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Making home cooks great cooks - "Kitchen Sense" by Mitchell Davis
Admired by the likes of Eric Ripert and Daniel Boulud for his ability to cook and write a book geared to the home cook, Mitchel Davis offers a vast array of recipes designed to make all home cooks great cooks in his new book "Kitchen Sense" Says Ripert (executive chef/co-owner of Le Bernardin),
"...Mitchell can cook--and extremely well. Recipes written by a great home cook make a difference. Mitchell understands your challenges probably better than a professional chef who has all the equipment of a professional kitchen."
Loaded with preparation, storage, and leftover tips this is a cookbook destined to be a classic. And, as a special treat, Davis's recipe for Strawberry Shortcake--a summer classic--appears below.
Kitchen Sense: More than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook by Mitchell Davis | at ecookbooks.com
Strawberry Shortcake
No dessert says summer has arrived to me as much as this Southern classic of warm biscuit shortcakes topped with ripe strawberries and whipped cream. For added flavor, brush the shortcakes or toss them with a little herbed syrup. You can easily double or triple the recipe, as needed.
Makes 4 servings.
For the Shortcake
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 tablespoon lard, vegetable shortening, or additional butter, chilled
1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk, plus a little extra for glazing
For the Topping
1 pint ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1 to 3 tablespoons strawberry jam
Preheat the over to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
To make the shortcakes, in a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter and lard so the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add 1/ 3 cup of the buttermilk and mix with a fork just until the mixture comes together into a moist dough, adding more milk if necessary to make it cohere. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough by folding it over onto itself three or four times until it coheres and is smooth. Do not overwork it. Pinch off about one fourth of the dough and gently and quickly pat and coax it into a disk about 3/4 inch thick. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough to make four cakes. Place the pan in the refrigerator so the shortening can rest while you prepare the topping.
In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries with the sugar and lemon juice and set aside to macerate. In another bowl, using either an electric mixer or a wire whisk, beat the heavy cream until it begins to thicken. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar and continue beating until the cream is stiff enough to hold its shape when you lift the beaters. Chill the whipped cream until ready to use.
Remove the short cakes from the refrigerator. Brush the tops with some buttermilk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 8 minutes, until they have risen and browned, on both top and bottom. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
When the shortcakes are cool enough to handle but still warm, carefully slice off the tops (don't worry if they break; just keep the pieces together). Place the bottoms on serving plates. Spread the jam on the bottoms, top with some strawberries, spoon on some whipped cream, top with a few more strawberries, and drizzle some of the strawberry juice from the bowl on top of that. Place the tops askew on the shortcakes and serve quickly.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes (includes cooling time)
Advance Prep: You can prepare the dough and shape the shortcakes up to an hour or two in advance.
Variations:
Peach Shortcake
Follow the same recipe, substituting 4 very ripe peaches, peeled and diced, for the strawberries and 1 tablespoon bourbon for the lemon juice. Also, use peach or apricot jam instead of strawberry jam.
Herbed Strawberry Shortcake
Omit the sugar and lemon juice from the topping and toss the berries with 1 or 2 tablespoons of lavender, rosemary, or bay syrup instead. Brush the slit shortcakes with the same syrup before spreading the jam and assembling the shortcakes as directed.
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Copyright 2006 by Michell Davis. Recipe reprinted from Kitchen Sense: More than 600 Recipes to Make You a Great Home Cook with permission of Random House.
June 28, 2006 in Cookbooks | Permalink | Comments (0)
Daily wine deals now at Woot Wine
Online gadget retailer, "one day, one deal" Woot, has started a new deal site for wines at Wine Woot, where wine lovers will find a weekly wine selection at a deal. Seems like Woot fans started requesting more wine deals after Woot previously offered a Rinfrescante for sale. Plus, the fun of Woot is participating in its online community discussion about its daily deals, which Woot feels is similar to the diversity of opinion in the wine world. [via Springwise]
"Gadgeteers and oenophiles alike have strong opinions, so we let them sound off in our community forums. And because winemakers make marketing predictions far in advance of product release – just like electronics manufacturers – wine inventory is equally subject to overstock, excess, and end-of-life opportunities." - Woot
Shop: Wine Woot
June 27, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Wedding Cupcakes by Leda
Cupcakes are so popular these days, they've even crashed the scene at weddings. This wedding cupcake design is by Leda's Bake Shop in Sherman Oaks, California. They also do traditional cake designs too. According to ohjoy!, Christine of Maganda, tried all of the cupcake shops in Los Angeles before choosing Leda's for her wedding.
