth away to reveal the new possibilities. So I chopped and snipped and created and... for awhile, had a Bonzai plant. It only lasted about a year....
This week, as a way to decompress from all of the Holy Week activies and responsibilities, I decided to try creating again. I found a juniper bush in a 6" pot at a garden store for $5.95 and spent part of an afternoon chopping and snipping and creating and decompressing. It was wonderful. In a short time I found myself being renewed. In the simplicity of creating and listening for God's Presence I was re-inspired. The "ruah" of God, the holy breath resurrected my soul.
This week, as a way to decompress from all of the Holy Week activies and responsibilities, I decided to try creating again. I found a juniper bush in a 6" pot at a garden store for $5.95 and spent part of an afternoon chopping and snipping and creating and decompressing. It was wonderful. In a short time I found myself being renewed. In the simplicity of creating and listening for God's Presence I was re-inspired. The "ruah" of God, the holy breath resurrected my soul.
If you want to know more about Bosai a good start is at Bonsai Gardner.
GLOSSARY (terms generally used in Indian Cooking)
A:
Achar ................. pickle
B:
Bhare/bharua .... stuffed
Bharta/bhurta .... mash
Bhuna .................. stir-fried
Burfi/barfi ........... Indian sweet made of milk & other ingredients
C:
Chandi varak ......... edible beaten silver (very thin foil)
Chashni .................. sugar syrup
Chutney ................. spicy side disheaten with snacks
Chenna/paneer ..... Indian cottage cheese
D:
Dahi ..................... yogurt/curd
Dal ....................... pulse/lentil
Dum ..................... cooked in a pot, where lid is sealed with a ring of dough.
G:
Ghee .................... clarified butter
K:
Keema .................. mince meat
Kewra .................. screwpine essence
Khatta ................... sour
Kofta ..................... balls made from vegetables, meat, chicken or fish
M:
Makhan ............... butter
Mawa .................... solidified milk
Mewa .................. dry fruits
P:
Pakora ................ battered and deep fried fritters of vegetables/meats
Panch pooran ..... a mix of cumin, fenugreek, fennel, mustard & nigella seeds
T:
Tandoor ............... Indian clay oven
Tarka/tadka ........ tempering of food with ghee/oil and cumin, mustard or any other seeds
Tawa ..................... griddle
Achar ................. pickle
B:
Bhare/bharua .... stuffed
Bharta/bhurta .... mash
Bhuna .................. stir-fried
Burfi/barfi ........... Indian sweet made of milk & other ingredients
C:
Chandi varak ......... edible beaten silver (very thin foil)
Chashni .................. sugar syrup
Chutney ................. spicy side disheaten with snacks
Chenna/paneer ..... Indian cottage cheese
D:
Dahi ..................... yogurt/curd
Dal ....................... pulse/lentil
Dum ..................... cooked in a pot, where lid is sealed with a ring of dough.
G:
Ghee .................... clarified butter
K:
Keema .................. mince meat
Kewra .................. screwpine essence
Khatta ................... sour
Kofta ..................... balls made from vegetables, meat, chicken or fish
M:
Makhan ............... butter
Mawa .................... solidified milk
Mewa .................. dry fruits
P:
Pakora ................ battered and deep fried fritters of vegetables/meats
Panch pooran ..... a mix of cumin, fenugreek, fennel, mustard & nigella seeds
T:
Tandoor ............... Indian clay oven
Tarka/tadka ........ tempering of food with ghee/oil and cumin, mustard or any other seeds
Tawa ..................... griddle
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Yumi Castrillo
The lady behind the yummy piece of cake, Yumi Castrillo along with her husband Carlo dined at The Artist Chef table. I met Yumi because I ordered cupcakes from her for my special Christmas dinner last December. She provided me 6 boxes of cupcakes for the 6 couples I had for that special month. Because she wanted to dine, she asked me not to pay the 6 boxes of cupcakes which cost P900. She asked me to deduct it instead from the cost of the intimate dinner. So we settled everything and Yumi came to my place with a bottle of wine which they consumed during the dinner. Her husband Carlo works as an IT at UNILAB and Yumi on the other hand is a lawyer with a huge passion for baking. Just like me; Aside from our day jobs, we both have an outlet for our talent and creativity.
I was wearing my apron from Australia because I cooked grilled pork chops and wine bernaise gravy.
Rice Pudding (Riz b-Haleeb) - ارز بالحليب
Serves 4-6 (depending on the size of the dessert bowl)
Ingredients:
1/3 cup white rice
3 1/2 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups of water
4 tablespoons of condensed sweetened milk (optional)
5 tablespoons of sugar
4 tablespoons of corn starch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon rosewater
A pinch of salt
Apricot marmelade for the topping
In a pan, add water, pinch of salt, then add the rice and cook for 30 minutes on low. Drain any water left if not all absorbed. In another pan, add milk, sugar, corn starch, condensed milk, vanilla, rosewater. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium. Add the cooked rice and stir. You need to keep an eye on that and keep stirring until it thickens. Also you need to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When it thickens, pour into the serving bowls and let it completely cool. After that, spread the marmelade on top then refrigerate until time to serve.
Commerce
March 26
Last night, walking from Commerce restaurant down Seventh Avenue South to the 2 train, I was approached by a scruffy, probably somewhat drugged-out gentleman who struck up a conversation with me — I learned that he lives with his mother and is not a McCain fan.
As we walked he made sidelong glances at parked cars and bikes that we passed, in case there were something in or on them to steal.
He asked if I had ever smoked cocaine and if I’d like a hit.
I said “No,” and “No, thank you,” and then we parted ways.
I wanted to tell him that this was the West Village in 2008, not in 1978, and that conversations with potentially dangerous drugged out ne'er-do-wells just wasn’t done, but he seemed harmless enough as long as I didn't give him an entrée.
Today I checked with my baby-boomer colleagues — who, being from the era that they’re from, are drug experts, one and all — to see if smoking cocaine was by definition smoking crack, or if un-crackified coke could be smoked. They didn’t know, but one did a web search and told me that yes, cocaine can be smoked in its powdered form.
So I guess that’s good to know. You never know when a fact might come in handy.
But are scruffy druggies in the West Village a sign of bad economic times, or was this just one of those anachronisms that big, complex cities like New York inevitably produce?
At any rate, dinner at Commerce was fun. I ate with one of the restaurant’s publicists, Katherine Bryant, who, apart from being a publicist, also is in a sketch comedy troupe called Fearsome. Her fiancé, David Flaherty, is a sometimes-actor and budding wine expert originally from Fort Colins, Colo. I occasionally think of him as “the smart barista” from a role he played for, oh, probably less than a minute, on an episode of Law & Order Criminal Intent. He totally helped solved the case, though.
So Katherine knows various comedy actors, including Kristen Schaal, who plays Flight of the Conchords’ only fan and recently had her debut on The Daily Show, one would assume to the delight of her friends and fans. I know I was pleased. So was Katherine.
It was a theater-oriented evening in my mind anyway, as the last time I’d been in the space currently occupied by Commerce it was Grange Hall, where I’d eaten before seeing the play Fully Committed.
I’d been meaning to eat the food of Harold Moore, Commerce’s chef, for years and years.
And this is what we had (paired with wines by sommelier Justin Coleman):
Beef tataki with ginger, soy and shiso
Marinated fluke sashimi with chile lime and petit radish salad
a Torrontes from Mendoza in Argentina
Porcini and fontina ravioli with caramelized salsify and Parmesan emulsion
Green and white asparagus fricassée with mushrooms, truffle and a poached egg
Pelisero 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy)
Whole roasted chicken for two, with potato purée and foie gras bread stuffing
2003 Domaine du Gour de Chaulé Gigondas (Rhône, France)
Tropical fruit pavlova with Greek yogurt and lychee sorbet
Chocolate peanut butter marquise with celery salad and salty peanuts
Chocolate soufflé with coffee crème Anglaise
Tiramisu
Last night, walking from Commerce restaurant down Seventh Avenue South to the 2 train, I was approached by a scruffy, probably somewhat drugged-out gentleman who struck up a conversation with me — I learned that he lives with his mother and is not a McCain fan.
As we walked he made sidelong glances at parked cars and bikes that we passed, in case there were something in or on them to steal.
He asked if I had ever smoked cocaine and if I’d like a hit.
I said “No,” and “No, thank you,” and then we parted ways.
I wanted to tell him that this was the West Village in 2008, not in 1978, and that conversations with potentially dangerous drugged out ne'er-do-wells just wasn’t done, but he seemed harmless enough as long as I didn't give him an entrée.
Today I checked with my baby-boomer colleagues — who, being from the era that they’re from, are drug experts, one and all — to see if smoking cocaine was by definition smoking crack, or if un-crackified coke could be smoked. They didn’t know, but one did a web search and told me that yes, cocaine can be smoked in its powdered form.
So I guess that’s good to know. You never know when a fact might come in handy.
But are scruffy druggies in the West Village a sign of bad economic times, or was this just one of those anachronisms that big, complex cities like New York inevitably produce?
At any rate, dinner at Commerce was fun. I ate with one of the restaurant’s publicists, Katherine Bryant, who, apart from being a publicist, also is in a sketch comedy troupe called Fearsome. Her fiancé, David Flaherty, is a sometimes-actor and budding wine expert originally from Fort Colins, Colo. I occasionally think of him as “the smart barista” from a role he played for, oh, probably less than a minute, on an episode of Law & Order Criminal Intent. He totally helped solved the case, though.
So Katherine knows various comedy actors, including Kristen Schaal, who plays Flight of the Conchords’ only fan and recently had her debut on The Daily Show, one would assume to the delight of her friends and fans. I know I was pleased. So was Katherine.
It was a theater-oriented evening in my mind anyway, as the last time I’d been in the space currently occupied by Commerce it was Grange Hall, where I’d eaten before seeing the play Fully Committed.
I’d been meaning to eat the food of Harold Moore, Commerce’s chef, for years and years.
And this is what we had (paired with wines by sommelier Justin Coleman):
Beef tataki with ginger, soy and shiso
Marinated fluke sashimi with chile lime and petit radish salad
a Torrontes from Mendoza in Argentina
Porcini and fontina ravioli with caramelized salsify and Parmesan emulsion
Green and white asparagus fricassée with mushrooms, truffle and a poached egg
Pelisero 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba (Piedmont, Italy)
Whole roasted chicken for two, with potato purée and foie gras bread stuffing
2003 Domaine du Gour de Chaulé Gigondas (Rhône, France)
Tropical fruit pavlova with Greek yogurt and lychee sorbet
Chocolate peanut butter marquise with celery salad and salty peanuts
Chocolate soufflé with coffee crème Anglaise
Tiramisu
GLOSSARY ( vegetables )
This section provides a translation of some common Indian vegetable names to their English equivalent.
