Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Ministry of Food


Howdy to all the bouncing beefs and dancing muffins!!!

I just contacted today the person who will print my business card. She was asking me what is The Artist Chef all about? It's so hard to explain to a local Vietnamese about this concept of mine. I actually pause for a while and ask the same question to myself. Aside from serving intimate dinner for couples and selling food, the quick association I have in mind when I asked that question to myself was--Jamie's Ministry of Food. I have the same vision and goals for The Artist Chef. Maybe slightly different because I do believe that I cannot beat what Jamie has done for his countrymen.

Ministry of Food is all about getting people to cook again. Jamie wants to show us that anyone can learn to cook – and that it's fun, cool, can save you money and help you, your family and friends to live a healthier life. The idea behind Pass It On is to inspire people who have never cooked to give it a try and then, once they've learned a recipe, to teach two other people how to make it too. He also wants to mobilise anyone who can cook to pass on their skills by teaching their friends, family or workmates how to cook good, honest, affordable food.

This started at Rotherham because Jamie was inspired to start the movement in the South Yorkshire town of Rotherham so he could meet some of the Rawmarsh Community School women. These women brought the fame around the world for allegedly passing chips and burgers through the school railings during his campaign to change school dinners.

Danny Mc Cubbin (Jamie Oliver's Editor)

It's also nice to see Danny chronicles his cooking through his blog at Jamie's website. How he grow different herbs, cook something special on weekends and a lot more. Makes everything that surrounds Jamie got inspired to cook. Danny is doing a good job in doing all the online stuff for Jamie. The website is beefed with overwhelming info that everyone can at least learn one recipe. And despite that He was able to send me my request regarding my London trip next year. I am happy they did well during the New York Marathon. I just look forward the day I meet this person and probably exchange a lot of stories and recipes. This is also my chance to Thank Fifteen Cornwall for inviting me to be their friends in youtube.

A hearty & happy day to yah mates!!!

hugs,
joanie xxx

Move up or drop down.


interesting speech of Al Pacino, a video that ask very interesting questions.

are you a sheep that just follows into the slaughter house?
are you moving up or falling down?
are you winning or are you losing?

I want to move up, I want to win and I know you are like me.

 this city,
 your city
   our city
make it the palace its meant to be.


Parmesan Crackers


Oh, the pressure of maintaining a blog.  At the end of the day you drag yourself home, dog-tired, and somehow manage to scrape dinner together for those who care about that sort of thing.  That would be Henry, the old, bald-headed man.  Me? Not so much on most nights. (I'm still on this diet, yes?)

And then you remember that you need to post something.  Because, if you don't, your 2 or 3 loyal bleaders will hate you.  They might even stop checking your site.  God forbid!

So I got all prepared a few nights ago to post something as I was baking (and yes, I actually remembered to take pictures for a change).  It was a good recipe, too - Parmesan Crackers.  I was making them to take as a hostess gift to a party we were attending the next day.

You will recall that I promised to share the good, the bad and the ugly here (let's not forget the fruit flies).  So I made the recipe, took photos on my iPhone and then ... burned the entire batch of them.  Like really, really burned and inedible.  I didn't take them to the party the next day.  Oh no.  I threw them out.  Ended up taking a bottle of wine instead.  How ordinary, Liz. 

But here's the recipe.  It's so simple and so good.  I am making them tomorrow for a dinner party we are throwing on Saturday.  Here's hoping I won't burn them again!


PARMESAN CRACKERS (adapted from a recipe I got a million years ago from the New York Times)

1/2 cu unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour ( I use unbleached)
1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (don't skimp on this and use crappy parmesan - use the real thing)
1/2 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. minced, chopped fresh herbs of choice ( I used thyme and rosemary)

In a food processor, combine ingredients and pulse until dough comes together.  Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and pat into a round.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick square.  Use a cookie cutter of choice to cut into desired shapes.  Re-roll dough as needed to cut again.

Preheat oven to 325-degrees.  Place crackers on a cookie sheet lined with parchment and bake until firm, about 12-13 minutes.  Remove baking sheet from oven and increase oven temperature to 500-degrees.  When temperature comes up to correct heat, return sheet to oven and bake for 2 - 3 minutes more or until crackers are deeply golden and browned.  Cool on a wire rack.

Yield:  40 crackers

My mistake was forgetting to watch them when I put them into a 500-degree oven.  I think I was on the phone with my mom at the time.  Oh good, that means I can blame her!

The DL on Boot Camp


So, boot camp. You guys want to know more, huh? : )


Day 1: Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.
If the workout had a "theme" it would've been shoulders and buttocks. We used hand weights (I brought 8lb-ers and 5lb-ers. Let's just say the 8's stayed at home today...) and did LOADS of over-head presses. We did tricep curls, lunges, and squats. I gotta say, I love squats...and talk about a mega calorie burner! 


The class is run as a circuit and our routine last night was repeated 3x with running in between sets.


