Monica’s Juicy Blog

 In honor of March being National Peanut Month why not visit “The World’s First PB&J Art Exhibit” at the Nutropolitan Museum of Art. For 3 days you can view the PB&J gallery, meet a peanut farmer, make your own PB&J art and get the skinny on nuts. The exhibit is FREE and each family will receive a FREE jar of Peanut Butter & Company peanut butter. Another jar will be donated to the Food Bank of New York in your name just for making a donation.

Lee Zalban, owner of Peanut Butter & Company, conceived the idea to spread the word on the benefits of peanuts. Lee photographed 365 different peanut butter sandwiches for the event. My personal favorite was “All Hail The King”, a peanut butter sandwich with bacon, bananas and honey.The event is being held at Openhouse Gallery at 201 Mulberry Street in New York City Friday 3/4 (10-6), Saturday 3/5 (10-6) and Sunday 3/6 (10-4). For more information go to http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/nutropolitan

 

If you need some unique and delicious recipes for the Holidays, check out all the recipes from iFood.tv’s Christmas cookbook. My favorite is on Page 15, Cranberry Apple Sauce Bowls…because it’s mine! I make it several times at this time of the year for myself and to bring to Holiday dinners. Everyone loves homemade cranberry sauce. All the iFood.tv recipes come from food lovers like me which makes it special. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

http://issuu.com/ifoodtv/docs/christmas_cookbook_draft_2/share/1

http://www.ifood.tv/ifoodtv-christmas-cookbooks-christmas-ecookbook-by-expert-chefs

  Just the name “Cocktail Collective” peaked my interest but I could not have imagined how unique the cocktails were. Forty Four at the Royalton Hotel is above and beyond the scope of your average hotel bar. First, the cocktails. The “Cocktail Collective” is a group of the best bartenders in the country each suggesting their favorite cocktail for The Royalton. The drinks are a throwback to a time when drinking a cocktail was an experience. Think Mad Men meets NYC midtown. Willy Shine of Contemporary Cocktails mixes drinks like a scientist complete with house made grenadine and simple sugar syrups. Even the ice and glasses are customized to the beverage! My favorite was the Stone Place; aged Jamaican rum, fresh squeezed organic lemon and orange juice, house made grenadine, shaken and served up with a dusting of nutmeg. You’ll also find standards like The Singapore Sling from The Raffles Hotel and a Champagne Cobbler. Chef Scott Ekstrom, formerly of Daniel and Oceana, has created a tapas style menu with equal intensity. Meant to be shared, each dish has layers of flavors that continue to explode in your mouth with each bite. I can tell you to place 2 orders of the Pork Belly Tacos with pickled garlic and fresh lime because 1 just isn’t enough! If you are a seafood fan, the Warm Shrimp Cocktail with blood orange curry and black lime is also a winner. While the menu boasts New York prices (Items start at $15), I can tell you that it is worth the splurge! It’s midtown location make it perfect for locals and impressive for visitors. My advice, put the Blackberry away, sip a cocktail and enjoy the moment…Chef Ekstrom shared his recipe for Warm Shrimp Cocktail with my readers. warm_shrimp_cocktail.doc Enjoy! For more information go to www.RoyaltonHotel.com 

Mel’s Burger Bar at 110th and Broadway in New York City is no ordinary burger joint. With the fun combinations of Sandwich and Burgers, plain lettuce and tomato would just be too boring here, although you can have your burger anyway you want it! I preferred the Broadway Burger with melted swiss, onions, thick Neuske’s bacon and jalapenos on sliced, toasted sourdough. If you like a little spice with your food, you’re going to love it!  The Chili was delicious and the Atomic Fries, were fun and unique.  Seriously, topped with a Buffalo-like sauce over real cut potatoes, these were excellent fries!  Thirsty???  There are always 18 draft beers and the tap lined back bar make trying each one very tempting!  Which is why this is a perfect time to stop by. . . Mel’s is participating in the New York Craft Beer Week by offering a fixed price $40 beer and food pairing.  This offer can’t be beat and is a fun way to enjoy good food and great craft beer specialties in one visit!  Like what you drink??  Mel’s sells each beer by the ‘growler’ to take home and enjoy later!  But, I must be honest, and, true to form, my favorite part of the menu is the “spiked” milkshakes. Excellent frozen concoctions like the “Beer & Cookies” shake made with Stout ice cream was so unique I wanted to taste all 12 flavors immediately, and I will, all in due time.  The “Shot of Joe” with mocha chip ice cream and Kahlua and Bailey’s is a chocolate lover’s dream. Mel’s uses Max & Mina’s homemade ice cream from Queens to develop the special flavors.  The in-crowd, families, burger and beer fanatics, and Columbia students all have something to love at this cool and busy Upper West Side newcomer. For more information go to www.melsburgerbar.com