A:
Adrak ........................ ginger
Aloo ........................... potato
Arvi / arbi ............... colocasia
B:
Baigan ....................... brinjal / aubergine / eggplant
Band gobhi ............... cabbage
D:
Dhaniya ................... coriander /cilantro /coentro
Dudhi ....................... bottle gourd
G:
Gajar .......................... carrot
Gobhi ......................... cauliflower
H:
Hara pyaz .................. spring onion
I:
Imli ............................. tamarind
K:
Kaddu .......................... pumpkin
Kamal kakri ................ lotus root
Karela ......................... bitter gourd
Khumbi....................... mushroom
L:
Lauki ........................... bottle gourd
Lahsun ........................ garlic
M:
Matar ........................... green peas
Makki .......................... corn
Mirch ........................... chillies
Mooli ........................... radish
N:
Nariyal ......................... coconut
Neembu ........................ lime
P:
Palak ............................ spinach
Patra /arvi patta ........ colocasia leaf
Petha ........................... ash gourd
Pudina ........................ mint leaves
Pyaz .......................... onion
S:
Sarson ...................... mustard
Shakar kand ........... sweet potato
Shalgam ................. turnip
Shimla mirch ..........capsicum
T:
Tamatar ................... tomato
Tori / turai .............. ridge gourd
A:
Adrak ........................ ginger
Aloo ........................... potato
Arvi / arbi ............... colocasia
B:
Baigan ....................... brinjal / aubergine / eggplant
Band gobhi ............... cabbage
D:
Dhaniya ................... coriander /cilantro /coentro
Dudhi ....................... bottle gourd
G:
Gajar .......................... carrot
Gobhi ......................... cauliflower
H:
Hara pyaz .................. spring onion
I:
Imli ............................. tamarind
K:
Kaddu .......................... pumpkin
Kamal kakri ................ lotus root
Karela ......................... bitter gourd
Khumbi....................... mushroom
L:
Lauki ........................... bottle gourd
Lahsun ........................ garlic
M:
Matar ........................... green peas
Makki .......................... corn
Mirch ........................... chillies
Mooli ........................... radish
N:
Nariyal ......................... coconut
Neembu ........................ lime
P:
Palak ............................ spinach
Patra /arvi patta ........ colocasia leaf
Petha ........................... ash gourd
Pudina ........................ mint leaves
Pyaz .......................... onion
S:
Sarson ...................... mustard
Shakar kand ........... sweet potato
Shalgam ................. turnip
Shimla mirch ..........capsicum
T:
Tamatar ................... tomato
Tori / turai .............. ridge gourd
GLOSSARY (spices & lentils)
This section provides a translation of some common Indian spices and lentils to their English equivalent.
A:
Anardana ..................... pomegranate seeds
Ajwain ........................ carom seeds
Amchoor powder ....... dry mango powder
Arhar dal / toor dal..... Yellow split lentils
B:
Besan ............................. gram flour
Badam............................ almonds
Badi elaichi .................... Black cardamom
C:
Chakri phool .................. cinnamon
Chuara............................. dry dates
Chana dal ....................... gram flour
D:
Dalchini ..........................cinnamon
Dhaniya ......................... coriander seeds
E:
Elaichi ........................... green cardamom
Garam masala ............ mixed spice
H:
Haldi ............................ turmeric
Hing ............................ asafoetida
I:
Imli .............................tamarind
J:
Jaifal ............................. nutmeg
Javitri .......................... mace
Jeera ............................. cimin seeds
K:
Kabuli chana .................. chick peas
Kaju ................................ cashewnuts
Kalaunji ......................... nigella /onion seeds
Kala namak .................. rock salt
Kali mirch .................... black pepper
Kasoori methi ............. dry fenugreek leaves
Kesar .......................... saffron
Khajur ........................ dates
Khus khus ................... poppy seeds
Kishmish .....................raisins
L:
Lahsun ......................... garlic
Laung .......................... cloves
M:
Maida .......................... white flour
Mirch ........................... chilli
Methi dana ................. fenugreek seeds
Moongphali ................ groundnuts
Moong dal ................. split, skinless green dal
N:
Namak ...................... salt
P:
Pista .......................... pistachio nuts
Poha .......................... flattened rice flakes
R:
Rai ............................. mustard seeds
Rava ......................... semolina
Rajma .......................red kidney beans
S:
Sabudana ................. tapioca
Saunf ....................... fennel / aniseed
Shah jeera ............... caraway seeds
Sonth ....................... dry ginger powder
Sooji ........................ semolina
T:
Tej patta ................ bay leaf
Toor dal ................. yellow split lentils
U:
Urad dal ................. black gram
A:
Anardana ..................... pomegranate seeds
Ajwain ........................ carom seeds
Amchoor powder ....... dry mango powder
Arhar dal / toor dal..... Yellow split lentils
B:
Besan ............................. gram flour
Badam............................ almonds
Badi elaichi .................... Black cardamom
C:
Chakri phool .................. cinnamon
Chuara............................. dry dates
Chana dal ....................... gram flour
D:
Dalchini ..........................cinnamon
Dhaniya ......................... coriander seeds
E:
Elaichi ........................... green cardamom
Garam masala ............ mixed spice
H:
Haldi ............................ turmeric
Hing ............................ asafoetida
I:
Imli .............................tamarind
J:
Jaifal ............................. nutmeg
Javitri .......................... mace
Jeera ............................. cimin seeds
K:
Kabuli chana .................. chick peas
Kaju ................................ cashewnuts
Kalaunji ......................... nigella /onion seeds
Kala namak .................. rock salt
Kali mirch .................... black pepper
Kasoori methi ............. dry fenugreek leaves
Kesar .......................... saffron
Khajur ........................ dates
Khus khus ................... poppy seeds
Kishmish .....................raisins
L:
Lahsun ......................... garlic
Laung .......................... cloves
M:
Maida .......................... white flour
Mirch ........................... chilli
Methi dana ................. fenugreek seeds
Moongphali ................ groundnuts
Moong dal ................. split, skinless green dal
N:
Namak ...................... salt
P:
Pista .......................... pistachio nuts
Poha .......................... flattened rice flakes
R:
Rai ............................. mustard seeds
Rava ......................... semolina
Rajma .......................red kidney beans
S:
Sabudana ................. tapioca
Saunf ....................... fennel / aniseed
Shah jeera ............... caraway seeds
Sonth ....................... dry ginger powder
Sooji ........................ semolina
T:
Tej patta ................ bay leaf
Toor dal ................. yellow split lentils
U:
Urad dal ................. black gram
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Rice & Lentils pilaf (Mdardara) - مدردرة
Serves 4
Ingredient:
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of white rice
1 cup of olive oil
2 onions sliced (medium half circles)
1 tablespoon of allspice
1 tablespoon of cumin
Salt, pepper to taste
5 cups of water
In a pan, add the 5 cups of water and the lentils, cook on medium until the lentils are half way cooked, then add the rice then the allspice, cumin, salt and pepper. Let them cook on low. Meanwhile, in a skillet, add olive oil and the onions, season with some salt and pepper and let them brown but be careful not to burn them. After the onions are ready, drain the remaining olive oil and add it to the lentils and rice that are cooking. After the rice and lentils are cooked and the water is absorbed, transfer to the serving plate and add the onions on top. Serve with plain yogurt or a salad.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Beard Handicapping ’08
March 24
The James Beard Foundation has announced its list of nominees for its annual awards, which people in the restaurant world take quite seriously. Awards are strange, though. The results are capricious, the meaning unclear. Nonetheless, I shall now take a shot at predicting the winners.
I did this last year and ended up getting seven out of 19 right, which is a failing grade except in baseball, when I would have batted 367.
I have made my predictions in boldface. They are my predictions, not my votes. I’m not saying that I would be happy about these results, but they are the people and restaurants I expect to win.
I’m only predicting in restaurant and chef categories. For a full list of nominees, visit jbfawards.com.
Here now, my predictions for the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards:
[March 26 update: Oops, the Beard Foundation forgot that Gary Danko won the outstanding service award in 2006, so they took that restaurant off the list and replaced it with La Grenouille in New York. Also, I’ve been asked why I picked who I picked and if I’m crazy, so I have added reasons for my predictions]:
Best new restaurant:
Anthos in New York
Central Michel Richard in Washington, D.C.
Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas
Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles
Osteria in Philadelphia
reason: I think the star effect of Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton will put it over the top
“Rising Star Chef” (aged 30 years or younger):
Nate Appleman of A 16 in San Francisco
Sean Brock of McCrady’s in Charleston, S.C.
Gavin Kaysen of Café Boulud in New York
Johnny Monis of Komi in Washington, D.C.
Matt Molina of Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles
Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon in Portland, Ore.
reason: see above
Outstanding chef:
Grant Achatz of Alinea in Chicago
José Andres of Minibar in Washington, D.C.
Dan Barber of Blue Hill in New York
Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles
Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Ala.
reason: All of these chefs are very highly regarded, but Grant has been battling cancer. To call his victory a sympathy vote would make it sound like he’s not deserving, so let’s call it a hero vote.
Outstanding restaurant (these tend to go to old, well-established restaurants with a lot of history):
Boulevard in San Francisco
The Slanted Door in San Francisco
Gramercy Tavern in New York
Jean Georges in New York
Campanile in Los Angeles
reason: This one is always tricky, because more than any of the other awards it seems to be based on sentiment and a sense of the nominee’s place in the restaurant firmament. But I’ve never heard an unkind word said about Gramercy Tavern.
Outstanding pastry chef:
Gina DePalma of Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in New York
Pichet Ong of P*ONG in New York
Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco
Mindy Segal of HotChocolate in Chicago
Nicole Plue of Redd in Yountville, Calif.
reason: combination of name recognition of Gina herself and Batali star power
Outstanding wine service:
Aureole in Las Vegas
Picasso in Las Vegas
Bin 36 in Chicago
Eleven Madison Park in New York
Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn.
reason: Blackberry Farm gets nominated often enough in enough different categories (it was nominated for both best chef and best service last year). It just feels like this is its year.
Outstanding restaurateur:
Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali in New York
Tom Douglas in Seattle
Richard Melman in Chicago
Wolfgang Puck in Los Angeles
Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York
Reason: Jean-Georges' restaurants are the most high-end in this group, for the most part, and I think Beard judges still have a weakness for that.
Outstanding wine and spirits professional:
Dale DeGroff of Beverage Alcohol Resource in New York
Merry Edwards of Merry Edwards Wines in Sebastopol, Calif.
David Lett of The Eyrie Vineyards in McMinnville, Ore.
Bobby Stuckey of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colo.
Terry Theise of Terry Theise Estate Selections in Silver Spring, Md.
Reason: Frasca’s hot.
Outstanding service:
Canlis in Seattle
La Grenouille in New York
Spiaggia in Chicago
Vetri in Philadelphia
Terra in St. Helena, Calif.
Reason: Canlis has a reputation for being classic and likeable that I think will appeal to judges.
My picks for the regional awards, except for New York which is the market I live in and thus the one I know best, are based purely on gut reaction having to do with name recognition and general reputation. In the case of New York, people in the food world here can’t help themselves — if there’s an award, they’ll give it to David Chang.
Pacific (California and Hawaii):
Douglas Keane of Cyrus in Healdsburg, Calif.
David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif.
David Myers of Sona in Los Angeles
Craig Stoll of Delfina in San Francisco
Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco.
Mid-Atlantic (including Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia):
Cathal Armstong of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Va.
Jose Garces of Amada in Philadelphia
Maricel Presilla of Cucharamama in Hoboken, N.J.
Cindy Wolf of Charleston in Baltimore
Eric Ziebold of CityZen in Washington, D.C.
Midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin):
Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery in Minneapolis
Colby Garrelts of Bluestem in Kansas City
Tim McKee of La Belle Vie in Minneapolis
Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma in Minneapolis
Adam Siegal of Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro in Milwaukee
Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio):
Graham Elliot Bowles of Avenues in Chicago
Carrie Nahabedian of Naha in Chicago
Bruce Sherman of North Pond in Chicago
Michael Symon of Lola in Cleveland
Alex Young of Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Mich.
New York City:
Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern
Terrance Brennan of Picholine
David Chang of the Momofuku restaurants
Wylie Dufresne of WD-50
Gabriel Kreuther of The Modern.
Northeast (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York excluding New York City, Rhode Island and Vermont):
Patrick Connolly of Radius in Boston
Rob Evans of Hugo’s in Portland, Maine
Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine
Michael Leviton of Lumière in West Newton, Mass.
Marc Orfaly of Pigalle in Boston.
Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming):
Scott Dolich of Park Kitchen in Portland, Ore.
Maria Hines of Tilth in Seattle
Holly Smith of Café Juanita in Kirkland, Wash.
Ethan Stowell of Union in Seattle
Jason Wilson of Crush in Seattle
Southeast (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia):
Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten in Athens, Ga.
