NRA 2012

Instead of my usual M.O. of following celebrity chefs, I decided to track the food just to see how many samples I could pass up. This would be a true test of will power which at this show has always gone straight out the window whenever I catch the first glimpse of a dessert.

This agenda also connected me to some very real people… Leslie Roark Scott, the self-appointed “Barbeque Princess” from Ubons BBQ and Rosario Gonzalez Toso, the charming vintner from Argentina’s Hacienda Del Plata. From two different world’s but both so passionate about their product.

I was amazed at the selection of food that was presented - everything from Boar sausage to spices,flavors and fruit bases to sparkling whatever it was.

Then to wash it all down with a pint-size Ghiradelli dark chocolate make everything…well… actually perfect.

Speaking of celebrity chefs…

The chefs from Rational and Barilla brought their A game to their kitchens again this year.

I was surprised to find Seasons of the Heart, a cooking school in Oaxaca, Mexico there. I have been thinking of going to this school for months now.

Susana Trilling has a class curriculum that includes visits to markets, bakeries, mezcal producers and other suppliers as well as a late night taco hunt. It’s the ideal place to go if you seriously want to perfect your Mexican cooking skills.

Appetizers…

There were so many Wisconsin cheesemakers there, I lost count as I turned the corner and stared down another pile of cheddar. The temptations were endless.

My favorite bite of the show came when I stopped at the Fermin booth. It was perhaps the best Iberico that I have ever had and I’ve had more than my share. Need to find out where I can buy Fermin in Chicago although the last time I saw one like this was at Publican Meats where it cashed in at just under $200 per pound.

Bring on the chicken...

Broaster Chicken is always a favorite of this show. What makes people stand in line just for a bite? The Broaster staff will tell you that “the chicken is placed inside a pressure fryer, designed to cook each individual piece of chicken "under pressure" in the chicken's own natural juices, limiting the absorption of cooking oil and driving the marinade deep down to the bone while searing the chicken with a golden, crispy-crunchy coating. “

Sauces…

From hot sauce to BBQ, I ran across the family at Ubon’s BBQ who uses their sauce to spice a Bloody Mary mix.

The result: AMAZING! This was the best bloody mix I’ve ever tasted and I tried it again this past weekend.

Out of Yazoo City, Mississippi, Leslie leaned to cook from her Pitmaster dad Garry and at age eighteen, was the first woman on the Memphis scene to win a Grand Champion title. In fact, she won the title three times.

Garry has taught many amateur grillers the art of cooking Memphis style, competition quality barbeque.

I am hoping to pick up a few dozen pointers when I join this fun loving group of chefs in Memphis this coming weekend at the World Championship. Stay tuned.

Internation Wine, Spirts and Beer Event…

Who didn’t love this event? From moonshine, to Hacineda Del Plata to that great taste of a cold beer or tequila beer.

I loved the Restaurant Pairing programs where Chefs worked with sommeliers, mixologists and brew masters to generate a wide range of tastes and flavors. Two of my favorite restaurants, Saigon Sisters and Zed 451, were participants.

I stumbled upon some out-of-the-ordinary stuff- although keeing with the popularity of SMASH- and a lucky parcel where my fortune read:

"You deserve a treat this month. Enjoy dessert."...

and I did have my choice of just about any indulgence that I wanted.

On my way out, I saw a cookbook that pretty much summed up the entire show for me.

Temptations? Guess I had better go back to chasing celebrity chefs.

Bon Appetit!

Road Food

The Greater Midwest Foodways Alliance put on a seminar this past weekend at Kendall College called Road Food: Exploring the Midwest One Bite At a Time.

Breakfast:

The Oatmeal was from Corner Café in Wakarusa, Indiana. It was so delicious and filling topped with raisins, brown sugar and honey. The recipe is in the Café Indiana Cookbook by Joanne Raetz, one of the speakers who touched on modern culinary traditions in the small-town café.

Here is my sister’s version of baked oatmeal which is almost identical.

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat in milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in dried cranberries. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Michael Stern:

Keynote speaker and road food expert having written more than forty books, Roadfood.com and is a regular contributing editor to Saveur magazine.

As I was sitting there listening to him, I was also leafing through his book 500 Things To Eat Before It’s Too Late which I had just purchased. This is a fascinating book on regional specialities and is so populated with photographs that I was starving by the time the lunch came.

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich:

Made by Chef Mitch Cavanah of Kendall College, this sandwich was so good and the thing I was craving the most after looking at Stern’s book.

Saveur actually did an article in their May, 2012 issue which detailed Iowa’s tenderloin sandwich bliss and the route through Iowa to get them.

Nice to know that Mr. Bibbs Tenderloins in Des Moines is only a weekend trip away when I get the craving again.

Regional Food:

All of the regional dishes that I’ve longed for, or maybe just the nostalgia of them, conjure up state fair competitions, drive ins and small town cafes.

