A Global Kitchen

     For the past several years I have participated in an interesting culinary New Year's Eve event.  Instead of making reservations and going out to an expensive restaurant to be squeezed into a cramped dining room and hurried through a meal, 6 couples decided to create our own meal and enjoy it in the spacious leisure of a home.  Each year we choose a theme for the dinner and then go to work preparing, slicing and dicing, cooking and baking, all the while enjoying each other's company and catching up with each other.  Then at the appointed hour after a sumptuous dinner we gather in the Great Room to watch the ball drop in Times Square before heading off to our respective homes.

     This year we decided on the theme "Around the World on New Year's Eve."  Here is the proposed menu that we will prepare:

Appetizer

Croustades au Duxelles

(Provence)

 

First Course

Shrimp and Smoked Oyster Chowder

(New Orleans)

 

Second Course

Insalata

(Calabria)

 

Main Course

Grilled Lamb Chops

(New South Wales)

 

Barbecued Short Ribs with Hoisin Sauce

(Asian Rim)

 

Accompaniments

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

(Belgium)

 

Istrian Potatoes

(Croatia)

 

Desserts

4 Berry Crumb Pie

(The Heartland)

 

a la carte Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

(San Francisco)

 

Artisanal Cookies

(Germany)

 

Hot and Cold Beverages of one's choosing

 

It's going to be a fun evening.  The most difficult part will be trying to stay awake until midnight after eating all that food!!!

 

Best Wishes for a happy, healthy

and prosperous New Year!

 

Vinny                            

 



Around the World

     I recently checked on my Disney Dining App and discovered listings for nearly 100 different food venues at Walt Disney World.  There are varying themes like an indoor restaurant designed like an outdoor drive-in theater and another that is like eating in your own home back in the 50's, complete with formica table tops and black & white TVs.  And of course there are cuisine based restaurants to appeal to any palate.  Consider this:  during my week long stay I enjoyed Italian antipasto at Portobello's in Downtown Disney, pineapple macadamia pancakes at the Kona Café in the Polynesian Resort, Greek eggs and feta cheese at Kouzzima's on the Boardwalk, and chicken and ribs at the Flame Tree Barbecue in the Animal Kingdom.

     But if you want to make a quick visit to cuisines of the world, EPCOT is the place to go.  In their world showcase you can sample lefse flatbread from Norway, sip a tankard in the German Biergarten, carve a thick cut of beef in the Canadian Cellier Steakhouse, watch belly dancing as you eat a kabob in the Restaurant Marrakesh, taste authentic Italian gelati, have a French baguette sandwich at one of two French cafes,  quaff a pint with fish and chips in an English pub, have a Mexican quesadilla, and eat orange chicken or nihonbashi with chopsticks, all in the same day.  If your stomach permits, that is.

     There are many things to see and do at WDW.  And food is certainly one of the main attractions.  More on that in the new year.

An Italian Tradition

Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi.

     This old Italian verse truly expresses the strong feeling the Italian people have for the celebration of Christmas.  It means "you celebrate Easter with whomever you please, but Christmas only with your own."

     In fact, Christmas is often described as the warmest, most intimate Italian holiday because it is a special time when family members get together to enjoy age-old traditions.  On Christmas Eve, a ceremony takes place around the presepio, a nativity scene of Bethlehem.  Then, after Midnight Mass, there is a cenone, which is a delicious feast of rich Italian food.

     I can't think of a better way to celebrate Christmas, can you?

Christmas Dinner

     It took most of the day to prepare the family Christmas dinner at Vinny's place.  But by the time everyone arrived all was in readiness.  The appetizers had already been enjoyed elsewhere so we all sat down to bacon wrapped tenderloins on the grill, classic green bean casserole and Istrian potatoes, and for the more pedestrian mashed potatoes.  It was all well received.  By the time dessert arrived there was little room for freshly baked cookies and an apple upside down cake.

     Another Christmas has come and gone.

The Brown Derby

     One of the faithful Disney reproductions is the Brown Derby Restaurant at their Hollywood Studios location.  Actually a chain of restaurants, the Hollywood original opened on Valentine's Day in 1929 by co-owners Robert Cobb & Herbert Somborn.  It had a Spanish mission style facade and on the interior the walls were lined with hundreds of celebrity caricatures.

     And the most famous item on the menu at Disney continues to be the Cobb Salad, created one night by owner Bob Cobb.  This unique salad contains ingredients that can be remembered by the mnemonic devise EAT COBB:  Egg, Avocado, Tomato, Chicken, Onion, Bacon, Bleu Cheese. All of them finely chopped and served with salad greens and drizzled with red wine vinaigrette (Vinny Garette!)

     As with most culinary accounts, several variants exist as to the creation of the Cobb Salad.  One version claims that it was hastily arranged from left-overs by owner Bob Cobb for Sid Grauman, showman and theater owner and was chopped fine because Grauman has just had dental work done and could not chew well.  Another story states that it was Cobb who made the salad for himself late one evening because it was almost midnight and he had not yet eaten and was hungry.  He ordered his line cook to fry up some bacon which he then added to  left-overs he scrounged up in the kitchen.  

     Whichever story you wish to believe, the salad has become synonymous with the Brown Derby.  Today it remains the signature dish on the menu.  And of course the day I was there for lunch I enjoyed that part of Hollywood history.