Arnaud Berthelier of The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta
Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta
Mike Lata of Fig in Charleston, S.C.
Robert Stehling of Hominy Grill in Charleston, S.C.
Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah):
Saipin Chutima of Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas
Sharon Hage of York Street in Dallas
Ryan Hardy of Montagna in Aspen, Colo.
Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colo.
Andrew Weissman of Restaurant La Rêve in San Antonio, Texas.
South (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi):
Zach Bell of Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Fla.
Michelle Bernstein of Michy’s in Miami
John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, Miss.
Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Ala.
Douglas Rodriguez of Ola in Miami.
The James Beard Foundation has announced its list of nominees for its annual awards, which people in the restaurant world take quite seriously. Awards are strange, though. The results are capricious, the meaning unclear. Nonetheless, I shall now take a shot at predicting the winners.
I did this last year and ended up getting seven out of 19 right, which is a failing grade except in baseball, when I would have batted 367.
I have made my predictions in boldface. They are my predictions, not my votes. I’m not saying that I would be happy about these results, but they are the people and restaurants I expect to win.
I’m only predicting in restaurant and chef categories. For a full list of nominees, visit jbfawards.com.
Here now, my predictions for the 2008 James Beard Foundation Awards:
[March 26 update: Oops, the Beard Foundation forgot that Gary Danko won the outstanding service award in 2006, so they took that restaurant off the list and replaced it with La Grenouille in New York. Also, I’ve been asked why I picked who I picked and if I’m crazy, so I have added reasons for my predictions]:
Best new restaurant:
Anthos in New York
Central Michel Richard in Washington, D.C.
Fearing’s at the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas
Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles
Osteria in Philadelphia
reason: I think the star effect of Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton will put it over the top
“Rising Star Chef” (aged 30 years or younger):
Nate Appleman of A 16 in San Francisco
Sean Brock of McCrady’s in Charleston, S.C.
Gavin Kaysen of Café Boulud in New York
Johnny Monis of Komi in Washington, D.C.
Matt Molina of Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles
Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon in Portland, Ore.
reason: see above
Outstanding chef:
Grant Achatz of Alinea in Chicago
José Andres of Minibar in Washington, D.C.
Dan Barber of Blue Hill in New York
Suzanne Goin of Lucques in Los Angeles
Frank Stitt of Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham, Ala.
reason: All of these chefs are very highly regarded, but Grant has been battling cancer. To call his victory a sympathy vote would make it sound like he’s not deserving, so let’s call it a hero vote.
Outstanding restaurant (these tend to go to old, well-established restaurants with a lot of history):
Boulevard in San Francisco
The Slanted Door in San Francisco
Gramercy Tavern in New York
Jean Georges in New York
Campanile in Los Angeles
reason: This one is always tricky, because more than any of the other awards it seems to be based on sentiment and a sense of the nominee’s place in the restaurant firmament. But I’ve never heard an unkind word said about Gramercy Tavern.
Outstanding pastry chef:
Gina DePalma of Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca in New York
Pichet Ong of P*ONG in New York
Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco
Mindy Segal of HotChocolate in Chicago
Nicole Plue of Redd in Yountville, Calif.
reason: combination of name recognition of Gina herself and Batali star power
Outstanding wine service:
Aureole in Las Vegas
Picasso in Las Vegas
Bin 36 in Chicago
Eleven Madison Park in New York
Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn.
reason: Blackberry Farm gets nominated often enough in enough different categories (it was nominated for both best chef and best service last year). It just feels like this is its year.
Outstanding restaurateur:
Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali in New York
Tom Douglas in Seattle
Richard Melman in Chicago
Wolfgang Puck in Los Angeles
Jean-Georges Vongerichten in New York
Reason: Jean-Georges' restaurants are the most high-end in this group, for the most part, and I think Beard judges still have a weakness for that.
Outstanding wine and spirits professional:
Dale DeGroff of Beverage Alcohol Resource in New York
Merry Edwards of Merry Edwards Wines in Sebastopol, Calif.
David Lett of The Eyrie Vineyards in McMinnville, Ore.
Bobby Stuckey of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colo.
Terry Theise of Terry Theise Estate Selections in Silver Spring, Md.
Reason: Frasca’s hot.
Outstanding service:
Canlis in Seattle
La Grenouille in New York
Spiaggia in Chicago
Vetri in Philadelphia
Terra in St. Helena, Calif.
Reason: Canlis has a reputation for being classic and likeable that I think will appeal to judges.
My picks for the regional awards, except for New York which is the market I live in and thus the one I know best, are based purely on gut reaction having to do with name recognition and general reputation. In the case of New York, people in the food world here can’t help themselves — if there’s an award, they’ll give it to David Chang.
Pacific (California and Hawaii):
Douglas Keane of Cyrus in Healdsburg, Calif.
David Kinch of Manresa in Los Gatos, Calif.
David Myers of Sona in Los Angeles
Craig Stoll of Delfina in San Francisco
Michael Tusk of Quince in San Francisco.
Mid-Atlantic (including Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia):
Cathal Armstong of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Va.
Jose Garces of Amada in Philadelphia
Maricel Presilla of Cucharamama in Hoboken, N.J.
Cindy Wolf of Charleston in Baltimore
Eric Ziebold of CityZen in Washington, D.C.
Midwest (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin):
Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery in Minneapolis
Colby Garrelts of Bluestem in Kansas City
Tim McKee of La Belle Vie in Minneapolis
Alex Roberts of Restaurant Alma in Minneapolis
Adam Siegal of Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro in Milwaukee
Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio):
Graham Elliot Bowles of Avenues in Chicago
Carrie Nahabedian of Naha in Chicago
Bruce Sherman of North Pond in Chicago
Michael Symon of Lola in Cleveland
Alex Young of Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Mich.
New York City:
Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern
Terrance Brennan of Picholine
David Chang of the Momofuku restaurants
Wylie Dufresne of WD-50
Gabriel Kreuther of The Modern.
Northeast (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York excluding New York City, Rhode Island and Vermont):
Patrick Connolly of Radius in Boston
Rob Evans of Hugo’s in Portland, Maine
Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier of Arrows in Ogunquit, Maine
Michael Leviton of Lumière in West Newton, Mass.
Marc Orfaly of Pigalle in Boston.
Northwest (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming):
Scott Dolich of Park Kitchen in Portland, Ore.
Maria Hines of Tilth in Seattle
Holly Smith of Café Juanita in Kirkland, Wash.
Ethan Stowell of Union in Seattle
Jason Wilson of Crush in Seattle
Southeast (Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia):
Hugh Acheson of Five and Ten in Athens, Ga.
Arnaud Berthelier of The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta
Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta
Mike Lata of Fig in Charleston, S.C.
Robert Stehling of Hominy Grill in Charleston, S.C.
Southwest (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah):
Saipin Chutima of Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas
Sharon Hage of York Street in Dallas
Ryan Hardy of Montagna in Aspen, Colo.
Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colo.
Andrew Weissman of Restaurant La Rêve in San Antonio, Texas.
South (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi):
Zach Bell of Café Boulud in Palm Beach, Fla.
Michelle Bernstein of Michy’s in Miami
John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, Miss.
Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Ala.
Douglas Rodriguez of Ola in Miami.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Tongkol Suwir Bumbu Bali
Bahan - bahan :
- 1 buah tongkol pindang, suwir2
Bumbu Halus :
- 6 bh bawang merah
- 4 siung bawang putih
- 7 buah cabe merah
- 3 butir kemiri
- gula merah sesuai selera
- terasi sesuai selera
- garam secukupnya
Cooking directions :
- Tumis bumbu halus hingga baunya harum, lalu masukkan ikan tongkol yg telah disuwir2 tadi.
- Aduk hingga bumbu rata dan matang
- Sajikan
Empek-empek Palembang
Modifikasi resep dari Mbak Ida Arimurti
Bahan - bahan :
- 500 gr daging ikan tenggiri
- 50 ml air es
- 100 gr tepung terigu
- 500 ml air
- 8 siung bawang putih
- 350 gr tepung kanji
- garam secukupnya
- gula secukupnya
- 2.5 liter air
- 1 sendok minyak sayur
Cooking directions :
- Aduk tepung terigu bersama 5oo ml air dan 4 siung bawang putih yg telah dihaluskan. Masak diatas api, aduk hingga mengental. Angkat dan dinginkan.
- Blender ikan tenggiri, air es dan 4 siung bawang putih hingga halus, beri garam, gula dan campur dengan bahan2 point 1. Aduk hingga adonan kalis
- Bentuk dengan cetakan atau sesuai dengan selera, lalu rebus kedalam air yg telah diberi minyak sayur hingga adonan mengapung.
- Goreng dan sajikan
Bahan Cuko :
- 50 gr asam jawa
- 150 gr gula merah
- 700 ml air
- 100 gr cabe rawit
- 5 siung bawang putih
- 2 sdm ebi
- 3 sdm cuka
Cooking directions :
- Rebus asam jawa, gula merah dan air hingga mendidih dan gula larut
- Haluskan cabe rawit, bawang putih dan ebi lalu masukkan kedalam rebusan diatas.
- Beri cuka bila kurang asem, masak sebentar, angkat lalu saring.
- Sajikan
Jengkol Goreng Jariang
Bahan - bahan :
- 500 gr jengkol kupas kulitnya
- 5 siung bawang merah (haluskan)
- 3 siung bawang putih (haluskan)
- 1 cm jahe (haluskan)
- 20 buah cabe merah (haluskan)
- garam secukupnya
- gula secukupnya
- air 25o ml
Cooking directions :
- Rebus jengkol hingga lunak, lalu tiriskan dan pukul2 hingga penyet
- Goreng sebentar hingga kecoklatan
- Minyak untuk menggoreng jengkol tadi, gunakan untuk menumis semua bumbu halus hingga harum, beri garam, gula dan air lalu masukkan jengkol
- Masak hingga air tinggal sedikit
- Sajikan
What Then Shall I Do With This Jesus Who Is Called Christ?
Matthew 28:1-15
March 23, 2008 8:00 & 10:30
Easter Celebration
What a remarkable, joyous, event we celebrate this morning. Easter. Resurrection. An empty tomb. When the body begins to move the funeral is over and let me assure you... Jesus is moving. The funeral is over and it is time to celebrate! Alleluia!
There are numerous accounts of the resurrected Jesus, stories of someone’s encounter with Jesus after he was crucified, died, was buried, and the tomb found empty. Numerous accounts of the reactions to both his appearing and the rumors of his appearing.
That is what we celebrate today...
...our own encounter with the resurrected Jesus. You see, it’s not an event that only happened 2000 plus years ago. It is not a one-time... frozen in a-moment-in-time proposition. It is a very present... very now... very real experience that is ours.
There was a question raised that is perhaps the most profound question in all scripture. A question that occurs before the death of Jesus. A question that is asked by a person who has no regard for Jesus, a question that is meant to wash one’s hands regarding any responsibility toward Jesus, and yet.... and yet... leads us directly toward responsibility.... responsibility to be aware of and respond to our own experience of this Jesus who we call Christ.
I am speaking of the question Pontius Pilate asked when Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin to be condemned.
The custom, during the feast of Passover, was for the Governor to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. When asked, the crowd shouted out for Barabbas to be released. “Barabbas, give us Barabbas” The crowd wanted Barabbas, a two-bit thief, released. Not Jesus. Confused by the incongruity of the crowd Pilate asks a question that for the rest of eternity none can ignore: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” None can ignore the question because inherent in the question is our responsibility to understand what a relationship with Jesus, who is called Christ, means. What a relationship with Jesus, who WE call Christ, means.