June 23, 2006 in Desserts & Other Sweets, Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (3)
Plymouth Gin bounces back with a new bottle design
Gin is finally making a belated comeback after spending years in the doldrums following the emergence of Vodka as the drink of choice, and the Martini craze has helped fuel the revival. The history of the cocktail dates back to 1896 when gin was used in the original Dry Martini recipe. One particular Gin looking to benefit from this revival is Plymouth Gin from England, that dates back to 1793, and that is widely considered one of the smoothest gins around according to the experts and certainly by this writer.
The secret of this gin according to Master Distiller Sean Harrison is balance. “One ingredient should never empower the others. Plymouth Gin is the perfect balance of seven botanicals made from the soft pure waters of Dartmoor, making it noticeably the smoothest gin in the world.” It retails for about $25 per bottle, and according to Harrison, there is no reason at all to pay more than that for a bottle of Gin, but if you want to pay $50 for the Tanqueray for example, that is up to you.
The Art Deco inspired decanter style reflects the gin heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, when Plymouth in was featured in 27 different recipes in the London Savoy Cocktail Book. Plymouth Gin is already being embraced by some of the top bartenders and mixologists in Hollywood, including Peter Birmingham from Norman’s on Sunset, and at the Hungry Cat restaurant.
link: Plymouth Gin
Cocktail Tips
The Gin-Ger Tom created 2001 at the LAB Bar in London
2oz Plymouth Gin
1oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Dash of syrup or sugar
Ginger Beer
Add ingredients to a high ball glass filled with ice and top with Ginger Beer
Plymouth Navigator
1oz Plymouth Gin
½oz Limoncello
¼oz Fresh Pink Grapefruit Juice
To a shaker filled with ice add Plymouth gin, limoncello and grapefruit juice. Shake well and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with lemon zest
link: Plymouth Gin
June 21, 2006 in Spirits | Permalink | Comments (1)
Quick Caffeine Fix with JavaJuice
Brand new JavaJuice is a single serve pouch of coffed concentrate where all you need to do is add water. There you have it - no grinding, no waiting, and no fuss - and you'll have a cup of coffee made to your taste, hot or cold. [via Coolhunting]
Java Juice® is 100% liquid organic coffee extract made in the USA from the finest Arabica coffee beans. Java Juice® contains no chemicals, or preservatives. It is fairly traded, kosher, shade-grown and 100% organic.
Order directly online from JavaJuice.
June 21, 2006 in Coffee & Espresso | Permalink | Comments (0)
Sun WineFest at the Mohegan Sun Casino
Although the Mohegan Sun Casino and Hotel in Connecticut is not quite as big as the nearby Foxwood Casino, it is an impressive looking design, and expansive enough inside to spend a few days there and still get lost. A good time to go is mid-January for the Sun WineFest, a food and wine festival where chefs from the area and nearby Boston take center stage for a three day gourmet festival. Many of the chefs host their own restaurants in the casino including celebrity chef Todd English, whose latest venture is Tuscany, and Jasper White.
Leonardo LoCascia of Winebow hosted a fascinating seminar on the wines of Southern Italy, and Michael Martini of Louis M. Martini Winery showed how certain Cabernet Sauvignon wines are a perfect match with chocolates. LoCascio is probably the leading expert on Italian wines in the USA, and his passion is to alert wine lovers about some of the hidden gems to be found in Southern Italy, not just the popular wines of the Tuscany region.
The seminars which cost extra, are held in separate rooms from the main arena, and are always well attended, with of course, lots of wine. The main events are the Grand Tasting which is held in the main ballroom on the Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm, where over 1,000 wines from all over the world can be sampled. Tickets for the Grand Tasting cost $55 per day or $85 for a weekend pass.
The 2007 Sun WineFest will take place on January 19-21, 2007. Visit the official Sun WineFest for details.