Variations on a Theme Park

     Walt Disney World in Florida has been called "The Happiest Place on Earth."  It is world renown for its thrilling, heart pounding rides like Space Mountain and Mission: SPACE and the Broadway rivaling shows like  The Lion King and Finding Nemo.  And they are experts at recreating landmarks like Old Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone National Park and Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle.   The folks at Disney amuse, enlighten and educate all who pass through the gates of The Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Downtown Disney, and Hollywood Studios.  But little, if anything, is mentioned about their ability to delight the palate.

     For a week I made my way through Mickey's place sampling the food in between the rides, shows, and gift shops.  It is a little known fact that Disney has just as many eating venues as amusements.  For the 5 days I was there I was only able to enjoy a few of the many meal offerings, but was amazed at the wide variety of food available.  Everything from candy apples and chicken fingers to wagu beef could be found on the menu.  And it was all available at walk up, take-out and sit down locations.  And just like the parks themselves, the  food menus carefully followed certain themes.  At the Wilderness Lodge the Whispering Pines Restaurant served an authentic smoked turkey sandwich with sweet potato fries that I thoroughly enjoyed.  In the Polynesian Resort 'Ohana put out a family style all you can eat feast complete with skewered chicken, beef, pork and shrimp.  At Disney's Hollywood Studios I had lunch one day at a re-creation of the Brown Derby Restaurant, sampling their signature Cobb salad.  But without a doubt the highlight of my food tour was the 7 course meal at Victoria & Albert's Restaurant in the Grand Floridian Resort.

     I will recount my culinary experiences in the comings days, and into the New Year.

A Sharp Idea

     Ever wonder why slicing knives have a hollowed edge?  Also known as a Granton edge, it was invented in 1928 by William Grant of England's Granton Knives Company.  The oval hollows on both sides of the blade create several advantages.

     While the top edge is thicker for sturdiness, the hollows allow the knife to be flexible for greater control.  The indentations also allow the knife to glide through meat more easily, since there is no flat surface for it to stick to.  That is especially important when the slices need to be very thin.

     Granton edge slicers are usually 10-12" long so they can slice across a wide roast or fish fillet in one pass to avoid sawing marks.

Vinny note:  In the name of culinary research I will be gone for a week or so.  I will be investigating the variety of food venues at Mickey's place, Walt Disney World.  Stay tuned for a full report when I return! 

The wonders of vinegar

     Yesterday I mentioned all the medicinal virtues of vinegar.  For a thousand years it has alleviated  medical difficulties.  But it does so much more.  In addition to soothing sunburn and eliminating bad breath and making nail polish last longer, it is an invaluable cooking aid.  One part white vinegar added to four parts olive oil makes a zesty vinaigrette (Vinny Garette!).  It can also tenderize cheaper, tough cuts of meat.  Cider or malt vinegar is a healthy alternative to ketchup on fries.  It will freshen up wilted veggies, too.

     In the garden it will kill slugs and stop ants from congregating.  Vinegar is also a great weed killer, especially for the weeds and grass that grows up in the cracks of the pavement and walkways.
Diluted, it will preserve cut flowers in the house.

     Vinegar is also an effective cleaning agent in the laundry room.  It kills mold, bacteria and germs.  It can be used as a stain remover on clothes and mixed with baking soda will deodorize the garbage disposal.  Speaking of smells, it also works to remove skunk smells from pets and at the same time will kill fleas.  If the chrome on your vehicle has lost its luster just give it a wipe with a vinegar soaked cloth.  And if you have a rusty bolt or screw you need to loosen vinegar can do the trick to free it up.

     For more ways to use vinegar go to:  www.vinegartips.com

Miracle Worker

     The first thing I do each morning is to mix a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water and sip it as I watch the sun come up.  It's an old homeopathic practice that I follow, something that practice religiously.

     Distilled white vinegar is actually a misnomer.  It is not produced by the distillation of vinegar but by the fermentation of distilled alcohol.  The distillate is then diluted to produce a colorless solution of about 5-8% acetic acid in water.  There are dozens of types from the plain white, to the apple cider kind I use,  to flavored which includes the expensive aged balsamic variety.

     Vinegar has been used for over a millennia in many different cultures for health related issues.  The Ancients used it to treat pleurisy, fever, ulcers and constipation.  It was also applied to kill bacteria, and combined with honey, was recommended as a cough suppressant.  Vinegar was regularly prescribed as a digestive supplement.

     Medical science today acknowledges that vinegar can lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as blood pressure and can reduce the risk of heart disease.  It is an effective tool in the fight against obesity, too.  Externally it can be applied topically to remove the pain of insect bites and jellyfish stings.  It is also good at removing tangles from the hair and is a natural deodorant and after shave.

     Vinegar is truly a miracle worker and is probably somewhere in the kitchen of every home.  Consider joining me tomorrow morning with a toast to this amazing liquid.

     Tomorrow:  more of vinegar's many uses.

Once Upon a Time

     Once upon a time, writes Sandra Folzer of Weaver's Way, of the Food Cooperative's Environment Committee, all food was real food.  But today nearly a quarter of all our grocery dolars are spent on sweetened and processed food.

     Processed foods are not found in nature.  They have been altered by the addition of chemical additives and artificial flavorings.  The longer the list of ingredients on a package, the more the food is processed.  But why go to all the trouble of doing that when we could just eat it straight?  Ms. Folzer contends that the simple answer is that there is not enough profit.  If I choose to eat a potato, I'll stop when I'm full (maybe!).  But with processed food I may not be hungry when I eat a potato chip, but once I start, I want to continue eating more.  And that's because they are filled with salt, sugar, and fat so I crave them.

     When food is processed, it loses nutrients, flavor and color, so these things are added back with chemicals.  Chemicals also extend shelf life.  Fifty years ago the feds attempted to regulate hundreds of additives and flavorings already in use, but knuckled under to the pressure of the powerful food industry lobby.  