Make no mistake about it.... when you encounter the risen Christ you will be affected. In the resurrection account from Matthew the guards became so frightened they were like dead men. Riga Mortis of the living set in because they were really dead to the presence of the holy. They failed to grasp the life that had conquered death. In contrast are the Marys who were afraid, but also filled with Joy. They were filled with the joy of knowing that Jesus was, is, and always will be.
Mark gives a rather different account that suggests the Marys were filled with fear to the point of trembling and so afraid they spoke to no one.
Luke speaks of the disbelief of the disciples because the words of the women sounded like nonsense. Later as Cleopas and another disciple were walking down the road toward the town of Emmaus they encountered the resurrected Jesus but had no clue it was him. Their vision was faulty, their hearts clouded with despair.
John writes of the sorrow of Mary Magdalene being turned into joy and the doubt of Thomas being turned into belief.
Make no mistake about it.... when you encounter the risen Christ you will be affected. As the resurrected Jesus is encountered by each person... as the Christ who is no longer dead but alive is experienced... a gamut of emotions flooded the women, the guards, the disciples, the religious authorities... you and I... and each of us has to ask the question: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?
Let me share with you what Jesus says we should do. Turn with me to Matthew 28 verse 10: “Do not be afraid.” Jesus says, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” In Matthew 28: verses 19 & 20, he directs his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Turn now to Mark chapter 16 verse 15 and you will find these words: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” In chapter 20 verses 22 & 23 of the book of John, Jesus tells all the disciples, except Thomas, to "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone their sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
And in John chapter 21, over a meal of fresh grilled fish, Jesus admonishes Simon Peter to take care of others saying “Feed my Sheep.”
What shall you do then with Jesus who is called Christ?
Recognize the fact that he is present... now... in this moment... in your life... and do not be afraid to live the experience of faith. Go to others and share with them the good news that Jesus, who we call Christ, can be a part of their lives also. Then, being open to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit... living as one who has been forgiven... share your experience of forgiveness with others... and, in the process, feed those who are spiritually hungry.
What shall we do then with Jesus who is called Christ? Take responsibility for the spiritual person you are becoming in Christ. Base your decisions... your actions... your relationship with others... on what God has done in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Live as if the funeral is over and life has just begun. Alleluia, Jesus the one we call Christ lives! AMEN.
March 23, 2008 8:00 & 10:30
Easter Celebration
What a remarkable, joyous, event we celebrate this morning. Easter. Resurrection. An empty tomb. When the body begins to move the funeral is over and let me assure you... Jesus is moving. The funeral is over and it is time to celebrate! Alleluia!
There are numerous accounts of the resurrected Jesus, stories of someone’s encounter with Jesus after he was crucified, died, was buried, and the tomb found empty. Numerous accounts of the reactions to both his appearing and the rumors of his appearing.
That is what we celebrate today...
...our own encounter with the resurrected Jesus. You see, it’s not an event that only happened 2000 plus years ago. It is not a one-time... frozen in a-moment-in-time proposition. It is a very present... very now... very real experience that is ours.
There was a question raised that is perhaps the most profound question in all scripture. A question that occurs before the death of Jesus. A question that is asked by a person who has no regard for Jesus, a question that is meant to wash one’s hands regarding any responsibility toward Jesus, and yet.... and yet... leads us directly toward responsibility.... responsibility to be aware of and respond to our own experience of this Jesus who we call Christ.
I am speaking of the question Pontius Pilate asked when Jesus is brought before the Sanhedrin to be condemned.
The custom, during the feast of Passover, was for the Governor to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. When asked, the crowd shouted out for Barabbas to be released. “Barabbas, give us Barabbas” The crowd wanted Barabbas, a two-bit thief, released. Not Jesus. Confused by the incongruity of the crowd Pilate asks a question that for the rest of eternity none can ignore: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?” None can ignore the question because inherent in the question is our responsibility to understand what a relationship with Jesus, who is called Christ, means. What a relationship with Jesus, who WE call Christ, means.
Make no mistake about it.... when you encounter the risen Christ you will be affected. In the resurrection account from Matthew the guards became so frightened they were like dead men. Riga Mortis of the living set in because they were really dead to the presence of the holy. They failed to grasp the life that had conquered death. In contrast are the Marys who were afraid, but also filled with Joy. They were filled with the joy of knowing that Jesus was, is, and always will be.
Mark gives a rather different account that suggests the Marys were filled with fear to the point of trembling and so afraid they spoke to no one.
Luke speaks of the disbelief of the disciples because the words of the women sounded like nonsense. Later as Cleopas and another disciple were walking down the road toward the town of Emmaus they encountered the resurrected Jesus but had no clue it was him. Their vision was faulty, their hearts clouded with despair.
John writes of the sorrow of Mary Magdalene being turned into joy and the doubt of Thomas being turned into belief.
Make no mistake about it.... when you encounter the risen Christ you will be affected. As the resurrected Jesus is encountered by each person... as the Christ who is no longer dead but alive is experienced... a gamut of emotions flooded the women, the guards, the disciples, the religious authorities... you and I... and each of us has to ask the question: “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?
Let me share with you what Jesus says we should do. Turn with me to Matthew 28 verse 10: “Do not be afraid.” Jesus says, “Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” In Matthew 28: verses 19 & 20, he directs his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Turn now to Mark chapter 16 verse 15 and you will find these words: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” In chapter 20 verses 22 & 23 of the book of John, Jesus tells all the disciples, except Thomas, to "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone their sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
And in John chapter 21, over a meal of fresh grilled fish, Jesus admonishes Simon Peter to take care of others saying “Feed my Sheep.”
What shall you do then with Jesus who is called Christ?
Recognize the fact that he is present... now... in this moment... in your life... and do not be afraid to live the experience of faith. Go to others and share with them the good news that Jesus, who we call Christ, can be a part of their lives also. Then, being open to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit... living as one who has been forgiven... share your experience of forgiveness with others... and, in the process, feed those who are spiritually hungry.
What shall we do then with Jesus who is called Christ? Take responsibility for the spiritual person you are becoming in Christ. Base your decisions... your actions... your relationship with others... on what God has done in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Live as if the funeral is over and life has just begun. Alleluia, Jesus the one we call Christ lives! AMEN.
I Have Seen The Lord!
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“I have seen the Lord!”
John 20:1-18
March 23, 2008
Easter Sunrise
During the last seven weeks leading up to today, we have been busy preparing to celebrate the pivotal point of our faith. We call this holy collection of moments Lent. It is a time that is pregnant with symbols. Ashes are placed quietly on foreheads. Penitent acts of sacrifice such as fasting are accomplished. Additional devotional studies take place. Palm branches get waved. A meal of wine and bread is shared. Feet get washed and feet with nails driven through them are remembered as the collective memory of broken hearts is experienced.
All of it leading up to a radiant sunrise; an empty cross and an empty tomb. This is Easter… the day of resurrection.
However, all of the preparation… and none of the symbols mean a thing… without developing a relationship with the one they point to - Jesus Christ. The symbols are empty if we fail to experience what the "new" covenant through Christ is all about.
John 20:1-18
March 23, 2008
Easter Sunrise
During the last seven weeks leading up to today, we have been busy preparing to celebrate the pivotal point of our faith. We call this holy collection of moments Lent. It is a time that is pregnant with symbols. Ashes are placed quietly on foreheads. Penitent acts of sacrifice such as fasting are accomplished. Additional devotional studies take place. Palm branches get waved. A meal of wine and bread is shared. Feet get washed and feet with nails driven through them are remembered as the collective memory of broken hearts is experienced.
All of it leading up to a radiant sunrise; an empty cross and an empty tomb. This is Easter… the day of resurrection.
However, all of the preparation… and none of the symbols mean a thing… without developing a relationship with the one they point to - Jesus Christ. The symbols are empty if we fail to experience what the "new" covenant through Christ is all about.
Quite simply… It is about God's unconditional love for us.
And when we grasp the reality of God’s unconditional love we become whole. We can become, as Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "a new creation."
"...If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation...”
I would offer that no one else in scripture has experienced with such depth the one we call The Christ, and no one else in scripture has understood how transforming, God’s unconditional love can be, than Mary Magdalene. Here was a woman who had experienced Jesus first hand. She had been healed of demons, cared for and fed Jesus and the disciples, even paying their expenses. She suffered with Mary the mother of Jesus as the Christ was nailed to the cross. Followed as Christ was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb, returned to discover that death had been beaten and was the one to whom Christ first appeared.
Oh, to have been her!
To have experienced a fraction of the emotions and to have witnessed even one of the miracles that she had experienced in knowing Jesus. What a transforming event that would be.
Mary Magdalene - now there is a name that conjures up a variety of images! Hair that is long and in total disarray, clothes that are too revealing and usually torn, or at the very least a little dirty. Hollywood and Sunday school classes have done a real number on her image, building upon years of speculation and unfounded interpretation. Through those years, she has gotten the reputation of being a whore, and one who is wasteful of precious perfume. She has been offered up as the kind of person that we would just as soon not be around. At least… not if any one else might find out about it.
It's interesting, and quite sad, how we attach certain stigmas to people, without really knowing them. Interesting, also, how we place people in a role or group, assuming we have an insight as to their worth. We judge their financial, intellectual, or even spiritual worth, without even speaking to them. It is kind of like carrying around a black box in our heads, into which we drop either a white marble or black marble, voting yes or no to accept them. Trying to keep it secret how we voted, but making it very clear by our actions toward them that they don't quite fit into our world concept.
I happen to think Mary, the woman from Magdela, has gotten a raw deal from the press and from us. Nowhere, in the Bible, does it say that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. In point of fact, the Bible really doesn't say much at all about her. What we have done is assume certain stories are about her; like the story of the woman in Luke 7:36-39.
Luke 7:36-39 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."
Another story also accuses a Mary of wasting precious oil, pouring it on the feet of Jesus. It can be found in John 12:1-8, but that is Mary the sister of Martha. You may remember that they are the sisters of Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead. You can read about Lazarus in John chapter 11. It is the Bible's version of "Return of the Mummy." But it doesn't shed any light on the Mary we are seeking to know.
The fact is we have no idea who Mary Magdalene was, or what she has been. The glimpse we get, however, through a few short comments found in the scripture, is who she has been freed up to be.
Matthew records those who kept vigil, while Jesus hung on the cross: None of the male disciples were present, but chapter 27 verse 55 reports "There were many women there...among who were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee." In Mark 16:9 we read that after the resurrection, "[Jesus] appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons." And in John 20:18, part of the reading for today, "Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, `I have seen the Lord.'"
We may not have a clue as to her previous identity, but we are given some very powerful images of how she lived out her faith, after having experienced the One-who-transforms.
In all of the stories about that first Easter morning, and the events leading up to it, Mary Magdalene is the one constant presence throughout Jesus’ ordeal. Yes, she saw Jesus. But even more important is to realize that no matter what had occurred in her past - real or imagined by others, whether there had been seven or seven hundred demons, Jesus saw her. Jesus saw her. Jesus accepted her and trusted her enough to come to her first, as the risen Christ. Trusted her enough, to send her to the others and proclaim that God was not dead, but alive!
Oh, to have been her!
But wait a moment.
Aren't we in the position to experience Jesus with the eyes of Mary Magdalene? Aren't you and I modern day Magdalenes having struggled with our own demons? Some of us have battled far more than seven demons. Some, if not most of us, are still struggling? Haven't we too battled the assumptions and preconceived images of who we are that have been placed on us by others and even by ourselves? And aren't we continually being offered God's accepting, transforming Grace, through Jesus Christ?
Even though the others at first didn't believe her, Mary was the absolute best one for the Risen Christ to first appear to. She could share the Good News because she had lived it. She had lived the relationship that the symbols point to.
What about you? Have you experienced the relationship that these symbols point to? Have you experienced the Good News of God's accepting Grace? Have you experienced the power of the resurrection? I tell you today that your sins are not only forgiven - they're forgotten. The stone blocking you from a life of wholeness has been moved.