Day 2: The (BLASTED) Plank.
I. Hate. Planks. I. Hate. Planks. I. Hate. Planks.

I am decently strong and planks get me EVERY time. Holding a forward or side plank for 60 seconds BLOWS. Not only the strength portion of the exercise, but also the balance. I have nothing positive to say in regard to those boogers. 

Tonight we also did biceps and abs. Lots. If you're familiar with pilates and "V" sit-ups, you're familiar with killer ab workouts. We did those. Lots of those. 

We worked the biceps with the handled elastic bands and did high reps of bicep curls, holding the band beneath our feet in a standing position.

The bosu ball also made an appearance tonight. However, for once, I owned the bosu ball...it did NOT own me. Squats on bosu...handled.

Now would be a good time to let you all know that I've entered into a race this weekend. And in true Tulsa fashion, it involves beer. The "Guinness Challenge" is a 4-mile run and challengers must finish a Guinness at the 1.5-mile marker, 3-mile marker, and finish line (prior to crossing). While I love Guinness, I do feel this running + drinking WILL present as a challenge. 
We shall see...stay tuned. Pictures necessary, I know.

CHEESE Giveaway announcement! Go here! What a neat giveaway!!



My puppy has a cold and feels deprived...gotta go! 
Anyone else off for Veteran's Day tomorrow? THIS makes me a VERY happy girl!

Maialino opens tomorrow

November 10

Danny Meyer's much-anticipated Roman trattoria at Ian Schrager's Gramercy Park Hotel opens tomorrow, according to a press release that landed in my e-mail box at 2:40 p.m. Reservations (212-777-2410) will be limited, initially, though walk-ins are welcome. The restaurant will only be serving dinner for the next couple of weeks, but management plans to start serving breakfast in December, and lunch in January.

But of course it all depends. Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group is perhaps the most respected restaurant company in New York — possibly even in the country — but I don't know of any opening it's had without a glitch or two. The genius of the company is that it sees the hiccups and fixes them in short order.

The chef is Nick Anderer, a veteran of Danny Meyer's organization, having most recently cooked at Gramercy Tavern (for the past six years). Before that he worked in Milan at San Giorgio et il Drago, and before that he was at Mario Batali's flagship, Babbo (and made it into Heat, Bill Buford’s book about cooking there). He also worked under local-seasonal pioneer Larry Forgione.

General manager Terry Coughlin most recently was GM at another Danny Meyer place, Tabla.

I bet there will be much talk of the restaurant tomorrow night at 11 Madison Park, Meyer's four-star restaurant, which is celebrating its 11th anniversary with what I assume will be a blow-out party. I know I’m looking forward to it.

Veal Farfalle

      

   
One of my favorite stores is Williams-Sonoma.  I love to go in there and pine over their All-Clad stainless steel cookware.  I know, it's not normal, but they're so shiny!  I could spend hours playing with all of the kitchen gadgets, milling through their spice and sauce section, and seeing what new seasonal items are on display.  Occasionally, I flip through their cookbook collection.  They carry the standard celebrity chef selection, many of which I already own, as well as their own collection of cookbooks.  The recipe below is inspired from a recipe I saw in one of their books, and is quick, easy, and very tastey.  The veal I used was from the veal scallopini cutlets I did not use in a previous Veal Saltimbocca recipe.  Many times, when you buy a packet of veal, you will get full-sized pieces suitable for main dishes, but also smaller pieces you may not want to use for Saltimbocca, Marsala or other scallopini dishes.  Save them for this recipe for a fast mid-week meal.  Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 handfuls farfalle bow-tie shaped pasta
3 tbsp oil
4 small or 2 large thin veal cutlets, diced into 1/2 inch squares
salt/pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 shallot, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring water to boil in a medium-sized pot, salt the water and cook pasta for 12 minutes or until cooked but still firm.  Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Season the veal with salt and pepper, and place in a large ziploc bag with the flour.  Shake or tumble the veal to coat.  Remove the veal pieces, shaking off excess flour, and sautee in pan.  Allow veal to brown on one side for a few minutes, then shake pan or flip with tongs to cook the other side a couple minutes more.  When veal is browned all over, remove to a plate.  Add another tbsp of oil if necessary and add shallots.  Cook shallots a few minutes to soften, taking care not to let them burn.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add the wine and deglaze by scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  Let the wine simmer down to a tbsp and add the stock and stir.  Simmer the stock down to a cup.  The flour in the pan will help the stock thicken.  Return the veal to the pan to reheat, and fold in the cooked pasta, coating the farfalle in the sauce.  Serve in pasta bowls, finishing with grated Parmesan on the top of each.


Today I'm inspired by...


Joe Strummer

Katiuskas

(500) Days of Summer (and Zooey, of course)

Sex Pistols (as always)

Disneyland (after Dark)

Union Jack (and Josh Beech, great combo)

Feathers

Click click

Being free...

What inspires you today?