April 30, 2008More from Doreen's kitchenIn today's column, I promised a few more recipes from Doreen Sidor's kitchen. Below the jump, you'll find those recipes for Artichoke and Green Beans Romano, Maui Onion Rings and Filet Mignon with Merlot-Butter Reduction Sauce. McCormick does it again
The blends come in three flavors: French onion, pepper and herb; Italian herb and cheese and garlic, lemon and rosemary. The blends are used for creating a tasty crust on chicken, fish, pork or beef. I pried mine open and took a wiff and it smelled pretty good. Since I've been covering food, I've noticed that the McCormick folks always seem to be riding the wave of the latest trend in spices. I know that's their job, but I have grown to appreciate the way they try to bring gourmet spice options to the grocery store at a fairly affordable price for everyday cooks. First, they had the smoked paprika everyone's using. Then, they introduced a line of gourmet salts and salt blends. I have some of their French grey salt and Mediterranean spiced sea salt in my cabinet at home. Panko is an extremely popular breading ingredient these days, so I'm not surprised to see this product. I do think that at 6.5 oz., the containers are a little small. How many chicken breasts do you suppose that'll coat? When I tasted a pinch of the Italian herb and cheese, I noticed that it is quite pungent. Perhaps one could mix the crusting blend with a little plain panko to stretch it further. If anyone tries one of these blends, please let us know what you think! April 29, 2008Breakfast in bed
It's less than two weeks before Mother's Day (Sunday, May 11), which means some of us need to start thinking about the best way to treat one of the special women in our lives. As an adult, it's fairly easy to send a card or flowers, call mom or take her out to a nice lunch or dinner. But as a child, it's a little bit harder to plan a wonderful day for Mom without a little help from Dad or another adult. And sometimes Dad might be a little short on ideas. For that reason, I was delighted to receive an e-mail lately from the Fruit and Veggie Guru that included simple recipes for delicious breakfast treats that kids can prepare for their mother on Mother's Day. It makes me wish I had made breakfast in bed for my mother at least once. I'm going to attach a recipe for strawberry breakfast pizzas. I'd love to hear from anyone out there who has a special food-related memory from Mother's Day, whether you were on the giving or the receiving end! April 28, 2008To glove or not, part II
Essentially, these regulations say that ready-to-eat food should never be handled with bare hands. That means raw food that will be eaten raw, such as a salad, and cooked foods that have already come out of the oven, such as a baked potato. The rules go on to state that cooks should limit their handling of any food with bare hands. Of course, nothing is that simple.
Weekend eats
Deb promised to make something this weekend and send me a picture of it for my Fridge Magnet Flickr page, which has lately been neglected. If you've got any great food pics, e-mail them to me at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com or join my Flickr group. This is rigatoni with chicken sausage and Parmesan cheese, served with a salad of asparagus, cherry tomatoes, crispy prosciutto, fresh basil and a lemon vinaigrette. That salad makes me drool. I passed up the barbecued chicken this weekend in favor of barbecued country-style pork ribs. I've lately been working on perfecting my country-style rib recipe and I think I'm there. One of my favorite things about this dish is the affordability. I fed about 10 friends on Saturday night with $15 worth of ribs, and nobody went hungry. I'll attach my recipe below. Someone asked for my red-skinned potato salad recipe, but I need to work on the ratios of ingredients. I'll pin that down and post that recipe later. April 25, 2008Happy Friday!Well, I finally picked a perfect day to take a vacation day -- it's warm, sunny and beautiful. Almost too hot to do all the yard work I'm getting ready to start, but beggars can't be choosers. April 24, 2008Some worthy linksI never got a call back from the Health Department today, so I can't update you on the glove-wearing rules in our parts. Such is the life of a reporter. As soon as I find out more, I will be sure to pass it on. All of you cooking show addicts out there need to check out this fun quiz. The creator photoshopped the famous chefs out of their kitchens and it's up to you to guess which picture belongs to which chef! After doing this quiz, you'll surely know whether you watch too much Food Network. Report back on your score. Steven Colbert fans might be amused by this video about the REAL battle in Philadelphia. And it isn't between Hillary and Barack. Attention chocaholics! On our new Salem community site, So Salem, you can find a recipe for cookie crumb truffles by Michele Carder at Michele's on Main. She also offers up a recipe for making homemade chocolate. Enjoy! To glove or not to glove?