The full impact of the Easter message can only be shared with others by someone who has lived it, someone who has lived the story like Mary of Magdela… someone who has lived the story like you and me. Reminiscent of Mary we too are being sent to others to share the message that Jesus lives and because Jesus lives we too can live! Like Mary Magdalene, we too can say that “We have seen the Lord.” We too can share in the joy of the risen Lord.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, Jesus lives!
And when we grasp the reality of God’s unconditional love we become whole. We can become, as Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, "a new creation."
"...If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation...”
I would offer that no one else in scripture has experienced with such depth the one we call The Christ, and no one else in scripture has understood how transforming, God’s unconditional love can be, than Mary Magdalene. Here was a woman who had experienced Jesus first hand. She had been healed of demons, cared for and fed Jesus and the disciples, even paying their expenses. She suffered with Mary the mother of Jesus as the Christ was nailed to the cross. Followed as Christ was taken down from the cross and placed in the tomb, returned to discover that death had been beaten and was the one to whom Christ first appeared.
Oh, to have been her!
To have experienced a fraction of the emotions and to have witnessed even one of the miracles that she had experienced in knowing Jesus. What a transforming event that would be.
Mary Magdalene - now there is a name that conjures up a variety of images! Hair that is long and in total disarray, clothes that are too revealing and usually torn, or at the very least a little dirty. Hollywood and Sunday school classes have done a real number on her image, building upon years of speculation and unfounded interpretation. Through those years, she has gotten the reputation of being a whore, and one who is wasteful of precious perfume. She has been offered up as the kind of person that we would just as soon not be around. At least… not if any one else might find out about it.
It's interesting, and quite sad, how we attach certain stigmas to people, without really knowing them. Interesting, also, how we place people in a role or group, assuming we have an insight as to their worth. We judge their financial, intellectual, or even spiritual worth, without even speaking to them. It is kind of like carrying around a black box in our heads, into which we drop either a white marble or black marble, voting yes or no to accept them. Trying to keep it secret how we voted, but making it very clear by our actions toward them that they don't quite fit into our world concept.
I happen to think Mary, the woman from Magdela, has gotten a raw deal from the press and from us. Nowhere, in the Bible, does it say that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. In point of fact, the Bible really doesn't say much at all about her. What we have done is assume certain stories are about her; like the story of the woman in Luke 7:36-39.
Luke 7:36-39 Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."
Another story also accuses a Mary of wasting precious oil, pouring it on the feet of Jesus. It can be found in John 12:1-8, but that is Mary the sister of Martha. You may remember that they are the sisters of Lazarus who Jesus raised from the dead. You can read about Lazarus in John chapter 11. It is the Bible's version of "Return of the Mummy." But it doesn't shed any light on the Mary we are seeking to know.
The fact is we have no idea who Mary Magdalene was, or what she has been. The glimpse we get, however, through a few short comments found in the scripture, is who she has been freed up to be.
Matthew records those who kept vigil, while Jesus hung on the cross: None of the male disciples were present, but chapter 27 verse 55 reports "There were many women there...among who were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee." In Mark 16:9 we read that after the resurrection, "[Jesus] appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons." And in John 20:18, part of the reading for today, "Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, `I have seen the Lord.'"
We may not have a clue as to her previous identity, but we are given some very powerful images of how she lived out her faith, after having experienced the One-who-transforms.
In all of the stories about that first Easter morning, and the events leading up to it, Mary Magdalene is the one constant presence throughout Jesus’ ordeal. Yes, she saw Jesus. But even more important is to realize that no matter what had occurred in her past - real or imagined by others, whether there had been seven or seven hundred demons, Jesus saw her. Jesus saw her. Jesus accepted her and trusted her enough to come to her first, as the risen Christ. Trusted her enough, to send her to the others and proclaim that God was not dead, but alive!
Oh, to have been her!
But wait a moment.
Aren't we in the position to experience Jesus with the eyes of Mary Magdalene? Aren't you and I modern day Magdalenes having struggled with our own demons? Some of us have battled far more than seven demons. Some, if not most of us, are still struggling? Haven't we too battled the assumptions and preconceived images of who we are that have been placed on us by others and even by ourselves? And aren't we continually being offered God's accepting, transforming Grace, through Jesus Christ?
Even though the others at first didn't believe her, Mary was the absolute best one for the Risen Christ to first appear to. She could share the Good News because she had lived it. She had lived the relationship that the symbols point to.
What about you? Have you experienced the relationship that these symbols point to? Have you experienced the Good News of God's accepting Grace? Have you experienced the power of the resurrection? I tell you today that your sins are not only forgiven - they're forgotten. The stone blocking you from a life of wholeness has been moved.
The full impact of the Easter message can only be shared with others by someone who has lived it, someone who has lived the story like Mary of Magdela… someone who has lived the story like you and me. Reminiscent of Mary we too are being sent to others to share the message that Jesus lives and because Jesus lives we too can live! Like Mary Magdalene, we too can say that “We have seen the Lord.” We too can share in the joy of the risen Lord.
Hallelujah, hallelujah, Jesus lives!
KASOORI METHI PARATHAS
Ingredients:
Atta ......... 1 cup
Maida......1/2 cup
Ajwain .... 1/2 tsp.
Haldi ....1/4 tsp.
Yogurt ...for kneading
Salt to taste
Asafoetida ... a pinch
Ghee
Kasoori Methi or fresh methi (saute with ginger-garlic-green chilli paste)
Method:
1. Knead dough with all above ingredients with yogurt adding a little water and keep for 1-2 hrs.
2. Make parathas in pure ghee.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Are You Amazed?
March 20th Sermon
Holy Thursday
John 13:1-15
We are here to tonight to remember the one who transformed all of creation through a love that was amazing. A love that was amazing, because it so completely disregarded conventional ways of being in relationship.
The amazing love that Jesus lived ignored the hierarchal relationships that nations and businesses so relied on to keep people subjugated… controlled.
The amazing love that Jesus lived overlooked the patriarchal relationships that would treat women and children as chattel to be used or abused at the discretion of the head of the household.
The amazing love that Jesus lived confronted the notion of a ruler who would take unhealthy advantage of leadership and transformed it into the concept of the servant leader.
Jesus completely disregarded the conventional ways of being in relationship that placed power over another as the ultimate goal and offered a relationship of love that gave up any pretext of power. Are you amazed?
Here is how the story goes:
On a Thursday, less than a day before the harsh sound of nails being pounded into a rude cross were heard around the world, Jesus gathered with his closest followers in a large, borrowed, upstairs room, somewhere in the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The machinery of murder was already moving toward an isolated garden overlooking Jerusalem. Judas had already committed himself to a path different than his fellow sojourners. Common people, sniffing the winds of rumor with animal accuracy, were not ignorant of the hostilities roused by Jesus of Nazareth. The man was a fugitive and those who followed him put themselves at risk.
Yet they still gathered together during the tenuous security that night offered, to break bread together, to worship, and to continue learning amazing things from this fugitive.
Over their roughly three years together, this irregular group of miscreants had indeed been amazed. Wonders beyond imagination had taken place. The religious elite had been exposed for the hypocrites they were; outcasts had been welcomed into a community that really cared; leprous untouchables were touched in ways that made then whole; even the dead had been brought back to life and everyone was amazed.
So what words would Jesus share with them on this holy night? What insights might be gleaned from this rebel, as together they shared in the paschal feast and remembered how God delivered the Jews from bondage, so long ago. Would they too be delivered from the yoke of persecution and was this indeed "The One" - the Messiah? How would they be amazed in that “upper room?”
The Bible suggests that Jesus knew everything rested on the way he might respond to the disciples on that momentous night. The Bible suggests Jesus knew his hour of humiliation was near, and that he knew his hour of glory was near. Awareness like that can be dangerous and cause a person to be filled with pride. It would have been easy for Jesus to turn the revolution in another direction - a direction that even Judas would have approved of. The officials could still be avoided and the mass of people in Jerusalem, directed to destroy Rome. There was still time to misuse the power of the times in conventional ways: to control.
Power can be a dangerous commodity and Jesus knew that his teaching on this pregnant evening would have its most profound effect. So… filled with the knowledge of the power and glory that were his; aware that he could control and use the anger of the other twelve in that borrowed, upper room; poised with the knowledge that could make him the King of all kings...
...he washed their feet.
That's right; Jesus washed his disciple’s feet! At the moment he might have had supreme pride, he had supreme humility. At the moment he could have used absolute power for absolute gain, he became the absolute servant. The same night in which he was betrayed he cared for the needs of others. Confused? Does it seem like a contradictory action? Are you amazed?
Then you are not unlike the others gathered around the table that night.
The love Jesus expressed is utterly unaccountable - except that he is God and God is love. It has no cause in us. It reacts to, or repays, or rewards nothing in us. It is beyond human measure, beyond human comprehension. It is amazing.
That night, so long ago, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. And they were amazed.
Sometimes we feel that to be a Footwasher is beneath us. The disciples certainly felt that, but not Jesus. Even knowing that he was Lord of all he washed his disciples’ feet. What a lesson for the disciples and for us. It's just not the lesson the disciples were expecting and it's not an easy lesson for us to put to practical use.
You see, it's hard to be a foot washer in this world. It ranks right up there with changing sheets in a nursing home or spending time with aids patients. It is smelly and at times dangerous. It is a job that has low reward, low status, is hard work, and puts you too darn close to the rest of humanity. It is work that no one wants to do because it tends to put people in either a one up or a one down position.
Foot washing is the intentional reaching out to others in service. Not because you want to feel better about yourself, or because you deem yourself to be superior. Not because you have been a victim and don’t know how to change. Foot washing, is only effective when done as modeled by Jesus – when it is done with love that is both intentional and authentic.
More uncomfortable than being a Footwasher, however, is having your feet washed by someone else. Just ask tough ole Simon Peter. He wasn't nicknamed Rock just for the heck of it. Strong, secure in who he was, capable at whatever he set his mind too, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound - you know the type. The Rock was a regular superman. No way was he going to allow Jesus to just wash his feet - that would imply a dependency on someone else; a weakness. He would do more than what was asked which would show his strength.
So, in response to Jesus' saying, "Either this or nothing," Rock had to boast, "Then wash my hands and head too." You see he wasn't going to be outdone; it was like being double-dared. Rock was going to show Jesus just how loyal he was. Rock was going to show Jesus that he regarded him as the Christ and would do anything for the kingdom. Rock was going to show Jesus just how much power Rock possessed.
But Simon Peter was letting his own agenda get in the way. He was letting that old record play over and over. "I need to be the one in control, can't let anyone appear more capable than me." Sound familiar?
Peter just didn't seem to get it. Didn't seem to understand what Jesus was doing. Wouldn't, in fact, understand where the real source of power was until a few days later. Simon Peter, "The Rock," had to experience Jesus washing his feet, had to experience his own denial of Jesus, had to experience the empty tomb, and had to experience the unconditional, accepting love of Jesus the Christ, before he could finally understand true power. Peter was then amazed.
How about you? Are you amazed by the experience of Jesus in your life?
Tonight we re-enact that Foot washing event, as we wash each others hands, and we remember the "Mandatum Novum" or new commandment that Jesus gave to Peter... and us:
"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
I invite each of you to find a relationship of strength and peace with Jesus Christ. I invite you to be amazed.
Holy Thursday
John 13:1-15
We are here to tonight to remember the one who transformed all of creation through a love that was amazing. A love that was amazing, because it so completely disregarded conventional ways of being in relationship.
The amazing love that Jesus lived ignored the hierarchal relationships that nations and businesses so relied on to keep people subjugated… controlled.
The amazing love that Jesus lived overlooked the patriarchal relationships that would treat women and children as chattel to be used or abused at the discretion of the head of the household.
