Blast from the Past

Last month, one of my friends planned a wonderful surprise party for her husband's 60th birthday and asked me to create the food for the festivities. When she talked with me about menu possibilities, she mentioned a 60's theme. Growing up in the 60's, I remember my folks hosting many dinner parties which often included jello salad. Long out of vogue on the culinary scene, I picked up my Mom's recipe box to seek a colorful "blast from the past".

Nothing like a tasty walk down memory lane! As I thumbed through the recipes, I came upon the perfect offering. The recipe card was simply called "Orange Salad", but the description could read "Mandarin Orange Salad with Chiffon Icing". Voila - the salad was resurrected to see the 21st century.

The menu for Dave's party included classics like shrimp cocktail, herb dip with crudite, beef stroganoff with poppyseed noodles, and German chocolate cake. I also made a red velvet cheesecake (so good!) and of course, the mandarin orange salad. The birthday party was a great success as Dave was indeed surprised and the guests had an enjoyable time. As for me, I think the Mandarin Orange Salad will be on a menu at my house real soon. In case you want a blast from the past, I've included the menu below.

Mandarin Orange Salad

1 large box orange jello
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 pint orange sherbet (I used the no sugar added version)
2 cans Mandarin oranges
1 small can crushed pineapple (undrained)

Dissolve jello in boiling water. Add the sherbet and mix until melted and dissolved. Drain juice from oranges and add 1/2 cup orange juice to jello mixture. Add pienapple and oranges. Pour into a jello mold or a 8 x 11 dish. Chill until firm.

Topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons flour
1 large egg, beaten
1 package Dream Whip
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cook the sugar, butter, pineapple juice, flour and egg together over medium low heat until thick. Allow to cool. Once sauce is cooled, mix the Dream Whip with milk and vanilla as directed and fold into the sauce. Spread on top of the firm jello layer and then chill until serving.

Merry Christmas!

It’s Christmas Day! Finally my work is done for a few days and I can relax with my family, cook some good food, watch It’s a Wonderful Life, and enjoy the gift of Christmas. It’s especially time to reflect on the gift of Jesus that was given to the world so many years ago. His unconditional love and grace make up for all my wrong choices, large and small. He also gives me peace and his joy in spite of any circumstances or issues.

I heard a sermon recently that talked about being ungrateful. No one every thinks they fall into this category. As I think about my life, there are times when I know I have been ungrateful, even if it was for something as simple as forgetting to say thank you to someone for their kindness. This day and every day, remember to be grateful for life, family, friends, meaningful work, health, and healing. Most of all, for grace.

Holiday Parties and the Chef

Ho Ho Ho. Yes, it's that time of year again. The time when we celebrate the birth of Christ, Hannakah, and other festivities. Celebrations, parties, food, friends, and stress. I decided to let myself off the hook this year and not feel guilty that I don't have time to send out holiday cards (again), personal or business. Whew, that's a relief!


In the chef world, it's always interesting when people don't plan ahead when they want a holiday event. They don't understand why they can't find an in-home chef on Monday when they want to have a party for 100 on Saturday. Even "light appetizers" for 100 is a mountain of work. You must also hire people to help you prepare the food and serve it. Not to mention that I have been booked well ahead for almost all December weekend dates, as have my other chef colleagues & servers who excel at doing parties. In this uncertain economy, people are waiting longer to arrange an event to be sure they want to and can spend the money. Can't blame them for that. But the good ones are usually already booked.


And then there are folks who want to pay a very minimum amount for a 4 - 6 course beef tenderloin dinner. What goes into any dinner party is a great deal of work, way more than meets the eye. Menu development, client meetings (in person and by e-mail), writing up the prep list and contract, food shopping, loading & unloading my car, driving to the client location, executing the party (food, service, clean up), and finally heading home to plop into bed. Much of this work occurs before I get to the client location so it is not seen. I can't do all that to take home just $100 for hours and hours of my time. Credentials and experience should mean something. I am certified, insured, have a culinary degree, know how to handle food safely, and darn it, my food is really good. If a potential client can find a chef who will cut them a "deal" and work for almost nothing, more power to them and shame on the chef. Chefs who conduct their business in this way tarnish what we do.