Yesterday's Front Burner column featured a photograph of two culinary students stuffing Roma tomatoes with mushroom duxelles. An alert reader called me yesterday afternoon to ask me a question about that picture: Why aren't those students wearing gloves? It's the second time I've heard that question since I started covering the food beat. The last time, I shot a video of a man making cheesesteaks without gloves. Thinking back on Thursday's event, I'm pretty sure that some of the chefs did wear gloves while they prepared food. But more than half, I'm sure, did not. And since I've been hanging out with a lot of chefs over the past year or so, I've noticed it is not a practice that is always followed. This morning, I called up Robert Parker at the Virginia Department of Health to ask him whether chefs are supposed to wear gloves. My bet is that they aren't required to -- otherwise, why would so many of them choose to go without? "I think we're all starting to pay attention to that, and that's a good thing," Parker said. I wanted to have an answer for you all right now, but Parker wanted to check with the proper folks at the health department for an accurate response. As soon as I hear back from him, I'll be back with an update. Meanwhile, what do you think? Should chefs be required to wear gloves? I know there are a few chefs reading this blog, so I'd love for them to chime in and answer this question: What are the issues that need to be considered here, from your perspective? April 23, 2008Seven chefs = ideas galore
And for those of you who have, I'll bet you still didn't see the awesome audio slide show that was put together by photographer Stephanie Klein-Davis. Sometimes, we can read all day about great food, but it doesn't make the same kind of impact that a photo can. Hanging around the kitchen while seven talented chefs put together a ritzy dinner for almost 200 people was one of the coolest experiences I've had on this beat to date. It sure was hard to squeeze down all my notes into one story, though (and some of my colleagues would argue that at 40 inches, I didn't do a very ruthless job of squeezing). Here are a few highlights I didn't get to share: * Chef Brett McKee of Oak Steakhouse in Charleston, S.C. was a joy to encounter. It's a good thing I'm not offended by cursing, because McKee curses like a sailor. As a Roanoke College graduate myself, I was proud to see what a fellow alumnus has achieved. Check out his restaurant Web site and let me know if you get a chance to dine there before I do. * Chef Jeff Bland of U.S. Food Service introduced me to several easy, delicious hors d'oeuvres that would be a wonderful addition to anyone's next cocktail party. April 22, 2008Breakfast, chili, shortcakes...oh, yum
Olivia Byrd at Rockfish in Grandin Village sent out an e-mail today announcing that, beginning tomorrow, they will serve breakfast on Wednesday through Saturday mornings. This is in addition to their highly successful lunch and dinner service and the tasty Sunday brunch menu. The hours for breakfast are 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., and the menu will include fresh muffins, biscuits, egg dishes and espresso beverages. So if you live in the Grandin area and you've grown tired of microwaveable 7-Eleven fare, check out Rockfish. This would be a good time for me to also mention that Rockfish recently opened a wine shop beside the restaurant that is open Wednesday through Saturday until 6 p.m. I want to say that the shop sells more than just wine, but I haven't had a chance to pop in yet. In other food news, Roanoke's unofficial start to the summer season happens the weekend of May 3 when the Community School's 27th Annual Strawberry Festival and the 28th annual Virginia State Championship Chili Cook-off invade downtown. April 21, 2008Happy Birthday FM!