 

Beer enthusiasts and foodies alike are united in the 3rd Annual NY Craft Beer Week, September 24 to October 3. The kickoff event was sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery and provided a sneak peek at some of the beers being offered this year. The citywide event covers all five boroughs and offers the opportunity to enjoy over 100 craft beers as well as Zagat’s “Beer Pairing Menus.” I can tell you, from first hand experience, that these craft beers are truly unique and leave you wanting more! Just purchase your NYC Beer Passport 2010 for $10 for a full list of participating bars and restaurants. The passport allows you to sample craft beers for $3 at participating merchants. That’s right, $3!  Quite a beer deal for the big city!  

Among my favorites sampled were Brooklyn Brewery’s Cookie Jar Porter, a delicious blend of Oatmeal Cookies and dark malty liquid gold. Not too sweet but just enough flavor to get my attention. Victory Brewing Company offers a wide range of Belgian and German style beers including Saison du BUFF, a blend of rosemary, sage and thyme. It was like drinking Thanksgiving in a glass. Ommegang Brewery form Cooperstown, NY offers one of the smoothest Pale Ales I’ve tasted and Goose Island Brewery makes 50 craft beers including Madame Rose that ages in wine barrels with whole cherries. I sampled Sofie, a dry sparkling ale with a hint of orange peel and vanilla. All of these beers were fantastic!  Craft beers are here to stay!

I know some of you are purists and just want to drink a Bud and be happy, but for a $10 passport you might just discover a world of enjoyment you never knew existed. Trust me, it’s worth it!

To purchase your Beer Passport and get more information go to www.nycbeerweek.com.  CHEERS!!!

 

In Alphabet City, there is an abundance of cozy restaurants, cafes, bistros, each more inviting than the next. A steady stream of foreigners confirm the international flavor of the area, and opportunity to find some authentic French cuisine. Casimir, on Avenue B between 6th & 7th will not only meet your expectations but exceed them! One word…mussels. To me the best mark of a French restaurant is a bowl of steaming mussels steeped in a delicious broth. I want to have juice dripping down my chin and several baskets of bread to soak up the goodness. Let’s just say the bowl was empty and my soul was happy. Light and flavorful with a bite of garlic, these mussels are among the best I’ve tasted. Other things to try include the Grilled Pork Chop, homemade Soups and, of course, Steak Frites. Casimir is very reasonable for the quality of food as well with entrees between $12 and $25 and several bottles of wine under $30. Saturday and Sunday brunch is only $9.95. The atmosphere reminds me of the time I spent in Paris. Tin ceilings, brick walls, ceiling fans and dim lighting instantly relax you. The outdoor patio is also a bonus for those that spend most of the day indoors. I liked their signature espresso with Pistachio Ice Cream but the real star dessert was the Tarte Tatin served warm with vanilla ice cream. Casimir is good for groups and romantic evenings. Casimir, 103 Avenue B 212-358-9683 www.casimirrestaurant.com

Ultimate Recipe Showdown on Food Network has entered it’s sizzling third season. Hosted by Guy Fieri, of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and Guy’s Big Bite, this series challenges the 24 top contestants to chop and mix their way through 6 recipe categories: Comfort Food, Party Food, Hot & Spicy, Burgers, Cakes & Desserts and Hometown Favorites. 

Katherine Alford is not only the Food Network’s Test Kitchen Director, but also a judge for the Ultimate Recipe Showdown. Each week the judges crown a winner to take home a $25,000 prize. In addition to learning that she hates split pea soup, I got some insight into the world of Showdown. 