As I cruise into the middle of this crazy holiday time, I am truly thankful for the passion I have for my work. I am so thankful for my clients who appreciate my food and the care that goes into it, and who are willing to pay a fair rate for it. I have met some of the most amazing people in this industry who work so hard serving others because they love it.

In the spirit of the holidays, here is a great little recipe for a quick, easy appetizer that you can make ahead, freeze, and pull out to bake at a moments notice. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and may you have the love of friends and family surround you this season.


Artichoke Parmesan Cups

20 ounces (more or less) marinated artichokes, drained (reserve marinade)
3/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste
2 boxes (15 per box) frozen Phyllo cups


Combine the artichokes, 1/2 cup of cheese, garlic and cayenne in the bowl of a food processor. Process until relatively smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the mixture is too thick, use a teaspoon or so of the reserved marinade to loosen the filling. It should not be runny.


Using a small scoop or a teaspoon, fill the phyllo cups to the brim. Top with a garnish of the remaining parmesan. Bake at 375 for 10 - 12 minutes, until the cups are slightly browned around the edges. Serve immediately!

What a Saint

I wasn't sure at first why the lady was carrying this large dog into the vet's office. Dogs usually go in on a leash and my first thought was, well, she had forgotten it at home. When I got to the front door with my dog and started in, they were right inside the door at the reception counter. It was a very busy place. The cute teenage daughter was knelt down, holding & petting the dog while the Mom talked with the receptionist. We gave our name and then Petey and I sat down to the left of the counter, away from the business at the front.

It was then that I saw it. I had only seen that devistating look before on a television "animal cops" program. It was was past heartbreaking and the more I looked, the more I began to wish I knew who had done this so I could report them. This was a crime of the worst type: neglect. She had such a pretty black and white face, and a sweet, calm demeanor. In spite of the extreme physical condition, with ribs sticking way out on her large mostly white frame, she still was a pleasant girl. The Mom explained that the dog showed up a the end of their driveway. She was almost unable to walk anymore, she was so weak. The teenage daughter called her Calli, since no name was written on the collar. To say Calli was emaciated is an understatement. Skin and bone. What type of person would allow this beautiful, sweet dog to become a skeleton with fur?

My vets were kind as usual, and carried her back to the exam room. I talked with the Mom and gave her my e-mail address, asking if she would let me know the outcome of the visit. An e-mail later that day confirmed the worst....Calli was in renal failure, which is not reversable. They were hoping for better news; another sweet, innocent doggie life lost. The good part? That someone cared enough to make a difference, to show her daughter that taking time to give yourself to something worthy is the right way. May God bless Calli and the family who showed her unconditional love in her last days.

Divine Doughnuts

I haven't met many doughnuts I didn't like. As a child, I can remember trips to the local bakery with my Mom. The sweet, inviting smells were eclipsed by the difficulty of choosing just one doughnut to enjoy. As I write, doughnuts of days past flood my mind, especially the unforgettable peanut butter & chocolate doughnut from Concannon's Bakery. Back in the mid 80's when I lived in Muncie, Indiana, it was a special treat to bite into one of their cinnamon swirl doughnuts topped with thick peanut butter icing and a dollop of chocolate. Ahhhh. Food memories are some of the best.


Recently I taught a doughnut class at a local Cooks Warehouse store. The hardest part about developing the class was deciding which four doughnuts should go on the menu. Wanting to showcase different types of dough, I chose the Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut, a Ginger Cream-filled Doughnut, a Maple Glazed Bar, and the cinnamon-sugar Churro with a Chocolate dipping sauce. These represent three doughs - leavened dough, yeast dough and a pate a choux dough. Each is fantastic in their own right. It just depends on your mood and how much time you have available to create the perfect bite. The churros were especially light and tasty and the ginger cream was to die for, but being a cake doughnut fiend, I just can't get past a fresh, homemade Buttermilk doughnut.