June 13, 2006 in Gourmet Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
Refreshing energy drinks by Hiball
Mix your favorite alcohol with a naturally-flavored Hiball Energy Drink for a refreshing start to a summer evening or afternoon BBQ. Get a start with these cocktails with Ketel One. If anything, try a Hiball just because the bottle design looks too cool.
link: Hiball Website
June 12, 2006 in New Food Trends | Permalink | Comments (0)
Enjoying Father's Day...
Planning on relaxing with dad on Father's Day? Epicurious.com has some great ideas for gear, brews, wine, and food for Father's Day. Even some party tips from Bobby Flay, too.
Father's Day Ideas | Epicurious.com
June 12, 2006 in Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)
Moraine Lake Lodge - a Jewel in the Canadian Rockies
Today, Michael Hepworth joins us to launch our gourmet travel section, and starts with a recent trip he took to Moraine Lake Lodge in Banff National Park nestled in the Canadian Rockies.
The 125 mile drive from Calgary Airport to the Lake Louise area in Alberta, Canada, is one of the nicest you will ever experience, ending up at the famous lake that attracts tourists from all over the world. If you are really into amazing scenery and are based in Vancouver, then the 560 mile drive will take you through mountain terrain that may necessitate slower driving. Located in Banff National Park and Yoho National Park, the Lake Louise area really is one of the most breathtaking spots in the world, and a must visit if you have never been to the region. However I have discovered a lodge in the area that is a little off the beaten track called Moraine Lake Lodge, but well worth checking out.
I was there in late September last year which is the best time to visit in my opinion, and it was already started to snow, and very cold at night, but boy was the air fresh. Visitor numbers also start to fall dramatically this time of year, but you have to be careful about the Elk, as it is their mating season and they can be very unpredictable. For those who like to hike, this is a perfect spot located 15 miles from Lake Louise, and the lodge overlooks the lake that many call the Jewel of the Rockies. Since it is a family owned lodge and only open about 5 months a year, I suggest you book quickly and see what a magical place it is with the turquoise water that you expect from lakes in this beautiful part of the world.
There are three naturalists on call at Moraine Lodge with two guided hikes that are complimentary to the guests, and every evening there is a lecture in the library on various aspects of Banff National Park with complimentary wine served. Canoe rentals are also available free of charge for guests of Moraine Lodge, and there is free coffee every morning, and free tea, coffee and pastries every afternoon for guests.
They also have a brand new lodge that opened last year called Cathedral Lodge, and since both lodges are completely self sufficient. That means alpine water out of the taps, a waste management system that does not pollute the area, and a keen staff who are only there to help. Moraine Lake also has a top class restaurant if you are unwilling to drive into Banff or Lake Louise for lunch or dinner.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the restaurant that offers a spectacular view of the lake, and with an emphasis on Northwestern cuisine, which means lots of salmon. Canadian wines are served almost pretty exclusively up here, and dinner usually runs to three courses. Breakfast is a good idea if you are planning to spend the day hiking, as it will set you up pretty good for the rest of the day in the 6300 ft altitude, which can be very taxing if you are not that used to it.
Fact Sheet
Moraine Lake www.morainelake.com
Email: info@morainelake.com
Cathedral Lake www.cathedralmountain.com
Email: info@cathedralmountain.com
June 8, 2006 in Gourmet Travel | Permalink | Comments (0)
Saving the environment by French Rabbit
By using recyclable packaging by TetraPak, French Rabbit is bringing a unique branding experience to your local supermarket shelves with these one liter (instead of the standard 750ml glass bottle) containers. Initially launched in Ontario, Canada in 2005, French Rabbit sold half their annual sales goal after just two weeks on the shelves. Four varietals from the Languedoc Roussillon region of France are available - Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot at $9.99 retail.
Some ecological benefits of the Tetra Prisma packaging includes arriving at the bottling plant folded flat, saving on shipping weight compared to glass, protection from sunlight, and can be resealed with its screw top after squeezing out excess air. Also cools faster than wine in a bottle.