     So now it's up to us to self-regulate and to avoid the pitfalls and dangers of processed foods.  A simple rule of thumb for consumers: when you read the list of ingredients on the box or package, if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it!!!

Southern Sweetooth

     "Creole confections occupy a unique position in the United States; the most popular of these is the praline.  Pralines derive their name from Marshal Luplesis-Praslin (1598-1695) and his butler's recipe for almonds coated in sugar, used as a digestive aid.  When Louisiana was settled by French colonists, native pecans were substituted for almonds.

     No lengths were spared by the Creoles to achieve perfection in candy making.  Along with their vast collection of Creole recipes, cooks had their own secret method for making the best pralines, which they guarded carefully and handed down from generation to generation.

     Today, pralines are as many and varied as they were in the very beginning."  

From recipe sheet provided by The New Orleans School of Cooking.

Vinny note:   In addition to the standard praline made with sugar and milk there are any number of flavored pralines that use such varied ingredients as chocolate, coffee, egg nog and brandy.

Viva la difference!

     It can be somewhat confusing in New Orleans to know what food to order.  After all, jambalaya, gumbo and étouffée all contain the same basic ingredients: roux, shellfish, vegetables and rice.  So what's the difference?

     Gumbo is more like a soup and is always served as a first course with the rice cooked separately, sometimes on the side.  Jambalaya, like gumbo can contain chicken and/or sausage in addition to seafood but is more akin to Spanish paella which is prepared in a shallow pan.  Étouffée is thicker than gumbo.  The word itself means smothered or suffocated and describes how the seafood is prepared.  Served as a main course it is shellfish, like shrimp or crawfish, smothered in a thick sauce ladled over rice.  It is a popular dish in the bayous and backwaters of Louisiana.  Here is the recipe that I used in class:

Crawfish Étouffée

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup flour                                          1 Tbsp chopped garlic

1 cup oil                                              2 cups chicken stock, warmed

4 cups chopped onion                     2 lbs crawfish tails

2 cups chopped celery                     2 tsp seafood seasoning

1 cup chopped green pepper

Add flour to hot oil to make a dark, chocolate colored roux, stirring constantly.  Add seasoning to roux, along with onions celery, green pepper, and garlic.

In another pot with piping hot chicken stock, stir in roux gradually until blended well.  Cook for 20 minutes over medium heat.

Add crawfish, and cook an additional 10 minutes.  If desired, chopped green onions and parsley may be added 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe courtesy of The New Orleans School of Cooking

Fun, Food & Folklore

     Have you ever wanted to learn how to cook in the classic Creole and Cajun style? I mean, to cook up some authentic gumbo or jambalaya, or red beans and rice?  That was my first priority when I arrived in New Orleans last week.  So to learn how to prepare all the iconic "Big Easy" dishes I signed up for a two and a half hour cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking.

     They are located right in the French Quarter on St. Louis Street in a renovated molasses warehouse built in the early 19th Century.  And since 1980 they have been instructing visitors and locals alike in the fine art of cultural cooking Southern style.

     I can now prepare bread pudding, shrimp and crab artichoke soup, crawfish etouffee and pralines with the best of them.  And you know the best part of the cooking school? You get to eat what you cook!

Fresh @ the Market

     Marketumbrella.org is a non-profit organization in New Orleans that operates a number of farmers' markets throughout the city.  I visited the downtown Crescent City Farmers Market in the Warehouse District on Saturday.  Their slogan is "Where farmers and fishers feed you rain or shine, year-round."

     As I peered into the old dingy warehouse my first impression was not favorable.  First of all, it was small and crowded.  I surveyed the tables for fruit and produce and what I saw was pretty expensive.  $3/lb for tomatoes and $2.50 for a single head of cabbage seemed to be excessive to me.  There were lots of greens available if you like those sort of things.  I've never cooked up mustard or collard greens myself.

     But then as I looked around I thought to myself, "This isn't a farmers' market, it's an artisan market."  Most of the goods for sale were homemade.  There were breads and baked items, honey, sauces, cheeses, jams and jellies.  There were also cut flowers, plants and seedlings for sale and you could speak with the person who grew them.  There was even a fishmonger, Clara, who caught all the seafood being sold that day.

     I came away with a different perspective.  The market was providing a touch of home for those who either can't or don't know how to cook.  It was removing the commercialism from market day and putting the buyer in touch with the person immediately responsible for their food.  

     And that's a good thing!

The Day After

     It has become a post-Thanksgiving tradition to have a special meal on the Friday after.  Invariably there is left over turkey in the refrigerator, along with cranberry sauce.  So we have adapted a recipe graciously provided 10 years ago by the Ocean Spray Company.  With minimal effort a nourishing and creative meal helps to alleviate some of the left overs.  It necessitates little prep time and even less clean up.  Here it is:

Smoked Turkey and Cranberry Gourmet Pizza

Ingredients:

16 oz pre-cooked Boboli pizza crust (we prefer to use 2 of the smaller 10 oz size)

16 oz can Ocean Spray Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

3/4 cup sliced green onion

8 oz package shredded Monteray Jack cheese

1/4 pound left over turkey, cut into thin strips

Preheat oven to 375F.  Place Boboli on an ungreased baking pan.  Spread cranberry sauce evenly over the Boboli.  Sprinkle with green onion and cheese.  Top with turkey.

Bake for 10 minutes or until heated through and cheese has melted.

Once you give it a try it will become a tradition in your household, too!!!