How would you describe your average day in the Test Kitchen?“Every day is completely different because we’re not like a restaurant where the food is always the same. We talk about the recipes we will be tasting and start cooking all morning long.  We have a tasting at 1pm…could be 1 or 2 dishes and we give feedback. If we can, we have another round of tastings at 4. The honest answer, we eat all day long!!” 

This year, contestants submitted 8,000 recipes for consideration.  Katherine, and some 10-15 other ‘tasters’, weed these 8,000 down to the top 100 for each category.  “I think it’s wonderful to put home cooks out there and put out the whole idea of home cooking in America.” 

Which category were you looking forward to as a judge and which one were you dreading?“My favorite category always, and the one I really advocated with the producers, is Hometown Favorites. It’s really interesting to see what people are cooking across the country. I liked the idea of promoting local food and local cuisine. Comfort Food satisfies pretty quickly so I feel a little heavy after that. That’s a lot of mac and cheese!” 

If you had to add one category, what would it be?“Fish. That’s because I love eating fish. I’d love to see more seafood. I think people are super-intimidated by fish and there are so many categories and cool things to do with it.” 

Katherine wants everyone to remember, “It’s gotta taste good. It’s gotta say wow, I want that second bite.” Presentation and originality play a part, and technical skills have to be correct, but she is looking for “a recipe people will want to prepare at home.” 

“I love my job! I like to be hands on in the kitchen. As a cook I get to play in all different genres and I would never want to give that up.” 

Ultimate Recipe Showdown airs Sunday nights at 9pm Eastern on Food Network. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjvFIYsTRRA

 

Chef Anne Burrell first entered our homes with Mario Batali in 2004, on the hit Food Network show “Iron Chef”.  She is currently hosting both “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef” and co-hosting “Worst Cooks in America”. Each week Chef Anne, along with Beau MacMillan do their best to transform 12 of the worse cooks into culinary stars. Sunday we’ll learn who represents Chef Anne in the final challenge: cook a restaurant quality meal to esteemed food critics to win the $25,000 prize.

As with most great chefs, Chef Anne began her career as a waitress and soon fell in love with the restaurant business and the art of cooking. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America she spent a year studying at the Italian Culinary Institute while working at La Taverna del Lupo in Umbria and La Bottega del’30 in Tuscany. Upon arrival in New York City, her passion led to a teaching position at the Institute of Culinary Education. Chef Anne graced the New York City kitchens at Felidia, Lumi , Italian Wine Merchants and most recently, Centro Vinoteca. 

Today Chef Anne spends most of her time on Food Network teaching us all to be better cooks. I spoke to her about her latest challenge.

Did you enjoy the challenge of transforming these cooks?  Of course! When I started I was so unprepared for the real part of a reality show. It hadn’t even occurred to me the crying and the participant’s real nervousness. They were really trying to do something and not having it go well. This is really real. That makes you care for the people even more.

What techniques would you like to see your team master? Mise en place. Read your recipe and get all your stuff ready before you start cooking. That makes cooking so much less stressful and so much more fun. Get all your onions cut and your herbs cut and then you can clean as you go and you’re not cluttered and disorganized.

The biggest problem is “they get in their own heads and psych themselves out and get nervous. It’s a stressful situation. There are cameras everywhere. ”

Were you ever as bad as the contestants on “Worst Cooks”? I was never that bad. I definitely had some mistakes in my career but I always decided to consult a cookbook. It doesn’t have to be that stressful. The recipes that I teach my team, I have written. They are somewhat simple. Take a deep breath and relax. Food is like a dog, it smells fear.”

When you are cooking remember to “get in there and try it, you will make mistakes. Read your recipe.”

How confident are you to have one of the contestants represent you in the final challenge? I can teach anyone to cook a dinner. They have done a good job of overcoming the challenges. After Sunday they will be as ready as they can be.

Your teaching background must have helped you with “Worst Cooks”.                                                                                                                        Absolutely. Being a teacher…it’s so funny… it all comes back to “everything happens for a reason”. All the parts of my career, there is always a place where they come into play.