Correction: The Spinach-Artichoke Casserole should've included one large clove of garlic and two green onion tops, minced and sauteed in a dab of olive oil. It makes all the difference in the world. *** I've been so busy cooking, eating and writing that I never even noticed when the Fridge Magnet's first birthday came and went. March 26 was the big day. Happy birthday to the Fridge Magnet blog! Of course, I couldn't have made this little blog into anything without all the wonderful comments and advice from readers. We have some very talented home cooks and chefs in Southwest Virginia and I'm happy to provide at least one place for socializing and sharing. Some days have been better than others. While I've had my share of groggy Monday mornings with no motivation to write fresh, daily material on this blog (hence the random recipes), we've also fired up some great discussions on everything from buffalo wings to top restaurants to grilled cheese sandwiches. One thing is certain: I've learned a heck of a lot from you guys. I hope you've learned as much from me and your fellow blog readers. In honor of the one year anniversary, I'll share a quick, easy, delicious side dish recipe that I created last night to go with some barbecued country-style pork ribs. Did you cook up anything noteworthy this past weekend? If so, do share. April 18, 2008Winners!Ahhhhhh! Stop! We have three winners! BBQ weekend! Cookbook giveaway!Happy warm, sunny Friday! April 17, 2008Asparagus with garlicAs long as we're on the subject, I wanted to share a recipe I didn't have with me at my desk yesterday when I wrote the asparagus entry. This recipe originally came from my friend and co-worker, Natalee Waters. But like many recipes, this one traveled an unusual path. Natalee gave it to me, I gave it to my dad, I lost it and dad gave it back to me. Ha. I first tasted this when Natalee brought it to a cookout at my house. It has a wonderful Asian flair and it's a perfect dish for a potluck or a cookout because it can be eaten chilled or at room temperature. And it can be eaten with your fingers as described in yesterday's blog entry. Keep bringing on those great thoughts and recipes about this favorite veggie. April 16, 2008The age of asparagus
Anybody who has read Barbara Kingsolver's novel "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" probably remembers that asparagus is the first vegetable of spring. When those little shoots reach high for the sky, it's a sure sign that strawberries and blueberries and cucumbers are just around the corner. Not only is asparagus an early riser, but according to one of my favorite books, "Nature's Pharmacy," it is high in vitamins A and C as well as glutathione, which keeps eyes healthy by interfering with the formation of cataracts. In addition, asparagus is high in potassium and folates, so if you're thinking of getting pregnant or you're newly pregnant, eat up! Of course, all of these benefits are well and good if you love asparagus, which I do. But there are a significant number of people out there (my sister and mother included) who absolutely hate asparagus. I don't know how I could be related to them. April 15, 2008Remembering Lib
Tomorrow's Front Burner column pays tribute to a lady who had her fingers in a lot of different pies around Roanoke. I would say "literally," but Lib Wilhelm's granddaughter, Kristin Breakell, said her grandma wasn't much for baking. She sure did know a lot about other kinds of cooking, though. Lib, who died earlier this month at age 86, started catering out of her Roanoke home more than 40 decades ago. She didn't stop catering until she was in her early 80s. And in those early years, when her business was still getting started, she also worked at St. John's Episcopal Church, The Shenandoah Club and the Patrick Henry Hotel. But it didn't take long for Lib to gain a reputation for her professionalism and her food. Her most famous recipe, a spicy cheese slaw, has been shared around Roanoke for years and will run with tomorrow's story. She was also the first caterer to start serving made-to-order shrimp and grits at parties. April 14, 2008A source for heirloom tomato plants
Apparently, owner Bruce Feldberg noticed the rising popularity if heirloom and specialty tomato varieties in gardening magazines and on food shows and local plates. As a result, he has not 10 or 20 varieties for sale at his store, but 90!! Feldberg also has 40 different kinds of peppers, so head over and check those out, too. So far, my vegetable garden consist of two cherry tomato seedlings in paper cups that I got from a co-worker. I'd also like to get a few Better Boy plants, but my plot isn't quite ready for anything yet. I've also purchased some seeds for rainbow chard, yellow squash and zucchini. I guess I've got some work to do!
April 11, 2008Hallelujah: It's grilling time!
My husband would say that if it isn't raining, sleeting or snowing, it's ALWAYS grilling time. But let's face it -- it sure is a lot more enjoyable when the breeze is warm and the air smells like freshly cut grass (and whatever you're cooking). This season, you might want to try out a new product from the makers of Weber grills. I guess they figured that if they can make grills well, they might as well try making grilling spices. They've also got some powdered marinade mixes like the Southern Whiskey Marinade, which I assume will be sold with the other powdered seasoning mixes. Another neat addition to your grilling accessories this year is a cookbook called "The New Vegetarian Grill" by Andrea Chesman, which includes 250 recipes for meat-free grill dishes. I know it can seem a little odd to fire up the grill if you don't have a big, fat sirloin or some brats waiting in the fridge. But when I took a grilling class at Hotel Roanoke last year, I realized how many wonderful, meat-free dishes can be made on the grill. Even if you just want to cook a side dish along with the meat without heating up the stove, it's an option. April 10, 2008Cookbook winner...and a recipe found!