Take your pick!

     Once again the Po'boy festival in New Orleans was the premier event of the year!  It was just a bit chilly this time around, however.  But the alligator sausage kept me warm!

Just another Po'boy

     I'm currently sitting in a very nice food court at Philadelphia International Airport waiting for a flight down to The Crescent City, New Orleans.  It's another tough assignment for me, to do more culinary research at the Po'boy Festival there on Sunday.  While the possibilities of food in the airport has improved drastically over the years, it can't hold a candle to the kinds of food I'm anticipating in my stay in NOLA:  muffelettas, beignets, char broiled oysters, fried soft shell crabs, jambalaya and gumbo are just a few that are making my mouth water as I write.

     So please be patient with me as I work hard to investigate the culinary delights of the Big Easy and report back to you upon my return!

Vinny

Breakfast Pizza

    I can remember back to my post-college days and the typical Friday night meal of pizza and beer.  Then, on Saturday breakfast would be the left over slices (and crusts).  That was mostly by convenience and not by design.


     But in Lackawanna County up near Scranton, PA there's the borough of Old Forge that serves an interesting pizza with unusual toppings, including eggs and breakfast meats for a morning meal.  Old Forge Pizza comes in single or double-crusted, red or white and is more American in character than the Mediterranean style of which we are accustomed.  It contains a sunny tomato sauce, cheese that tastes like a mild blend of Italian and American varieties, and a uniquely puffed up crust that develops because the pie is made in a pan well greased with peanut oil.

I wonder if they deliver on Saturday mornings?

Norfolk=Butter

     Jane & Michael Stern communicate to America about their cross-country food adventures on their weekly NPR program, "The Splendid Table."  They also employ the printed word with a publication entitled "The Lexicon of Real American Food."  It's been an easy read for me.  I'm enjoying their assessment of food around this great country of ours.  So for the next several days I will highlight some excerpts from their book.

     Norfolk, Virginia is located in the Tidewater area of that state.  Seafood is plentiful and on the menu of practically every restaurant there.  Reading down the list of delicious items there is a lot from which to choose.  But each one, whether it be crabs, oysters or scallops,  has the identical suffix, "Norfolk."  To the uninitiated that is code for butter.  When your meal arrives at the table expect to find  it swimming in the butter in which it has been sauteed.  There may be a dash of lemon and a bit of spice, but nothing more than that.  The only possible improvement on this bliss is when the crab is joined in its saute pan by nuggets of Virginia ham. 

By any other name

     The daikon radish is known by a variety of monikers.  Numerous cultures lend their name to it.  Most commonly called the Japanese radish, the Chinese, Korean, as well as other Asian nations lend their title to the white radish.  It is also called mooli and lo-bok.

      There are many varieties of daikon but the most common resembles a parsnip, the shape of a giant carrot 8-14" long.  Other varieties look more like a turnip.

      And the uses for the daikon are just as varied.  They can be used raw and grated in salads or shredded into kimchi or pickled whole.  A welcome addition in stir fry they can also be cooked into radish cakes and radish chips.  Simmered they enhance soups with their mellow flavor.  And finally, their leaves can be eaten as a green vegetable.

     As an added plus, diakon radishes are low in calories and provide 34% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.

     So no matter what you call it, it should be a part of your cultural culinary experience!

Of the place

     The weeks, no months, of anticipation were finally over!  On Wednesday I had in my hands the actual menu for the best Italian restaurant in all of New York City, Del Posto, literally "of the place."  As I sat at the table looking down at the list of mouth watering items it was like a primer in the Italian language.

     I had already decided that I would select the prix fixe luncheon menu.  Three courses for $39 didn't seem outrageous.  I could choose from a selection of Antipasti, Secondi and Dolci.  But what I didn't know was that in addition to their standard 3 course meal I would be treated to a complimentary pre-appetizer appetizer and a post-dessert dessert.

      Denis, the cordial maitre'd, born and raised in Sicily, took the order for all 3 of my choices.  After a teaser of tiny samples that included a faux meringue mushroom, a seafood salad petit-four, and a shot glass sized cup of buttery clam broth, I moved on to my antipasti, a chilled lobster salad Oreganata.  It was delicate and perfectly arranged on the plate in geometric quarters.

     Deciding to forego the pasta primi option I then moved on to the main course, the secondi.  Delivered to the table in an immense soup bowl was a Livorno style Cacciucco.  A take on cioppino, in the bottom of the bowl was an assortment of fish and shellfish that was bathed at the table with a hot, spicy tomato broth.  It was so good that I used a portion of one of the freshly baked rolls to catch every last drop.

     Still finding some room for dessert I enthusiastically put a spoon to a butterscotch Semifreddo that was served over dried apricots.  What a glorious conclusion to the meal!  But as they say in the TV commercial, "But wait!  There's more!"  Another sampler of miniature desserts arrived on an antique wooden box grater.  A tiny sugared doughnut treat, a sliver of dried candied fruit, a sinfully rich wisp of cocoa dusted chocolate and a small piece of fruit together signaled the conclusion of an amazing dining experience.

     Then to walk off our meal we descended the central staircase to inspect the 3,000 bottle wine cellar and to peak into the private meeting rooms located on the lower level.   It was an experience that will remain without equal and a memorable event to savor long after my tastebuds have sadly returned to endure my own cooking once again. 

My Bucket List

     I got to thinking the other day about my bucket list.  You know, the list of things you want to accomplish in this life.  There's already a number of things on my list that I have checked off.  Things like following the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon, attending a cooking school in a thousand year old Tuscan monastery, and bicycling through the Alps (mostly downhill).