Chef Anne’s most important tools include “one good knife and sharpener, a good cutting board, and a descent work space.” She admits she wants to return to a New York kitchen soon and is “currently in talks with people.”

With Valentine’s Day around the corner Chef Anne does have a suggestion. “If you want to get into your husband’s heart I would recommend short ribs.”

The two part finale of “Worst Cooks in America” is Sunday and Monday, January 31& February 1, 10pm on Food Network

As a foodie, I am always looking for the next great cooking show to help achieve my goals. I hope to master the basics and come out smelling like Mario Batali. Well move over Top Chefs and make room for “Worst Cooks in America”, premiering January 3rd at 10pm on Food Network. If “cinnamon meatloaf” and “cottage cheese mac” sounds offensive or, like something you’ve tried, this is the show for you. It’s not just a catchy title. They have searched the country for the worst cooks America has to offer. Chefs Beau MacMillan and Anne Burrell will do their best to transform the 12 worst cooks, and get them ready to serve a restaurant quality meal to top food critics. In the end the winner takes home a $25,000 prize.                                                                         

Chef Beau MacMillan is no stranger to competition. He first appeared in the hit series, “Iron Chef America”, ultimately claiming victory over Bobby Flay. His culinary career began at the age of 16 in his hometown of Plymouth, Massachusetts. Later he studied all over the country, including Vieille Maison in Florida and Hotel Bel Air in California. Together with Chef Charles Wiley, Chef Beau opened Elements restaurant in 2001, after developing the cuisine for Sanctuary, on Camelback Mountain, in Arizona.                                         

Chef Beau tells young culinarians that the true fun is in the cooking. He spoke with me about his latest challenge on “Worst Cooks”.

Is there one technique that you are hoping to teach your team in order to carry them through the competition? If I had to reduce it that much it would be focus and organization. In a nutshell, really getting them to be aware and be conscious. Cooking isn’t rocket science. If you start with great ingredients and you execute, usually you can have good results.

Chef Beau feels the most difficult things to master are reduction sauces and emulsifications. “When people get too complex in a kitchen, that’s when you see the biggest meltdowns.” But adds, “No guts, No glory! I’ll try anything!”

What part of your training helped show contestants the most with this unique type of television show? The way I was trained, these guys would have been, unfortunately, under the firing range by some of the French Chefs I worked for. But you know I learned a lot of patience and that was a key attribute. They’re [contestants] whole basis on being a cook comes down to flavor and there’s so much more involved. We put them in situations where they had to rely on their memory or they had to hone their skills on timing, multi-tasking, they had to do every day things that go into being a cook…organization and cleanliness. It was completely overwhelming.

But don’t despair; Chef Beau does believe that anyone can cook. “I’m a believer. I think you can turn people into good chefs. The key ingredient for success is desire. My real goal was to make everyone in that boot camp love cooking.”

What was the hardest technique for you to learn as you grew into a chef?  I was always good at roasting meats. It kind of took me a long time to master the sautéed station. That was one of my challenges. It was a matter of putting in my time and I knew right away that I was willing to accept that. It took me 6-7 years of getting beat up in kitchens before people were coming to me to solve issues.

How important is the knowledge of spices? Wow.  It’s another ace up a chefs sleeve. If you have a grip on spices, it’s just another weapon in your arsenal.

Most contestants had never handled knives. Some never tried shrimp. Combining several different cans of soup into one dish was a gourmet meal for one contestant. “There were a few cuts…and disasters…but I don’t want to give them away.”

“I hope people will love the show. Food Network let me be myself and do things to inspire these guys. I can’t make you a great second basemen until you love the game. You gotta swing for the fences!”

You’ll be amazed how bad some of the cooks truly started here! “Worst Cooks in America” premieres Sunday, January 3, 10pm on Food Network.

 

In the world of Food TV, it doesn’t get any bigger than “The Next Iron Chef”. Sunday night Seamus Mullen lost the battle leaving Jose Garces and Jehangir Mehta as the last chefs standing. The final 2 will meet at Kitchen Stadium, Sunday on The Food Network, to compete for the supreme culinary title “Iron Chef”.