The amazing love that Jesus lived confronted the notion of a ruler who would take unhealthy advantage of leadership and transformed it into the concept of the servant leader.
Jesus completely disregarded the conventional ways of being in relationship that placed power over another as the ultimate goal and offered a relationship of love that gave up any pretext of power. Are you amazed?
Here is how the story goes:
On a Thursday, less than a day before the harsh sound of nails being pounded into a rude cross were heard around the world, Jesus gathered with his closest followers in a large, borrowed, upstairs room, somewhere in the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. The machinery of murder was already moving toward an isolated garden overlooking Jerusalem. Judas had already committed himself to a path different than his fellow sojourners. Common people, sniffing the winds of rumor with animal accuracy, were not ignorant of the hostilities roused by Jesus of Nazareth. The man was a fugitive and those who followed him put themselves at risk.
Yet they still gathered together during the tenuous security that night offered, to break bread together, to worship, and to continue learning amazing things from this fugitive.
Over their roughly three years together, this irregular group of miscreants had indeed been amazed. Wonders beyond imagination had taken place. The religious elite had been exposed for the hypocrites they were; outcasts had been welcomed into a community that really cared; leprous untouchables were touched in ways that made then whole; even the dead had been brought back to life and everyone was amazed.
So what words would Jesus share with them on this holy night? What insights might be gleaned from this rebel, as together they shared in the paschal feast and remembered how God delivered the Jews from bondage, so long ago. Would they too be delivered from the yoke of persecution and was this indeed "The One" - the Messiah? How would they be amazed in that “upper room?”
The Bible suggests that Jesus knew everything rested on the way he might respond to the disciples on that momentous night. The Bible suggests Jesus knew his hour of humiliation was near, and that he knew his hour of glory was near. Awareness like that can be dangerous and cause a person to be filled with pride. It would have been easy for Jesus to turn the revolution in another direction - a direction that even Judas would have approved of. The officials could still be avoided and the mass of people in Jerusalem, directed to destroy Rome. There was still time to misuse the power of the times in conventional ways: to control.
Power can be a dangerous commodity and Jesus knew that his teaching on this pregnant evening would have its most profound effect. So… filled with the knowledge of the power and glory that were his; aware that he could control and use the anger of the other twelve in that borrowed, upper room; poised with the knowledge that could make him the King of all kings...
...he washed their feet.
That's right; Jesus washed his disciple’s feet! At the moment he might have had supreme pride, he had supreme humility. At the moment he could have used absolute power for absolute gain, he became the absolute servant. The same night in which he was betrayed he cared for the needs of others. Confused? Does it seem like a contradictory action? Are you amazed?
Then you are not unlike the others gathered around the table that night.
The love Jesus expressed is utterly unaccountable - except that he is God and God is love. It has no cause in us. It reacts to, or repays, or rewards nothing in us. It is beyond human measure, beyond human comprehension. It is amazing.
That night, so long ago, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. And they were amazed.
Sometimes we feel that to be a Footwasher is beneath us. The disciples certainly felt that, but not Jesus. Even knowing that he was Lord of all he washed his disciples’ feet. What a lesson for the disciples and for us. It's just not the lesson the disciples were expecting and it's not an easy lesson for us to put to practical use.
You see, it's hard to be a foot washer in this world. It ranks right up there with changing sheets in a nursing home or spending time with aids patients. It is smelly and at times dangerous. It is a job that has low reward, low status, is hard work, and puts you too darn close to the rest of humanity. It is work that no one wants to do because it tends to put people in either a one up or a one down position.
Foot washing is the intentional reaching out to others in service. Not because you want to feel better about yourself, or because you deem yourself to be superior. Not because you have been a victim and don’t know how to change. Foot washing, is only effective when done as modeled by Jesus – when it is done with love that is both intentional and authentic.
More uncomfortable than being a Footwasher, however, is having your feet washed by someone else. Just ask tough ole Simon Peter. He wasn't nicknamed Rock just for the heck of it. Strong, secure in who he was, capable at whatever he set his mind too, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound - you know the type. The Rock was a regular superman. No way was he going to allow Jesus to just wash his feet - that would imply a dependency on someone else; a weakness. He would do more than what was asked which would show his strength.
So, in response to Jesus' saying, "Either this or nothing," Rock had to boast, "Then wash my hands and head too." You see he wasn't going to be outdone; it was like being double-dared. Rock was going to show Jesus just how loyal he was. Rock was going to show Jesus that he regarded him as the Christ and would do anything for the kingdom. Rock was going to show Jesus just how much power Rock possessed.
But Simon Peter was letting his own agenda get in the way. He was letting that old record play over and over. "I need to be the one in control, can't let anyone appear more capable than me." Sound familiar?
Peter just didn't seem to get it. Didn't seem to understand what Jesus was doing. Wouldn't, in fact, understand where the real source of power was until a few days later. Simon Peter, "The Rock," had to experience Jesus washing his feet, had to experience his own denial of Jesus, had to experience the empty tomb, and had to experience the unconditional, accepting love of Jesus the Christ, before he could finally understand true power. Peter was then amazed.
How about you? Are you amazed by the experience of Jesus in your life?
Tonight we re-enact that Foot washing event, as we wash each others hands, and we remember the "Mandatum Novum" or new commandment that Jesus gave to Peter... and us:
"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
I invite each of you to find a relationship of strength and peace with Jesus Christ. I invite you to be amazed.
CHEESE FINGERS
Here is a recipe for a quick snack, which is ready in a jiffy when you have unexpected visitors.
Ingredients:
Note: The side of bread with batter should face down first while frying.
This quantity makes 8 pieces.
Ingredients:
Eggs ..... 1
Maida ... 2tbsps.
Cheese.... 2tbsps. (grated)
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp.
Baking soda ..... a pinch
Salt to taste.
Bread slices
Oil for frying
Maida ... 2tbsps.
Cheese.... 2tbsps. (grated)
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp.
Baking soda ..... a pinch
Salt to taste.
Bread slices
Oil for frying
Method:
1. Make a batter of egg, maida, grated cheese, red chilli powder, salt and soda.(no water added)
2. Cut rectangles of bread slices.
3. Spread batter on one side of the bread rectangle and fry it.
Note: The side of bread with batter should face down first while frying.
This quantity makes 8 pieces.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Organic
March 21
“The cheesecake is Argentinean-style, which is like Italian-style.”
“Then why are you calling it Argentinean? Why not just call it Italian?”
“Most people don’t know what Argentinean-style cheesecake is, so I’m just saying it’s like Italian.”
“But what’s Argentinean about it?”
“I’m saying it’s like Italian so people will understand.”
This conversation was going on between my friend Birdman and our waiter at GustOrganics last night. It could have gone on all night, so I thought I’d intervene.
“Is the pastry chef Argentine?” I asked (I prefer “Argentine” to “Argentinean,” for no logical reason).
“The whole restaurant is Argentine.”
Aha!
Birdman, aka David Krauss, is a science professor. He likes to get his facts straight, and he’s a stickler for clarity. He’s also a stickler for proper use of the English language, and woe unto students who can’t use it properly. Indeed, I’m sure they look at their graded tests and say “woah!”
Like pretty much any scientist I’ve ever met, Birdman, who’s a biologist with specialization in paleontology, is easily irritated by the fast-and-loose usage of scientific terms — such as organic.
GustOrganics says it’s the first Certified Organic restaurant in New York City and the first one in the country to use 100 percent USDA Certified Organic ingredients (I’m not saying that it’s not, but I haven’t confirmed it). The owner, Alberto Gonzalez, is from Argentina, and he is apparently so excited about his restaurant being organic that he didn’t bother to mention that it was Argentine, although the press materials do call the food ”Latin-inspired.”
Now, to be Certified Organic, you have to follow all sorts of regulations and jump through a bunch of administrative hoops. To be organic in common parlance you have to be grown or raised without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
But from a scientific perspective, “organic” just means formerly alive. So petroleum, which is former dinosaurs, is organic and therefore so is plastic. Glass, on the other hand, being silicon-based, is not. Neither is table salt (which is sodium based). Bug parts and mammalian excretia: organic. Water: not organic (or more precisely, inorganic).
Speaking of water, a chemical is anything that can be described using a chemical formula, such as dihydrogen oxide (water). It is impossible to grow any plant or raise any animal without chemicals.
Most European languages that I know of use the term “biological” instead of “organic” (biologique in French, for example), which makes no more sense than “organic.”
Perhaps we should just call a spade a small shovel and label some foods as politically correct and others as not.
At the moment, GustOrganics is BYO, so Birdman picked up a bottle of Côtes du Rhône, which we drank from stemless glasses (inorganic) as we ate a spinach salad topped with strawberries and peanuts and a beet salad (made with raw beets), and then beef stew (which tasted like beef stew but was more like braised brisket, really) with a side of grilled vegetables, and vegan risotto with endive.
For dessert we had a “tortita,” which was sort of an Argentine-style strawberry shortcake, and dulce de leche ice cream.
I asked Birdman why we couldn't eat petroleum products but we can consume vegetable oil (for example). He said that the “oils” we eat are actually fatty acids, not true oils, but he couldn’t say whether a teaspoon of motor oil, say, would be harmful in any way, so he didn’t.
“The cheesecake is Argentinean-style, which is like Italian-style.”
“Then why are you calling it Argentinean? Why not just call it Italian?”
“Most people don’t know what Argentinean-style cheesecake is, so I’m just saying it’s like Italian.”
“But what’s Argentinean about it?”
“I’m saying it’s like Italian so people will understand.”
This conversation was going on between my friend Birdman and our waiter at GustOrganics last night. It could have gone on all night, so I thought I’d intervene.
“Is the pastry chef Argentine?” I asked (I prefer “Argentine” to “Argentinean,” for no logical reason).
“The whole restaurant is Argentine.”
Aha!
Birdman, aka David Krauss, is a science professor. He likes to get his facts straight, and he’s a stickler for clarity. He’s also a stickler for proper use of the English language, and woe unto students who can’t use it properly. Indeed, I’m sure they look at their graded tests and say “woah!”
Like pretty much any scientist I’ve ever met, Birdman, who’s a biologist with specialization in paleontology, is easily irritated by the fast-and-loose usage of scientific terms — such as organic.
GustOrganics says it’s the first Certified Organic restaurant in New York City and the first one in the country to use 100 percent USDA Certified Organic ingredients (I’m not saying that it’s not, but I haven’t confirmed it). The owner, Alberto Gonzalez, is from Argentina, and he is apparently so excited about his restaurant being organic that he didn’t bother to mention that it was Argentine, although the press materials do call the food ”Latin-inspired.”
Now, to be Certified Organic, you have to follow all sorts of regulations and jump through a bunch of administrative hoops. To be organic in common parlance you have to be grown or raised without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
But from a scientific perspective, “organic” just means formerly alive. So petroleum, which is former dinosaurs, is organic and therefore so is plastic. Glass, on the other hand, being silicon-based, is not. Neither is table salt (which is sodium based). Bug parts and mammalian excretia: organic. Water: not organic (or more precisely, inorganic).
Speaking of water, a chemical is anything that can be described using a chemical formula, such as dihydrogen oxide (water). It is impossible to grow any plant or raise any animal without chemicals.
Most European languages that I know of use the term “biological” instead of “organic” (biologique in French, for example), which makes no more sense than “organic.”
Perhaps we should just call a spade a small shovel and label some foods as politically correct and others as not.
At the moment, GustOrganics is BYO, so Birdman picked up a bottle of Côtes du Rhône, which we drank from stemless glasses (inorganic) as we ate a spinach salad topped with strawberries and peanuts and a beet salad (made with raw beets), and then beef stew (which tasted like beef stew but was more like braised brisket, really) with a side of grilled vegetables, and vegan risotto with endive.
For dessert we had a “tortita,” which was sort of an Argentine-style strawberry shortcake, and dulce de leche ice cream.