     But there was one item on my bucket list that was still incomplete.  That is to enjoy a meal  at one of the finest Italian restaurants in New York City, Del Posto .  Just this past Father's Day I was the grateful recipient of a very generous gift card to that very establishment and I was thrilled by the thought of going there for "the ambiance of European luxury, palette-enlightening cuisine, polished service... (that) culminate in an Italian dining experience unlike any other."  That's the way their web page describes it.

     In the shadow of the High Line Park between Chelsea and the Meatpacking District Del Posto premiered in 2005 on a windswept corner of lower 10th Avenue under the watchful eye of Iron Chef Mario Batali in concert with Joseph and Lidia Bastianich.  They envisioned a temple to Italian cooking in the unoccupied 24,000 square foot former National Biscuit Company (NABISCO) building.  That empty space was upgraded with mahogany and marble and is now, to use the words of the New York Times, "one of the very best restaurants in New York City...a place to sit in luxury...while eating food that bewilders and thrills."  And it did just that for me yesterday.

     In Italian Del Posto means simply "of the place."  All the food is locally sourced and prepared on site, a cucina New Yorkese, if you please.  The menu reflects a polished, contemporary take on classic Italian cuisine.  I was there with my fellow gourmand for lunch, arriving just after noon on a very brisk and breezy but sunny day.  So what was the menu like?  More on that tomorrow!

Julia's Turkey

   Anyone who has ever taken on the challenge of roasting a turkey for the family on Thanksgiving knows that it can be a daunting undertaking.  First off, it's an all day event.  And then there's the issue of attempting to cook both white and dark meat without one being undercooked and the other dry as a bone.

     Julia Child addressed this very issue in 1989 when she published The Way to Cook.  She recommended deconstructing the turkey for faster cooking and easier carving.  The day before she detached the leg quarters,  boning and trussing the thighs and removing the backbone.  Then to keep the breast moist she would brine it for up to 12 hours and season the interiors of the thighs with sage, salt, and pepper.

     On the day of the meal the breast is placed skin side down in a skillet and given a 30 minute head start in the oven to brown the skin.  The partially cooked breast, now skin side up, is center stage in a roasting pan along with the leg quarters and placed on top of stuffing in a roasting pan and put in the oven, initially at 425F.  Then after a half hour turning the heat down to 350F for an additional 40 minutes.

     After allowing the meat to rest for 30 minutes and a quick stir of the stuffing all the parts are reassembled on the serving plate.

     For further details, you can refer to the November/December 2013 issue of  Cook's Illustrated for an update on how Julia Child took on the Thanksgiving turkey and won.

     

Geography Cooking Lesson

     If you were asked to pinpoint the Istrian Penninsula on a map of the world, where would you look?  I must admit that I was stumped when I began investigating a new potato recipe.  Tiring of the same, familiar preparations for spuds: baked, boiled, and mashed I was excited to come across something new in a cookbook entitled A Taste of Croatia:  Savoring the Food, People and Traditions of Croatia's Adriatic Coast authored by Karen Evenden.

     Here's the recipe:

                                                   Istrian Potatoes

2 tsp unsalted butter, at room temperature           1 Tbsp EVOO

1 1/2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled                   1/2 tsp kosher or fine sea salt

     and cut into 1" cubes                                       1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 oz prosciutto, diced                                           3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Roma tomato, halved lengthwise, diced            1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesian

2 Tbsp finely minced flat leaf parsley                            preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 garlic cloves, minced

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F.  Generously grease a 1 1/2 qt ovenproof baking dish or gratin dish with butter.

2. In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, prosciutto, tomato, parsley, garlic, oil, salt and pepper.  Turn the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Pour the cream over the top.

3.  Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the foil, sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, and continue to bake until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and the top is golden, 35-45 minutes longer.  Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve.

Serves 4

PA 6

     Last week I had the good fortune to be on the receiving end of a free ticket to the Walnut Street Theater.  So before the 8pm program I treated myself to dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Pennsylvania 6  is a bi-level bistro located at 114 S. 12th Street and is the latest culinary incarnation in a revolving door of restaurants at that location.  It is the younger sibling of a restaurant of the same name in the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City and pays homage to the oldest continuous in-service phone number in the Big Apple, made famous by a 1940 Glenn Miller recording "Pennsylvania 6-5000."

     As I walked in the door I was struck by the deco-retro interior which has been described as "unprepossessingly sexy" and asked for a table on the second level, above all the activity of the bar.  The menu had all the contemporary midtown American items you would expect: steak, pork and chicken.  But Chef Marc Plessis also included some items not usually found on the bill of fare.  I was intrigued by the listing of roasted bone marrow, duck lyonnaise salad, charred octopus, and kampachi with gooseberry salsa, but opted for a more familiar option, the lobster roll served with duck fat fries.  But before enjoying such a traditional meal I downed a dozen oysters on the half shell at a buck a piece.

     The staff was friendly, helpful and enthusiastic.  And on a Wednesday  it wasn't overly crowded.  Here's hoping they stay around for a while!

It's Monumental!

     Washington, DC is loaded with museums and monuments.  Tourists from all over the United States and around the world flock to see them each year.  But just a few blocks from all the granite and glitter is a virtually unknown cultural relic.  The Maine Avenue Fish Market is the oldest operating fish market in the United States.  It's been in continuous operation since 1805.  Known to locals simply as The Wharf, it's located in Southwest DC under the shadow of Interstate 395 and is one of only a very few surviving open air seafood markets on the east coast.  It is truly a landmark with over 10 different stores, each with a specialty.