Since opening his first restaurant Amada, in Philadelphia in 2005, Chef Garces has opened 4 other restaurants in Philadelphia and is the executive chef at Chicago’s Mercat a la Planxa.  In 2007 Chef Mehta opened Graffiti in the East Village of New York City after gracing the kitchens of Aix, Mercer Kitchen and serving as pastry chef of Compass.

Chef Mehta and Chef Garces spoke with me about the “Iron Chef” challenge, their inspirations and all things food.

Is there any preparation for “Iron Chef” knowing you won’t have the ingredients until the last minute? Is it as spontaneous as we see on TV?

Chef Garces I think the preparation you have is years of knowledge in the restaurant business and dealing with similar situations, obviously with not as much magnitude, but having the knowledge and background information is the best prep for any challenge.

 Chef Mehta Thinking about what you have to do very thoroughly and then making it work for you in a spontaneous fashion is what I think is important. Instead of just jumping into something, just think about it and then act like a very thoughtful army. It is spontaneous, it is what you see, but again you do have something to think about while you’re cooking…what you want it to be could change to something else.

Both Chefs agreed that professional training is imperative and that being open to all cuisines makes a well-rounded chef. Chef Garces admits that beating Bobby Flay on “Iron Chef America” gave him confidence but he still relies on his training. “There’s not much you can do to prepare…years of training will get you through.” Come Sunday he is “focused and ready to win.”

Chef Mehta sees “Iron Chef” as a challenge and feels that it’s helpful to take risks. ” I will prove myself and try to get the job. I will put in my ultimate best.” Surprisingly, he confessed that he had not seen the show previously.

What would be some of your dream ingredients and is there anything you don’t enjoy cooking? Why?

Chef Garces As a chef I appreciate and love all ingredients and our task is to make everything taste good. Whether it’s grasshoppers, sea cucumbers or jellyfish, our task at hand is to make these things taste good.

Chef Mehta For me, Indian spices would be the first thing that comes to me. There is always something that you would gravitate towards but that does not mean that you can’t come out of your comfort zone and make things happen. It’s like food, some will make you dance versus some which will not.

Compared to other “Iron Chefs”, Chef Garces sees himself as a cross between Bobby Flay and Michael Symon due to his love of spices combined with rich flavors. Chef Mehta feels connected to Masaharu Morimoto because of his ability to focus on one thing at a time. He also admires Mario Batali because “he convinces you to like something before you’ve tasted it.” 

What is the biggest challenge of the show?

Chef Garces Being away from my family was the hardest, one of the hardest, parts of the show and being able to block that out and still focus on the competition was the most challenging.

Do the strengths of other competitors create problems for you?

Chef Mehta The minute you think about someone else’s style, then you’ve lost. I’m not bothered by what other people can do, I’m just bothered by what I can do and what I can get to the table.

Chef Mehta, as an acclaimed pastry chef, what is your favorite dessert?

Chef Mehta I think if I didn’t say ice cream everyone would kill me…but I don’t think ice cream is my favorite. I would make something with fruit.

In Philadelphia and New York respectively, where do you dine if you’re not at one of your restaurants?

Chef Garces I love Osteria for a moderately expensive Italian meal. A friend of mine, Marc Vetri is the chef there. On the inexpensive side I like a middle eastern restaurant called Sahara Grill.

Chef Mehta I really like The French Laundry [San Francisco] as a restaurant. In the city [New York] I would say Per Se because of the attentiveness to the whole meal. The whole meal as an experience is very important. It’s not just the food.

Yes, both chefs would like to compete against one another again. As far as flavors they want to see more of, Chef Garces wants us to know that “meat by-products like liver and kidney are delicious if cooked right.” Chef Mehta would like to see more recipes for pomegranates because of “the enormous health benefits.”

After the show, they both want to get back to their families (Chef Mehta’s wife gave birth while he was away) and concentrate on being great and influential “Iron Chefs”.

Both men have a lot to be thankful for this year. Chef Garces is making his famous deep-fried turkey on Thanksgiving while Chef Mehta will dine on lamb.

Tune in Sunday 11/22 at 9 pm ET on the Food Network to meet “The Next Iron Chef”.

Episode 7 Recap - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2szYrfiskeQ

Finale Sneak Peek - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iamqIYPF_wQ