Apple Fritter:

From Old Fashioned Donuts in Chicago…a new one to put on my list.

Beignets:

Where else but from Café du Monde in New Orleans. New Orleans is, in my estimation, is one of the best food cities on the planet.

Donut Bread Pudding:

Dottie’ Diner in Woodbuty, CT makes this once in a lifetime experience. I’ll be trying to recreate this one as soon as I master a batch of homemade cinnamon donuts.

Lobster Rolls and Shore Dinners:

While at the Kennebec River for some whitewater action, we had the most delicious fresh Maine lobster dinner ever. To this day, everytime we eat lobster, I fondly remember the spot.

Muffaletta:

Recipe straight from Central Grocery in New Orleans. Still perfecting ingredients but my olive relish is ready for sampling.

Pies:

Shoofly or Rubard and Strawberry, pie has been a mainstay for generatons with tarts being the darling of the dessert scene this year.

      From: Van's Pig Stand

BBQ Pork and Ribs:

From Van’s Pigstand in Shawnee, OK to the Rendezvous in Memphis, bring it on. I’ve eaten at a hundred BBQ spots from Memphis to Kansas City to Oklahoma and even here in Chicago and simply cannot get enough…especially now that it’s BBQ weather.

Drive Ins:

As they were talking about Drive Ins of the past, I was busy googling Porky’s in Minneapolis to see if my old hangout was still open. They served up the best people watching and onion rings ever.

Another Drive In come and gone. Porky’s closed so I guess I am back to making onion rings in my own kitchen.


Guinness Beer Battered Onion Rings

2 large Vidalia onions, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon California-style garlic pepper seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (12 oz.) bottle Guinness® Extra Stout Beer
4 cups canola oil

Separate sliced onions into rings, transfer to bowl and cover with buttermilk.

Combine 1 cup flour, garlic pepper and salt in bowl and stir to blend.

Combine 1 cup flour and beer in bowl and whisk to blend.

Heat oil in deep heavy pan or deep fryer to 350°F.

Working in small batches; remove onions from buttermilk and drain. Dredge in seasoned flour; shake excess. Dip in beer batter; drain excess.

Carefully lower onion rings, one at a time, into hot oil (do not overcrowd) and deep fry until golden brown, turning several times during frying with tongs. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Repeat process with remaining onion rings.

Season with salt, if desired. Serve hot.

Bon Appetit!

Easy Indulgences

Whenever I want an out -of –the- ordinary treat, here are some of the things I make because they are easy, fast and seriously delicious!
Bon Appetit!

Brioche BLT

Lunch: Nothing better on a leftover Brioche than a BLT with Avacado.

Ground Turkey

Grinding your own turkey makes a perfect turkey burger and better yet, you know exactly what you are getting in your burger.

Cheese Cookie

Getting My Cheese Fix: These are my favorite crisps when I’m in the mood for a little cheese fix.

Individual White Chocolate Tiramisu

I never liked Tiramisu until I tasted this one from Gerhards in Lake Forest. I never make this myself. Some things just cannot be duplicated. I’ve tried.

Got Lemons? Make Lemonade!

In this weather, Lemonade is the drink of choice. So simple to make fresh!

1 3/4 cups white sugar

8 cups water

1 1/2 cups lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup water. Bring to boil and stir to dissolve sugar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Remove seeds from lemon juice, but leave pulp.

In pitcher, stir together chilled syrup, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups water.

Truffle

Tomino is a traditional style of fresh, soft cow’s milk cheeses from the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. This one is a favorite  in olive oil with Italian truffles.

I’ve been known to serve this cheese without the truffles.

Guilty!

Banana Split Cake

Banana and chocolate cake, buttercream and chocolate frosting and a cherry.

This is as good as it gets…without the ice cream!

Growing Mint

Nothing else of mine is on the rise but my mint plant which is growing wild…just in time for a Mint Julip and the Kentucky Derby this weekend!

4 fresh mint sprigs
2 1/2 oz bourbon whiskey
1 tsp powdered sugar
2 tsp water

Muddle mint leaves, powdered sugar, and water in a collins glass. Fill the glass with shaved or crushed ice and add bourbon. Top with more ice and garnish with a mint sprig. Serve with a straw.

Grapefruit Drink

Breakfast Drink: A refreshing Grapefruit Izze in a glass rimmed with sugar. With or without the Vodka.

Baking

I have never been a baker. In fact, I grew up hating to bake because of the exact measurement thing.

Then I discovered Eastern Breadstone Bakery and that my Le Creuset French Oven was magic. Isn’t it great to find a magic pot?

About that time, I made the most incredible bread ever(Jim Lahey’s No Knead bread), and was convinced that I could bake anything…and maybe I can.

A good recipe and a whole lot of confidence goes a long way in any kitchen.

Bon Appetit!