I asked Birdman why we couldn't eat petroleum products but we can consume vegetable oil (for example). He said that the “oils” we eat are actually fatty acids, not true oils, but he couldn’t say whether a teaspoon of motor oil, say, would be harmful in any way, so he didn’t.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Clam Linguine & Grilled Gindara with Marjoram
The recipes that landed in Yummy magazine's Weekend Cooking. Allow me to share all of you how simple and easy to prepare these dishes are. To break your usual pasta and fish preparation, try my Clam Linguine and Grilled Fish and surely the results will be very surprising.For the Clam Linguine:
Boil the pasta linguine until al dente then drain and set aside. Next, boil the clams with water and salt then allow all the shells to open then set aside. Separate the broth with the shells. Heat pan with olive oil then add minced garlic and onions. Saute for a few minutes then add the fresh cube tomatoes. Then add the clam shells and the broth. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then add the right amount of chardonnay. Simmer it again for few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and some chili flakes if you want it a little spicy. Allow it to simmer for another 5 minutes so that the spices will infuse its flavors. Lastly add the fresh basil. Simmer for about a minute then it's done. Pour it on top of the linguine pasta.
Boil the pasta linguine until al dente then drain and set aside. Next, boil the clams with water and salt then allow all the shells to open then set aside. Separate the broth with the shells. Heat pan with olive oil then add minced garlic and onions. Saute for a few minutes then add the fresh cube tomatoes. Then add the clam shells and the broth. Let it simmer for 5 minutes then add the right amount of chardonnay. Simmer it again for few minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste and some chili flakes if you want it a little spicy. Allow it to simmer for another 5 minutes so that the spices will infuse its flavors. Lastly add the fresh basil. Simmer for about a minute then it's done. Pour it on top of the linguine pasta.
For the Grilled Gindara with Marjoram
Buy imported gindara at any local supermarket or japanese grocery. The fish can be substituted with salmon or tanigue. Rub salt, pepper, and paprika to the fish. Squeeze some lemon and add marjoram. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Heat a grilling pan then grill it for a few minutes then it's done. Serve hot along with the Clam Linguine pasta.
I hope these dishes will soon land on your dining table!
Buy imported gindara at any local supermarket or japanese grocery. The fish can be substituted with salmon or tanigue. Rub salt, pepper, and paprika to the fish. Squeeze some lemon and add marjoram. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Heat a grilling pan then grill it for a few minutes then it's done. Serve hot along with the Clam Linguine pasta.
I hope these dishes will soon land on your dining table!
cocktails and vegetarian food
March 20
Rarely have two parties held so closely together had such a similar crowd as the ones held at Tailor on Tuesday and The Bikini Bar on Wednesday. One was promoting a wine-based apéritif, the other promoting tiki rum cocktails. Jim Meehan was making cocktails at both of them. At Tailor Toby Cecchini of Passerby, Brian Miller of Death & Co. and host Eben Freeman were making drinks, too.
I started with Brian Miller’s drink.
“What are you shaking?” I asked him.
“I’m stirring a Fat Like Buddha,” he said, which had said apéritif, rum, benedictine, orange liqueur and an orange twist.
I do respect a mixologist who takes himself seriously.
Beverage, wine and food writer Jack Robertiello and I continued our ongoing discussion of which types of writers are the most insufferable. He has had horrible experiences with food writers, whom he has seen engaging in high-school like acts of cliqueyness and one-upsmanship (or one-upspersonship as most food writers are women). I contend that wine writers, as a general rule of course, are trapped farther up their own personal orifices than food writers, whom I find generally act in just the friendly, contented way that well-fed people with slight wine buzzes should behave.
But I still think travel writers are the worst.
We continue to agree that virtually everyone involved in the hard-liquor world is gracious and fun to spend time with.
I caught up with Darrell Hartman, which didn’t take long as I’ve seen him in the past couple of weeks, but I think I spent most of my time with James Oliver Cury and Jay Cheshes, who both exemplify how nice food writers are.
Come to think of it, I didn’t see James at the party the following night — although I definitely saw Jack, and I’m pretty sure I saw Jay — but I wasn’t there for very long. Bikini Bar is in Tribeca, and I took the E train to Chambers Street, a huge subway stop with many exits, and I selected the one farthest away from Bikini Bar. I still managed to get there just 15 minutes after the party had started, but that still just gave me 15 minutes before I had to trek to the opening party at Broadway East.
Still, that gave me enough time to sample a rum I hadn't tried before, drink Jim Meehan’s cocktail and chat with a couple representatives from a major Puerto Rico-based rum company (can you guess which one?).
I talked with them about rum and its potential for growth in the American market. Rum as we drink it here is generally light and sweet, and people think of it as festive. The proliferation of infused rums further brings it into competition with the United States' favorite spirit, vodka.
The guys seemed eager to point out the distinctions between rum and vodka, which I found interesting since if I were trying to sell alcohol in the United States, I’d try to underscore its similarities to vodka because, despite all the efforts of the country’s “mixologists” and “cocktailians” to promote gin, brown spirits and, well, anything but vodka, vodka remains king.
I wasn’t at the party long, but I’m afraid I did manage to hurt the feelings of a representative from the Distilled Spirits Council, which was throwing the party. He suggested we write a story about all the different safe-drinking programs the various liquor companies had (which of course they do), and even though I’d had only one drink, I told him that was a boring story, which was mean of me (but true).
So I felt bad about that as I left that party, passing Bon Appétit restaurant editor Andrew Knowlton on my way out, sorry we didn’t have a chance to catch up, as I hardly ever see him anymore and I enjoy his company.
So I had two things to regret as I walked to Broadway East, the new mostly vegetarian restaurant, where I was meeting my vegetarian friend Kenyon, for whom it is worth leaving a party.
Kenyon is not only a vegetarian but a straight-edge one, and yet I still enjoy his company. I think that’s quite a tribute to him (or maybe the fact that I think so means that I’m a narrow-minded schnook).
It was a star-studded party. Not only were Kenyon and I there, but so, I was told, was Tatum O’Neal, although I didn't see her. She’s supposedly dating the owner or something.
I did see Kristen Johnston, from Third Rock from the Sun. She definitely looks vegetarian.
So I drank Pinot Noir and ate tempura vegetables and tandoori tofu and non-meat sliders and whatnot, and Kenyon ate the same stuff (but not the mackerel) and introduced himself to the random beautiful women who walked by and introduced themselves to him first.
I asked if people frequently introduced themselves to him because he was hot (I get mistaken for Jason Alexander — especially in profile — he gets mistaken for Jared Leto).
“Is that why?” he asked and shrugged.
Kenyon’s best friend and ex-girlfriend was performing that night at a place on Avenue B that used to be called Club Midway but that now apparently is Rehab.
I bought a Guinness and then who did we see but a girl named Michael, whom you might recall from a couple of weeks ago.
We were early, so we hung out with the band and I felt very hip and insidery.
The bands, Saints & Lovers, Neimo, and The Go Station, were all a lot of fun — Saints & Lovers mostly for the bassist/lead singer’s great voice, Neimo for the lead singer’s stage presence, and The Go Station for the overall music and the lead singer’s doleful facial expressions.
Kenyon, in fact, left before The Go Station came on stage, but I figured I’d stick around, although I switched from Guinness to Bass.
Rarely have two parties held so closely together had such a similar crowd as the ones held at Tailor on Tuesday and The Bikini Bar on Wednesday. One was promoting a wine-based apéritif, the other promoting tiki rum cocktails. Jim Meehan was making cocktails at both of them. At Tailor Toby Cecchini of Passerby, Brian Miller of Death & Co. and host Eben Freeman were making drinks, too.
I started with Brian Miller’s drink.
“What are you shaking?” I asked him.
“I’m stirring a Fat Like Buddha,” he said, which had said apéritif, rum, benedictine, orange liqueur and an orange twist.
I do respect a mixologist who takes himself seriously.
Beverage, wine and food writer Jack Robertiello and I continued our ongoing discussion of which types of writers are the most insufferable. He has had horrible experiences with food writers, whom he has seen engaging in high-school like acts of cliqueyness and one-upsmanship (or one-upspersonship as most food writers are women). I contend that wine writers, as a general rule of course, are trapped farther up their own personal orifices than food writers, whom I find generally act in just the friendly, contented way that well-fed people with slight wine buzzes should behave.
But I still think travel writers are the worst.
We continue to agree that virtually everyone involved in the hard-liquor world is gracious and fun to spend time with.
I caught up with Darrell Hartman, which didn’t take long as I’ve seen him in the past couple of weeks, but I think I spent most of my time with James Oliver Cury and Jay Cheshes, who both exemplify how nice food writers are.
Come to think of it, I didn’t see James at the party the following night — although I definitely saw Jack, and I’m pretty sure I saw Jay — but I wasn’t there for very long. Bikini Bar is in Tribeca, and I took the E train to Chambers Street, a huge subway stop with many exits, and I selected the one farthest away from Bikini Bar. I still managed to get there just 15 minutes after the party had started, but that still just gave me 15 minutes before I had to trek to the opening party at Broadway East.
Still, that gave me enough time to sample a rum I hadn't tried before, drink Jim Meehan’s cocktail and chat with a couple representatives from a major Puerto Rico-based rum company (can you guess which one?).
I talked with them about rum and its potential for growth in the American market. Rum as we drink it here is generally light and sweet, and people think of it as festive. The proliferation of infused rums further brings it into competition with the United States' favorite spirit, vodka.
The guys seemed eager to point out the distinctions between rum and vodka, which I found interesting since if I were trying to sell alcohol in the United States, I’d try to underscore its similarities to vodka because, despite all the efforts of the country’s “mixologists” and “cocktailians” to promote gin, brown spirits and, well, anything but vodka, vodka remains king.
I wasn’t at the party long, but I’m afraid I did manage to hurt the feelings of a representative from the Distilled Spirits Council, which was throwing the party. He suggested we write a story about all the different safe-drinking programs the various liquor companies had (which of course they do), and even though I’d had only one drink, I told him that was a boring story, which was mean of me (but true).
So I felt bad about that as I left that party, passing Bon Appétit restaurant editor Andrew Knowlton on my way out, sorry we didn’t have a chance to catch up, as I hardly ever see him anymore and I enjoy his company.
So I had two things to regret as I walked to Broadway East, the new mostly vegetarian restaurant, where I was meeting my vegetarian friend Kenyon, for whom it is worth leaving a party.
Kenyon is not only a vegetarian but a straight-edge one, and yet I still enjoy his company. I think that’s quite a tribute to him (or maybe the fact that I think so means that I’m a narrow-minded schnook).
It was a star-studded party. Not only were Kenyon and I there, but so, I was told, was Tatum O’Neal, although I didn't see her. She’s supposedly dating the owner or something.
I did see Kristen Johnston, from Third Rock from the Sun. She definitely looks vegetarian.
So I drank Pinot Noir and ate tempura vegetables and tandoori tofu and non-meat sliders and whatnot, and Kenyon ate the same stuff (but not the mackerel) and introduced himself to the random beautiful women who walked by and introduced themselves to him first.
I asked if people frequently introduced themselves to him because he was hot (I get mistaken for Jason Alexander — especially in profile — he gets mistaken for Jared Leto).
“Is that why?” he asked and shrugged.
Kenyon’s best friend and ex-girlfriend was performing that night at a place on Avenue B that used to be called Club Midway but that now apparently is Rehab.
I bought a Guinness and then who did we see but a girl named Michael, whom you might recall from a couple of weeks ago.
We were early, so we hung out with the band and I felt very hip and insidery.
The bands, Saints & Lovers, Neimo, and The Go Station, were all a lot of fun — Saints & Lovers mostly for the bassist/lead singer’s great voice, Neimo for the lead singer’s stage presence, and The Go Station for the overall music and the lead singer’s doleful facial expressions.