This past week I spent a few days in New Orleans with some chef friends, home of the infamous powdered sugar-coated beignet. It simply wouldn't be right to make a trip to the French Quarter without diving into a plate of piping hot beignets and a cup of cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. What a delightful way to start your morning, sitting at an outside table on a cool day, noshing on these little beauties. It's like the potoato chip in that you can't eat just one.


In honor of the humble yet delicious doughnut, here is a recipe that's sure to please. It's from Elinor Krivens book called "Donuts", a tasty little collection of several types of doughnut recipes, fillings, and dipping sauces.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
Canola or peanut oil for frying
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Method:
Sift together the dry ingredients in alarge bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and sugar together with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy and pale in color. Add the buttermilk, butter, and vanilla, and the beat until well blended.

Add the flour mixutre and beat on low speed just until the mixture comes together in a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches into a deep fryer or large saute pan. Warm the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 360 F.

To roll out the doughnuts, generously flour your clean work surface. Using a rolling pin or with your hands, roll or pat out the dough int a 10-inch circle about 1/2-inch thick. With a 3-inch round doughnut cutter, cut out as many doughnuts as possible, keeping the cuts as close together as possible. Gather up the dough scraps and repeat rolling and cutting. If you don't have a doughnut cutter, use one small and one large cutter.

Carefully lower 2 - 4 doughnuts or holes into the hot oil. Avoid crowding the pan or fryer. Fry until dark golden in color, about 1-1/2 minutes. Turn over and cook until dark golden on the other side, about 1 minute. Transfer the doughnuts to the towel-lined baking sheet and continue frying the remaining doughnuts and holes, allowing the oil to return to the starting temperature of 360 F between batches.

Using a small fine sieve or sifter, dust generously with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately. These are always best enjoyed the same day they are made.

Luscious Lavender

Lavender. Nothing has a more relaxing, alluring fragrance. So many know the aroma but not the taste of this bud. I discovered lavender several years ago when I happened on a Lavender, Honey & Balsamic Roasted Chicken recipe. It was, and still is, hauntingly delicious. Another favorite lavender recipe is Lavender Lemonade. It has a beautiful rosy pink color and a refreshing sweet flavor, particularly endearing on a hot summer afternoon.

Recently I taught a class entitled Lemons and Lavender. These two of my favorite flavors compliment each other very well in both sweet and savory recipes. Many of the guests who attended the class mentioned that lavender was previously uncharted food territory for them. I love it in pound cake or cupcakes, ice cream, chicken and so many other dishes. One book with several interesting recipes is The Lavender Cookbook by Sharon Shipley. But my most favorite lavender recipe of all comes from my Canadian personal chef friend Tim Stewart. It's a simple butter cookie with lavender and is sublime with tea. It's also an unexpected treat in a gift bag for a special friend. Try lavender (be sure it's culinary grade) for more than just a sachet....you'll be happy you did! Be careful not to overdo the amount specified in a recipe, as a little can go a long way.

Lavender Cookies
(adapted from Chef Tim Stewart)

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds (culinary grade), rough chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F. Place butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. With a hand mixer, cream together until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and then mix until absorbed. Combine the flour and salt and then add in two batches, mixing just until combined. Fold in the lavender.

Using a small scoop or two teaspoons, place a teaspoon full of batter on a silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes until browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on a wire rack.
Yield: about 32 cookies

Fruits of My Labor

This weekend is Labor Day. The end of summer fun. The start of school and football season. The lazy hot, humid days of Hotlanta's summer will soon be replaced by crisp, comfortable Fall mornings and beautiful days with blue skies. But what is Labor Day? It was first celebrated on Septemeber 5, 1882. Many web references say that Labor Day was to celebrate the strength and spirit of trade and labor organizations. Today it is more about rest and fun, a long weekend with the last dives at the swimming pool and having a cook out or barbeque with your friends.

I think that on this Labor Day, I will reflect on and be thankful for the work that I do. God gave me a passion for food and serving others through it. He also gave me a way to change careers, attend culinary school, and start my own business. With so many folks unable to make ends meet and/or find jobs, I am truly thankful for my vocation. I don't know who originally said it, but if you do what you love, you will love what you do. So true. This Labor Day, be thankful for your passions and if they are your labor as well, realize that you are blessed.