     On a recent visit there I could purchase a wide variety of freshly caught fish, crabs, octopus, squid and shrimp, or pick from a selection of shellfish like clams, mussels, scallops and oysters.  Eager fish mongers even offered samples of steamed crabs and shrimp for me to taste, which I gladly did.

     The original 19th Century Municipal Fish Market building was razed in the 60s to make way for a waterfront urban renewal project.  So the current municipal pier was built for the market near the 12th Street off ramp of I-395 to provide retail space the floating barges that serve as the venue for the merchants to sell their wares.

     But the future of The Wharf is uncertain.  Once again plans are in the works to redevelop the entire length of Maine Avenue and it is unclear if the historic market will be wholly preserved or forced to move again.  Right now its fate lies in the hands of the city fathers and developers.  And in my estimation, that's not a good place to be.

A Kindred Spirit

     I don't think I've ever written about a real, live person in a VinnyPost before.  But that's because up until recently I hadn't met a person like Pete Woods.  I was sitting on the front porch of Merrior, the tasting room restaurant beside the Rappahannock Oyster Company's main operation in the tiny town of Topping, Virginia when Pete came over to my table to sit down and chat with me.  I was just finishing up one of his amazing culinary creations, a tantalizing lamb and clam stew when he introduced himself and sat in the chair right across the table from me.

     It turns out that we had several things in common.  To begin with, he was easy to understand since he had no southern accent.  That was because he grew up in the Great Northeast section of Philly "The Big Scrapple."  He attended some of the best academic institutions in the Philadelphia Parochial School System, and after high school began his training in the field of the culinary arts.  We spoke together about places and things common to our formative years, and as he reminisced about those early years continued honing two of his favorite oyster knives in preparation for the next day's festival in nearby Urbanna.

     His vocational pursuits took him to Denver where he eventually became a manager of a seafood department in a franchised organization.  One day the regional officer mentioned to all of his managers that there was going to be a business lunch with someone from "back east" who wanted to promote his bay oysters.  To Pete's amazement, none of the other managers wanted to attend.  But Pete thought to himself, " what's the worst that could happen?  At the very least I will get a great lunch out of it."

     And that's when Pete met Travis Croxton of the Rappahannock Oyster Company.  They got involved in an extended conversation about the operation of growing, harvesting and selling oysters, as well as running several restaurants to showcase the exquisite bivalves.  Travis had in mind one place right on-site beside their warehouse and needed someone to oversee it.  One thing led to another and Travis offered Pete the position.  The next day Pete gave his company two weeks notice and was soon packing up his belongings and moving east to Virginia.  It was a stroke of good fortune for both men.

     Pete has reached the zenith of his career and now has a job that is something he truly loves.  And it shows.  Take a look at him working the flat top grill at the oyster festival:

 

     And at the conclusion of our impromptu meeting Pete and I exchanged business cards.   As I looked down at his I noticed it said in gold print, "Pete Woods: Food Guru"  I think that best describes both the man and his calling.



The Rivah

     When you hear someone from Virginia say "The Rivah" they are probably referring to the Rappahannock, sometimes nicknamed The Rapp.  The Algonquin Indians first named it as the place where the tide ebbs and flows and it has been and continues to be the source of livelihood for countless watermen for over two centuries.  The river flows for 86 miles down from the headwaters at Chester Gap eventually emptying into the Chesapeake Bay.  It's in its tidal estuaries that fish, oysters and crabs are caught and subsequently brought to market.

     It's also the place where in 1899 twenty-four year old James Croxton, Jr. purchased 5 acres of river bottom near Butylo, hoping to supplement his meager farm income by raising and selling oysters.   Unknowingly he initiated a family tradition that continues today, carried on by his great-grandsons Travis and Ryan.  Together they own and operate the Rappahannock Oyster Company in Topping.  They are rising to the challenge of reviving the recognition and appreciation of Virginia oysters.  Their goal is simple:  To make bay oysters consistently available and in so doing to permit consumers to once again enjoy what they insist are the best tasting oysters in the world.

     For centuries the bay oysters were unchallenged for their flavor.  But by the 1970s many species had all but disappeared and oyster populations dropped to only 1% of what they were at the turn of the century.  Using modern aquaculture methods the cousins have re-introduced some old favorites including the Rappahannock River Oyster.  They are also successfully raising other varieties like Olde Salts, Stingrays and a seasonal favorite, the Witch Duck.
 

     Travis & Ryan grow their oysters in open waters, raised in cages so that when they are harvested they do not destroy the fragile river bottom.  As they grow, salt and temperature levels are carefully monitored and slow growers are culled out, as are misshapen shells.  

     I had the chance to meet with Travis recently on the front porch of the tasting room, Merrior, down narrow Locklies Road in Topping.  He is understated about his success, as is the facility that processes and ships oysters to their other restaurants in Richmond and Washington, DC and to locations throughout the United States.  I also happily slurped up a half dozen oysters as we talked.  And without a doubt, they are the best.



Any way you like them

     How hungry did the first person have to be to eat the first oyster?  And what possessed that person to taste the gray, slimy, almost phlegmatic plump little body?  But getting past all that, there was no doubt, "a rewarding slurp of a delicate and toothy texture, rich in flavor and salty liquor," so says the National Geographic.