June 8, 2006 in All Things Wine | Permalink | Comments (0)
Blacksteel Raises the Bar in Hollywood
The latest up and coming hot spot to open in Hollywood is called Blacksteel, and the driving force behind the serious work being done in the kitchen is chef Jason Harley, a.k.a. Chef J. This is a guy who knows how to work a room. Located on Hollywood Boulevard, Blacksteel is a little difficult to spot cruising by, but it is right next to the trendy Bella Cucina Restaurant on the corner of Las Palmas. The hustle and bustle and noise of Hollywood Boulevard can be slightly disconcerting, but once you are inside Blacksteel, Chef J will be working his butt off to take you on a culinary journey.
The prices are quite high by Hollywood standards, but for serious gourmands they will find it a welcome addition to the scene. The tasting menu is the way to go, but the A La Carte menu will be a good way to go if the budget is more conservative. The chef abhors the use of cream in his cooking, and this is a place you can eat a fair amount of food, and walk away not feeling bloated.
Chef J is a hands on chef, which is no surprise since he is a part owner along with partner Gonzalo Nieto, a tax attorney well known in the restaurant industry. Pamela Anderson is also listed as a partner or investor, and her immediate contribution is “Pam’s Vegetarian Menu.” The interior design is reminiscent of a New York loft, very industrial with high ceilings, and there is a great looking open kitchen with a very expensive (try $500,000) center island cooking range from France, with a preparation system that utilizes blacksteel pots and pans. The open kitchen allows diners to hear Chef J cajoling and pushing his hard working brigade, and it comes as no surprise that the turnover in the kitchen since opening day has been very high, with many of his staff getting the boot.
The service at Blacksteel is very quick and professional, and as soon as you settle down in the extremely comfortable black steel studded chairs, hot fresh crusty bread from the kitchen is served with either a lobster bisque or French Onion soup done Miso style. Both soups were served piping hot, with the lobster tasting just right.
The crab cakes come three on a plate, served very hot and extremely succulent with a jalapeno ponzi aioli and roasted sansho pepper carrot slaw. They are probably as good as you are going to get in Hollywood, as is the three-tier fried egg plant dish, not an obvious choice for a restaurant like this.
Blacksteel also has a sushi bar right on the premises which classifies the restaurant as Classic French with light Japanese preparations. This comes to fore in such dishes as the Kobe Beef, beautifully prepared with quite a heavy truffled soy béarnaise, three cheese potato gratin, tiny tomatoes and fresh asparagus.
The separate portions were not too large, and the Kobe is one of four main course choices on the tasting menu, and the other one I had a taste of from my partners plate was the Broiled Maui Lobster Tails, cut in small pieces and prepared with lemon, garlic, tomato basil and crispy shallots. It tasted so good, and no wonder, because it had been swimming about in the ocean in Maui only 12 hours previously, hence the reason for the high price tag. People will pay decent money for top quality food in this town no doubt; a restaurant owner/chef just has to ensure that there are enough of them on a consistent basis.
Desserts are outstanding here, especially the Passion Fruit Crème Brulee, or the delectable Double Rubble Chocolate Mousse Cake served with a Raspberry Tamarind Compote and Raspberry Sauce.
Fact Sheet
Blacksteel
6683 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
323.469.3456
Valet Parking $8
www.blacksteel.tv
Tasting Menu - 6 courses $100
June 7, 2006 in Restaurant News | Permalink | Comments (0)
Black & White Missoni Dinnerware
Black and white is all the rage this season, and here's Missoni's retro take for their dinnerware line. Stay in style this summer - go black and white. Available at Neiman Marcus, ranging from $22-44 per piece. [via design*sponge]
June 1, 2006 in Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (0)
Accent your tabletop with Karim Rashid
Bring a modern twist to your summer entertaining with table top designs from Karim Rashid. His Happy People lead-free crystals are a beautiful way to serve summer wines and margaritas. The unique designs serve dual functions - for instance, invert the margarita glass and you have a shot glass. New for 2006 are his Kari Ari Arim Rim candlesticks that also function as bud glasses. So dress up your summer parties with Karim Rashid.
Happy People Glasses | starting at $85 at Unica
Kari Ari Arim Rim Candlesticks | $215/pair at RetroModern
June 1, 2006 in Parties & Entertaining | Permalink | Comments (1)