Kenyon, in fact, left before The Go Station came on stage, but I figured I’d stick around, although I switched from Guinness to Bass.
Bouley
March 20
I got an invitation yesterday afternoon for an event this morning. It was to visit David Bouley’s test kitchen and then get a preview of his new restaurant, Bouley, which will open in the building he bought after closing his original Bouley in 1996, sold after September 11, 2001, and then bought again recently (161 Duane St.).
I met David Bouley back in 1996, just as he was getting ready to close his restaurant, in part to travel the world in search of new flavors. I lived in Bangkok at the time, and Bouley was doing a brief guest-chef stint at The Regent hotel there (which is now a Four Seasons). His food was so good it made me want to giggle, and I have been paying attention to him ever since.
The chef was very chipper today, wearing pin-stripe trousers and an elegant sport coat over an open collared, French-cuffed light blue shirt (or possibly violet, but I think light blue). He chatted about the ripening apples that gave the original Bouley its distinctive smell and that will also be placed in the new restaurant’s foyer.
On the floor of the lounge at the moment are beams that were installed in a French château in 1751. They will adorn the lounge’s ceiling once the restaurant opens. The dining room is on the other side of doors from the 1760s. The floor — the parts that aren’t walnut and oak parkade made by craftsmen in Brooklyn, is 18th century Burgundian stone.
(stone, of course, is millions of years old, but I imagine it was hewn in the 18th century).
David Bouley said he would be back in the kitchen for this restaurant, cooking every day, looking at every plate, “like I was in ’96,” he said.
The new restaurant will have about 30 seats fewer than the original, so, somewhere in the 70-80 seat range.
Then Bouley waxed poetic about a wide range of topics, mostly the joy of really excellent ingredients, and how visits to Japan over the past decade have taught him how American restaurants’ own movement toward connection to farms is still very much in its infancy, even though when the first Bouley closed he was working with 2,000 farmers, some of whom could only supply him for about three weeks, when, for example, their peaches were at their best.
Then Bouley changed into his chef jacket and we headed into his test kitchen to snack on things like silken tofu with mushrooms and black truffle (soy bean, mushroom and truffle all taste of the earth, and so go together very well, he said), while he reflected on food in the way that geniuses reflect on things.
The session ended on time — five minutes early, even — which is extraordinary considering how famously uninterested in timing the chef is. His handlers were very interested in timing, however, with one agitated young man muttering in Bouley’s ear about the absolute urgency with which he needed to wrap things up. The chef listened politely and kept talking, but we were eventually politely shooed out anyway.
Bouley’s publicists said the restaurant would open in six to eight weeks. I would suspect it won’t be ready until mid-summer, and who open’s a restaurant in New York in the middle of summer?
So expect a fall opening.
I got an invitation yesterday afternoon for an event this morning. It was to visit David Bouley’s test kitchen and then get a preview of his new restaurant, Bouley, which will open in the building he bought after closing his original Bouley in 1996, sold after September 11, 2001, and then bought again recently (161 Duane St.).
I met David Bouley back in 1996, just as he was getting ready to close his restaurant, in part to travel the world in search of new flavors. I lived in Bangkok at the time, and Bouley was doing a brief guest-chef stint at The Regent hotel there (which is now a Four Seasons). His food was so good it made me want to giggle, and I have been paying attention to him ever since.
The chef was very chipper today, wearing pin-stripe trousers and an elegant sport coat over an open collared, French-cuffed light blue shirt (or possibly violet, but I think light blue). He chatted about the ripening apples that gave the original Bouley its distinctive smell and that will also be placed in the new restaurant’s foyer.
On the floor of the lounge at the moment are beams that were installed in a French château in 1751. They will adorn the lounge’s ceiling once the restaurant opens. The dining room is on the other side of doors from the 1760s. The floor — the parts that aren’t walnut and oak parkade made by craftsmen in Brooklyn, is 18th century Burgundian stone.
(stone, of course, is millions of years old, but I imagine it was hewn in the 18th century).
David Bouley said he would be back in the kitchen for this restaurant, cooking every day, looking at every plate, “like I was in ’96,” he said.
The new restaurant will have about 30 seats fewer than the original, so, somewhere in the 70-80 seat range.
Then Bouley waxed poetic about a wide range of topics, mostly the joy of really excellent ingredients, and how visits to Japan over the past decade have taught him how American restaurants’ own movement toward connection to farms is still very much in its infancy, even though when the first Bouley closed he was working with 2,000 farmers, some of whom could only supply him for about three weeks, when, for example, their peaches were at their best.
Then Bouley changed into his chef jacket and we headed into his test kitchen to snack on things like silken tofu with mushrooms and black truffle (soy bean, mushroom and truffle all taste of the earth, and so go together very well, he said), while he reflected on food in the way that geniuses reflect on things.
The session ended on time — five minutes early, even — which is extraordinary considering how famously uninterested in timing the chef is. His handlers were very interested in timing, however, with one agitated young man muttering in Bouley’s ear about the absolute urgency with which he needed to wrap things up. The chef listened politely and kept talking, but we were eventually politely shooed out anyway.
Bouley’s publicists said the restaurant would open in six to eight weeks. I would suspect it won’t be ready until mid-summer, and who open’s a restaurant in New York in the middle of summer?
So expect a fall opening.
VANGI BHATH
Ingredients:
Rice - 2 cups
Rice - 2 cups
Brinjal - 2 chopped
Cumin Seeds - 3/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Tamarind Juice - 2 tsps
Jaggery – small piece
Groundnuts - 3 to 4 sps
Salt to taste
Coriander Leaves - for garnishing
Cumin Seeds - 3/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Tamarind Juice - 2 tsps
Jaggery – small piece
Groundnuts - 3 to 4 sps
Salt to taste
Coriander Leaves - for garnishing
Roast (in little oil) & Dry Grind:
Urad Dal - 2 tbsp
Chana Dal - 2 tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 5 to 6
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Dry Coconut - 100 gms
Urad Dal - 2 tbsp
Chana Dal - 2 tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 2 tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 5 to 6
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Dry Coconut - 100 gms
Method:
1.Wash and cook rice.
2.Roast urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, dry coconut in little oil and dry grind along with tamarind juice and jaggery.
3.Fry the brinjals.
4.Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, some curry leaves, groundnuts, chana dal ½ sp, urad dal ½ sp and let them crackle.
5.Now add the ground paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.
6.Add the brinjals and the cooked rice and mix well till evenly coated.
7.Garnish with coriander leaves.
1.Wash and cook rice.
2.Roast urad dal, chana dal, coriander seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, dry coconut in little oil and dry grind along with tamarind juice and jaggery.
3.Fry the brinjals.
4.Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, some curry leaves, groundnuts, chana dal ½ sp, urad dal ½ sp and let them crackle.
5.Now add the ground paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and mix well.
6.Add the brinjals and the cooked rice and mix well till evenly coated.
7.Garnish with coriander leaves.
Same recipe can be followed to make Aloo Bhath.
CHICKEN GOLD COINS
Ingredients:
Chicken mince --- 250 gms
Onions ----------- 1 small, very finely chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
Soya Sauce ---------- 1 tbsp
Green Chillies ------- 3-4 finely chopped
Eggs ---------------- 2
Cornflour slurry ----------- 2 tbsp
White pepper powder------ 1 tsp
Ajinomoto ----------------- 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
White sesame seeds ------- about 3 tbsp in a flat bowl
Bread slices without edges --------------- 8-10
Oil for frying
Method:
1. Mince chicken well again to get a fine texture.
2. Add to the mince, the chopped onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, corn flour paste, white pepper powder, ajinomoto, salt, soya sauce and 1 egg. Mix well. Keep aside
3. Break the 2nd egg in a bowl, whisk and keep aside.
4. Cut 1 and 1/2 inch diameter discs from the bread slices.
5. Brush the bread discs with a little egg, apply a thick layer of the chicken mince mixture, taking care to cover the edge of bread well. Sprinkle sesame seeds over it and press lightly. (Alternately, to get a thick layer of sesame seeds, place the coin mince-side first over the sesame-filled bowl.) Shake off excess seeds.
Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Heat oil in a shallow pan, place the coins mince-side first and fry at low flame for about 3-4 minutes. Then turn and fry the bread side until golden brown.
Serve hot with red chilli sauce or tomato sauce.
DRUMS OF HEAVEN (chicken lollipops)
Ingredients:
Chicken wings ....... 1/2 Kg.
Ginger-garlic paste... 1tbsp.
Ajinomoto ............. a pinch
Vinegar ................. 1tbsp.
Soya sauce ........... 1tbsp.
Red chilli powder...1/2 tsp.
Brandy ................... 1tbsp.
Salt to taste
Marinate the chicken wings in this mixture for few hours.
For the batter:
White flour ............ 3-4 tbsps.
Cornflour .............. 2 tbsps.
Eggs ....................... 2
Red chilli powder ....1/4 tsp.
Red colour .............. a pinch
Ajinomoto ............... a pinch
Salt to taste
Mix the above ingredients adding a little water.
Dip the wings in this batter and deep fry.
Back To School
It has been a long break of nearly eight years, but Sunnybrae Cooking School is back. I was going to call it Sunnybrae Food Studio but then Diane was quick to point out that I may have been having a bit of a lend of myself, so Cooking School it is.
We are currently planning the next program and invite suggestions for specific topics and also guest presenters. For those of you new to Sunnybrae we have a well equipped spacious teaching kitchen that is full of natural light suitable for 12 participants. Not much has changed in the set-up with good views to the garden but now the courtyard has been shaded and a new wood fired oven has been installed with a table that comfortably seats 16.The classes begin at 9.30 for 10am with coffee and quick introductions arround a shared table discussing the program of the day.Enthusiasm, a love of cooking and dining are the only pre-requisites. Bring a sharp knife, sensible shoes and an apron, or purchase a Sunnybrae apron designed by Diane.
The classes are all hands-on and you can opt to do as much as you feel you would like to do.
There may be specific techniques that interest you, so we do our best to allocate tasks as requested.
The day continues in the kitchen with side trips to the garden to gather whatever is available on the day. Bread is usually a part of every class but we also have specialist Bread Making Classes.
We break for lunch around 1.30 pm feasting on our own work. After a wander in the garden we return to the kitchen to put finishing touches to our dessert or any other unfinished business.
There may be a cake or some loaves in the oven? an ice-cream or two setting?
Needless to say wines, coffee and other appropriate drinks are served throughout the day.
It is not done with mirrors. The shared table at lunch provides further opportunities to discuss food, wine, life and the whole catastrophe.
Classes in the coming program will be in the first instance on Saturdays and Mondays giving you the opportunity to make up a short break with a class or two combined with a visit to the restaurant on Sunday. Partners and mates are able to come to lunch during classes after 1.30 pm. Cost for Lunch Only is $55.00. There are many fine accommodation houses in the district from stylish self-contained cottages to Heritage Bed and Breakfasts with many other options as well. The Great Ocean Walk is one of the best new attractions in the district. Walk up an appetite or walk off the guilt? not that you would have any.The train service is also quite handy with 3 trains on most days to and from Birregurra. A program can be built around this great service for those that do not wish to drive. Private classes for schools, industry and other specialist groups can be arranged. Send us en email to gbiron@bigpond.net.au to register for any news.
F A Q's
There is a detailed index at the top right of this page.
The program begins on May 10 at the bottom of this page and works its way up to the top for the last class in this series on August 25.
Mailing address for payments is is Sunnybrae PO Box 23 Birregurra Victoria 3242
Google Calendar at the top Right on this page can be saved.
All comments to this page except spam published and answered if appropriate.
Special Standby Deals- If on the spur of the moment you wish to come to a class and there is room you can book ONE day in advance and there is a $10 discount.
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