     Edible oysters are officially a member of the family Ostreidae, not to be confused with a entirely different species associated with cultured pearl production.  While practically all oysters and some mussels can secrete pearls, most are not valuable, however.  They are bivalve mollusks that exist in marine or brackish waters and are filter feeders.  Beginning their lifespan as males, after the first year they convert to females in the second year of life.  And a single female can produce up to 100 million eggs annually.  They mature in 12 months and can live as long as 20 years.

     While today they are considered an expensive delicacy oysters were so plentiful in the early 19th Century that they were eaten mainly by the working class.  During that time New York harbor was the largest source of oysters world wide and on any given day 6 million were available to the public, found on floating barges tied up to the city waterfront.  But due to over harvesting, disease and pollution their numbers diminished drastically.  Today the largest oyster producing body of water in the United States is the Chesapeake Bay.
 

     Oysters are considered an excellent source of zinc, iron, calcium, selenium, and vitamins A & B12.  Considered most nutritious when eaten raw they can also be prepared by smoking, boiling, baking, frying, roasting, stewing, canning, pickling, steaming and broiling.

     So how do you like your oysters?





 

Little Town, Big Festival

     Urbanna, Virginia isn't a very big town.  There are just about 600 residents living within the city limits.  But every year since 1958 the population swells to over 80,000 when they host the two day Urbanna Oyster Festival.  It was originally called "Urbanna Days" , the concept conceived by local merchants and town fathers to promote various enterprises and trades.  It grew from a small one day event to become the official oyster festival of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

     The town, which overlooks the Rappahannock River, welcomes visitors from all across the country to enjoy the succulent bivalve and to experience some genuine small town hospitality.  Of course the main feature are the oysters.  You can have them any way you like them:  raw, roasted, steamed, fried or frittered.  And of course, in the name of culinary research I had to sample each one.  And I did!

 

     The festival is held each year on the first weekend in November.  While the weather wasn't the best on the day I was there, the hospitality couldn't have been better.  People displayed real Southern charm as they enjoyed all the different oyster delicacies.



     So if you like oysters, make plans to be a part of next year's festival!

All Hallows Eve

     The tradition of pumpkin carving dates back into antiquity when our pre-historic ancestors carved into a variety of vegetables, namely beets, gourds, turnips and potatoes.  But the association of Jack o'-lanterns on All Hallows' Eve is widely considered to be of Irish in origin.  Turnips, mangelwurzel, or beets were often carved with grotesque faces, representing spirits or goblins.  These were used either as lanterns to guide those on the final day of October, or set on windowsills to keep harmful spirits away.

Modern carving of a Cornish Jack-o'-Lantern made from a turnip.

     
     The story of Jack of the Lantern seems to revolve around an Irish character known as Stingy Jack.  He tricked the Devil into not claiming his soul when he died.  But being such an unsavory individual he was unfit for Heaven.  The result was that he was left to roam the earth with only a burning lump of coal to guide him in the darkness.  Jack placed the burning coal into a gigantic carved turnip and has been roaming the terrestrial sphere ever since.  The citizens of Ireland and Scotland then also began to carve their own scary faces into vegetables to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering malevolent spirits.  Immigrants brought the Halloween tradition to America where the native pumpkin made a perfect canvas onto which were carved Jack o'-lantern faces.

     Just so you know, the world's largest jack o'-lantern, according to the Guinness Book of World Records was carved by Scott Cully in 2005 from a 1,469 pound pumpkin grown in Northern Cambria, PA by Larry Checken.

Friday I will be conducting extensive culinary research on aquatic life along the Rappahannock River in Virginia.  Thus there will be no VinnyPost that day.  Check out a full report of my travels beginning next Monday.

Vinny

Japanese Pumpkin

     As I was recently reviewing a recipe and came across an unfamiliar ingredient, kabocha.  So I did some research and discovered that it is a variety of winter squash, often referred to as Japanese pumpkin.  Kabocha squash have a strong yet sweet flavor and a moist, fluffy texture.  Some liken their taste to a combination of pumpkin and sweet potato with chestnut overtones.

     Introduced to Japan by Portuguese sailors in 1541, they were brought there from Cambodia and given the Portuguese name Cambodia abobora, which the Japanese shortened to kabocha.  They have a knobby looking skin and are shaped like a squat pumpkin with a dull green finish and light striations.  The interior is an intense yellow/orange color.  Like other squash kabocha are used in many side dishes and soups.  They can be baked, steamed, pureed, chunked, mashed or braised and are rich in beta carotene and contain large amounts of iron, vitamin C and potassium.  Kabocha are grown in climates with a long growing season, world wide in countries like Japan, S. Korea, Thailand, Mexico, and New Zealand and statewide in California, Florida and sections of Colorado.

     They are available to harvest right now.  So celebrate Halloween with a Japanese pumpkin! 

As American as...

     It seems almost un-American to stop someone from baking an apple pie, so says the editorial staff at Food Network Magazine. But they reported that's exactly what happened when Atlantic City resident Sally Ball tried to enter her mom's recipe in the American Pie Council's National Pie Championship this year.

 

     Sally couldn't compete because an old New Jersey law considers cooking competitions to be illegal gambling (the entry fee is equal to placing a bet).  Jersey lawmakers heard about Sally's plight and the General Assembly voted to change the law in May.  Now it's up to the state Senate to vote and approve the new wording.  If all goes well the new legislation could be in place by the end of the year, just in time for the New Jersey bakers to enter holiday competitions.

The frost is on the sprout



     We had quite a heavy frost this morning.  That should not be surprising since it is late October.  As I looked out across my back field I couldn't help but think about how that frost was sweetening up the Brussels sprout harvest.  The little hardy, slow growing, long-season vegetables are now in season.