I wrote down the names of all the best entries on little slips of paper and had my co-worker, Stephanie Ogilvie, draw one from a basket. And the winner is........ Amy!! Amy, if you'll e-mail me your home address at lindsey.nair@roanoke.com, I'll put this book in the mail for you. Thanks to everybody who entered to win this time. The diner stories were awesome, from Marion's 50s diner in Augusta to Lori's honeymoon food at the Ohana diner in Hawaii. I also really enjoyed Greg's story about being a newlywed and a stranger to Maine, where he found a friendly place that served killer seafood chowder. What I wouldn't give for a bowl of that stuff today. Thanks, everyone! My desk is stacked high with cookbooks right now, so stay tuned for the next giveaway! Moving on, I wanted to address yesterday's blog entry about the missing recipe for peanut butter fingers. According to Whitney, the reader who was looking for the recipe, we have found a winner! April 9, 2008Tracking down a mystery recipeYesterday, I received an e-mail from blog reader Whitney, who has been craving a favorite treat from her childhood. Here's what Whitney had to say: Today I attended a wake and there on the dessert table were Peanut Butter Fingers...the exact same ones that the Salem schools used to serve every Friday on pizza day. Not only were they delicious but they took me way back (it's been many years since high school). I would love to have that recipe to make for my kids but I'm not having much luck searching online and the container they were in didn't have a name on it. Do you happen to have the recipe or could you point me in the right direction to possibly find it...and maybe the pizza recipe too? Well, I wrote Whitney back and asked her for a little more information about the dessert and her time in Salem schools. She said the fingers "looked like they were fixed in a sheet pan...they were flat and cut into small squares." The bottom of these dessert bars were peanut butter, chewy and made with oatmeal. The top was chocolatey, like icing. "I didn't enjoy school lunches much but I LOVED these. I was in Salem schools from 1980 to 1993 (which doesn't seem real to me somehow)," Whitney said. I found a similar recipe online, which I will attach below. But it calls for chocolate chips on top so it may not be the same. While I call Salem schools in an effort to track down this recipe, I thought I'd check with all of my wonderful readers to see if any of you remember a treat like these. Better yet, maybe one of you has the recipe! If you do, please be sure to let us know! April 8, 2008Smorgasbord!
It's one of those days when I have a bunch of little food news items to pass along. So, without further ado, here goes: 1. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts are at it again; dreaming up yet another crazy doughnut flavor combination. This time it's the Caribbean Kreme doughnut, which features "the intense flavors of freshly ripened tropical fruits." If that sounds good to you, keep reading: The new doughnut is filled with a blend of mango, pineapple and passion fruit and topped with white frosting and shortcake crunch. The KK company suggests that you pair the doughnut with their new Caribbean Kreme Chiller, a blend of pineapple, mango and orange flavors that can be ordered in the creamy version or a frozen fruit version. I'm guessing the latter is a bit healthier, and as soon as I hear back from the PR folks, I'll let you know. UPDATE: Boy, when I figured the creamy version would be more fattening than the fruity version, I never imagined just how big a difference there'd be. According to the Krispy Kreme spokeswoman, the fruity Chiller has 170 calories in the 12 oz. size and 280 calories in the 20 oz. size -- and 0 grams of fat in both. By comparison, the 12 oz. creamy version has 620 calories and 28 grams of fat, while the 20 oz. has 960 calories and 40 grams of fat. So if you're on a diet, choose the fruity one! April 7, 2008Food for thought
The Shannons make a living raising and selling pastured chickens, pork, turkeys and rabbits. They also sell chicken eggs and will be selling duck eggs this summer. I met with the Shannons for a local food project and they sold me the most delicious Thanksgiving turkey I've ever had. A little ways down in the newsletter, after the Shannons described their new products and their children's involvement in the farm (Sami is raising ducks for eggs and Natasha is starting her own little flock of Bourbon Red turkeys), they moved on to prices. Here's the part that made my heart sink: April 3, 2008Chicken and cattle and pigs, oh my!I spent much of the day on a farm in Pittsylvania County, so I'm just now checking back on the blog. April 2, 2008Cheeseheads come out of the woodwork!Sorry for the delay in approving comments between yesterday and today! I've had a couple of appointments that took me out of the office. 1. Consider serving grilled cheese with macaroni and cheese. Well, on my desert island (providing that nutrition isn't important), that would be my perfect meal. With cheesy puffs, of course. April 1, 2008The PERFECT grilled cheese sandwich! Even though this simple sandwich can consist of nothing more than bread, butter and cheese, I love it because it can be adapted with just about any other ingredient you want. Still, I think my very favorite version is always going to be the basic, three-cheese deluxe on whole grain bread. I made one last week and this is how it turned out (see photo below). If you're interested in my process, check below the jump for a pictorial demonstration. |
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