      The sprouts, first cultivated in Ancient Rome, still are very popular in Brussels, Belgium, hence their name.  And currently the Netherlands produce 82,000 metric tons of the small vegetable annually.  They are a part of the mustard family of crusiferae, those plants with a 4 part flower that forms in the shape of a cross.  As a part of the gemmifera group they are included with cabbages, collard greens, broccoli, kale, kohlrabi and cauliflower.

     There are some significant health benefits from eating the little cabbages.  They contain substantial amounts of vitamins A & C, folic acid and fiber.  They also have a chemical, sulforaphane, that is thought to have anti-cancer properties, specifically to protect against colon cancer.  Brussels sprouts also have cholesterol lowering benefits if consumed on a daily basis.  As a minimum to receive those health benefits they, or others in that group, a one and a half cup portion should be eaten 2-3 times a week.  But caution should be exercised for those on blood thinners to avoid the problem experienced by a man in the UK when he was hospitalized for an overdose.

     Brussels sprouts were introduced into our country in the 18th Century when French immigrants brought them to their new home in Louisiana.  California is the highest producer followed by Washington State's Skagit Valley and Long Island, NY.

     Here is my favorite way to serve the sprouts, pairing them with another fall harvest specialty:

Braised Brussels Sprouts

 

4 strips bacon, diced                                     2 Tbsp whole grain mustard

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, quartered               1 Fuji apples, cored and diced

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion                          4 Tbsp butter, diced

1/4 cup apple cider                                        2 Tbsp cider vinegar

                                      salt & freshly ground pepper

 

     Cook bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat until crisp, 7-10 minutes.  Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate, then increase the heat to high.  Add Brussels sprouts and onion to drippings and cook until sprouts begin to brown, about 5 minutes; season with salt.

 

     Deglaze the pan with apple cider, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.  Add mustard, cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook sprouts until nearly fork tender, 6 minutes.  Add diced apple, cover and cook until tender, 3 minutes.

 

     Stir in butter, vinegar, and bacon then season with salt & pepper.

 

 

recipe adapted from Cuisine at home magazine, Issue #92, April 2012, p. 43

Oh Boy, Savoy!

     Cabbage is the main ingredient for some of our favorite foods like coleslaw and sauerkraut.  But Savoy cabbage is different.  It's crinkly with veined leaves, looking like cabbage's elderly cousin, so says the Nutrition Action Newsletter.

     Savoy has a milder, sweeter taste and has no sulfury smell when cooked.  It's also less dense than green cabbage, so it's easier to cut, and its thinner leaves cook more quickly.  Its leaves are tender enough to eat raw in salads.  The good news is that right now it is in season.

      Just half a cup of cooked shredded leaves has 21% of a day's vitamin C, 13% of a day's vitamin A and 8% of a day's folate and all with only 20 calories.

     Not sure how to prepare it?  Here's a suggestion.  Stir-fry some sliced savoy in canola with garlic, ginger and scallions, then drizzle with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce.   

     Welcome to the cabbage patch, kids!

Trail Remix

    

     According to the September issue of Food Network Magazine the National Park Service has made some significant changes in their food choices.  They conceded that it didn't seem right to finish a hike along the Grand Canyon with a big plate of fries.  So this summer the NPS began overhauling menus and adding healthful options at more than 250 restaurants and snack bars across the country.

     So now at the Grand Canyon Village Deli all the fried foods are gone and have been replaced by strawberry and spinach salads, chicken wraps and pizzas with whole-wheat dough.  Some restaurants in Yosemite National Park are even serving kids' meals that include a salad or fresh fruit instead of the ever popular (and unhealthy) fries.

     Makes you want to go out and take a hike, doesn't it?

Hot Peaches

     Yesterday I mentioned the health benefits of fresh and canned peaches.  But have you ever tried to cook a peach?  They are excellent grilled and I've also enjoyed them roasted.  Roasted you say?  Well, yes!  Using my cast iron skillet (see VinnyPost "A Pan for All Seasons" March 27, 2012) I have followed this recipe from Fine Cooking magazine:

SUGAR ROASTED PEACHES

 Look for ripe but semi-firm peaches-if they’re too soft, they’ll lose their shape when you pit them.  Serve the peaches simply with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or a scoop of ice cream.

 

2 slices thick cut bacon                         Kosher salt and pepper

4 ripe peaches, halved & pitted           3 large sprigs of savory,

2 tsp raw sugar                                        thyme or rosemary

 

          Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 450F.  Cook the bacon in a 12” cast iron skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until crisp.  Remove bacon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.  Pour the bacon fat from the skillet into a small heatproof bowl, leaving a slick of fat in the skillet; you’ll need 4 tsp reserved fat.  (If you don’t have enough, make up the difference with EVOO.)  Raise the heat under the skillet to medium high.

          Sprinkle the cut sides of the peaches evenly with the sugar and a tiny pinch each of salt and pepper.  Arrange the peaches in the skillet cut side down and tuck the herbs around them.  Tear the bacon slices into quarters and tuck the pieces around the peaches.  Drizzle 2 tsp of the reserved bacon fat evenly over the peaches and let them cook undisturbed until the cut sides begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

          Sprinkle the uncut sides of the peaches with a tiny pinch of salt, then transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the peaches are just tender, about 10 minutes.

          Flip the peaches, drizzle with the remaining reserved bacon fat, and continue to roast until they’re tender but not falling apart, about 5 minutes more.  Enjoy the bacon as a cook’s treat.  Let the peaches cool slightly before serving.

 

Fine Cooking, August/September 2012, p. 78