First they came for the foie gras.

Now, the self-appointed police of all things have decided to attack…salt. Yes, salt. That mainstay of cooking, that critical ingredient to every baker on the planet, and flavor enhancer to every dish that comes out of a kitchen, professional or otherwise.

Brooklyn Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, potentially the most unintelligent man related to food (or government) in any form, proposes in bill A. 10129 that “No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food for consumption by customers of such restaurant, including food prepared to be consumed on the premises of such restaurant or off of such premises.”

Mr. Ortiz is single-handedly trying to destroy the restaurant industry by “acting for the public good.” I won’t even get into what he’s trying to do to our palates.

What Mr. Ortiz fails to understand is that salt is an essential component of cooking and flavor enhancement. In baking, it is a chemical necessity. But such things are irrelevant to legislators of his ilk, who are trying to save us from ourselves. Alas, this is simply the latest in the government’s attempt to tell us what we can’t do, and to regulate our health by means of being an evil Nanny.

Chefs are rightfully up in arms, but it is we, the people, who need to take action. Many will shake their heads and wonder why the government is doing such a thing, but then they’ll go back to working 60-hour weeks and forget that our lives and liberties are eroding before our very eyes, as we anxiously await the next episode of Desperate Housewives.

We have become so lazy and complacent as a culture that the government now finds it appropriate to introduce such measures, so the blame rests solidly on our shoulders. We did this. And we are the only ones who can undo it. Lest you think I’m being hyperbolic, I encourage you to brush up on American history, and pay attention to the evolution of the Nanny State.

If you are outraged by the actions of Mr. Ortiz — and I hope you are, I encourage you to start writing, start calling, and let the New York State legislature know that this bill is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars, but an infringement on our rights of the most insidious nature.

Now, some of you might say “but too much salt is unhealthy!” I have news for you: Firstly, if a chef is using that much salt, he isn’t going to be in business for long, because his guests won’t eat his food. It won’t taste good. Secondly, too much of anything is unhealthy, and that’s where we come in: We are the ones consuming, so we must pay attention to what’s going in our mouths. Eat too much salt over a lifetime and it may have adverse effects — but we are the ones holding the fork.

If the idea of the government rationing your food makes you bristle, recognize that much worse measures are not far away. Unless we act now. A coalition called My Food, My Choice has gotten together to fight such inanities — I’m signing up right this minute.

New York State Assembly (look up your assemblyman): http://assembly.state.ny.us/

Felix Ortiz
E-mail contact

District Office
404 55th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220
718-492-6334

Albany Office
LOB 627
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-3821

Do you hear that? The first birds have come out of hiding, and their gentle melodies offer a counterpoint to the drip, drip, drip of melting snow. That means we are almost to the end of what feels like the longest winter in history. Those first few 50-degree days are a vicious tease, however, because we know they aren’t yet here to stay.

My palate gets a little bit excited when this happens, as the yearning commences for the baby vegetables of spring, and the vivid hues of new flowers in bloom. And yet we must wait just a bit longer. Needless to say, I’m firing up the grill today, because I simply must have a taste of meat cooked on the fire to soothe my inner cavewoman.

What do you crave on a day like today? Is spring tickling your tongue? The other night I unabashedly ate 3 bowls of salad because the crunch compelled me to keep going back for more.

What meal do you most look forward to in the coming warmer days?

I’ve just received the first set of menu ideas from the Roger Smith Hotel chefs for my Sex on a Plate event, and as I review the flavor profiles, my mental mouth is hard at work to determine what I think will work, and what I might like to tweak. So I thought this was a good time to talk more in depth about this phrase to which I’m constantly referring.

When I talk about the “mental mouth,” I mean your little inner chef, who goes to work when you are hungry, or are planning a meal. He’s the one who calls to you when you’re craving something like honey-roasted figs stuffed with whipped blue cheese and pine nuts, or who takes stock of your fridge’s ingredients and says, “We’re having a Gruyere omelette with sauteed onions, a side salad with honey Dijon vinaigrette and grilled bread.”

He’s also the one who craves things at the most inconvenient times, like homemade Chinese dumplings at 2 AM. (Incidentally, my brother Phil, whose palate blows mine away, will get up and indulge that craving. His dumplings are some of the best I’ve ever tasted.)

That little inner chef is the keeper of food memories. The storer of flavor profiles.  The master of indulgences. And the more you exercise him — by tasting, exploring, sniffing, touching — the more skilled he becomes. After many years of training, I can now confidently open any fridge and plan a meal (except for Chef Mark’s, which has little to work with but bottles of foreign ingredients I can’t decipher). For example, if I see eggs, flour, cream and some vegetables, it’s time for pasta primavera accented with whatever herbs and spices I have to work with.

Sometimes the mental mouth can fool us. It can say “Yes! Try the abc with the xyz!” — and it’s a disaster. Sometimes it’s a win — think dark chocolate-dipped bacon.

The mental mouth is what has led us to evolve as a cooking and eating species. It has created the winning flavor combinations of lime, cilantro, chile and beef, or pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese, butter and truffle shavings. Someone had to take a risk — and we get to benefit. The more you taste, the more data you store in that inner chef’s recipe files, so when you stumble upon the perfect tomato he goes to work. Do you want to eat that juicy ruby with citrusy cilantro or spicy basil? With red onions or sweet white ones? Alone or with some bread?

As you develop his repertoire, you can then look at a dish named Beef medallion with celery root puree, confit garlic foam and spiced port reduction and give it a “Hell, yes.” Right now my inner chef is dancing in the combination of the delicate celery root and sweet garlic foam, knowing a little punch will come from the spicy reduction, all blending together perfectly with the richness of the beef. I can taste it in my head.

So if you want to develop your own little inner chef, start paying closer attention when you eat. See how the flavors play on your tongue, and your palate. Take note of what specifically you like about the flavor or texture. Do avocados make your tongue sing with their delicate, silky texture? Do you like the way noodles feel as they slide down your throat? Does the smell of fresh oregano make you swoon? The world is your laboratory. Go play.

And yes, I’m serving that beef dish at the event.

Photo: Kelly Cline

I love when good friends introduce me to new good friends. Thanks to my darling C.C. Chapman, I was pointed in the direction of one Emily Cavalier, upon whom I’ve proceeded to develop a ridiculous girl-crush. I get so excited when I find people who “get” life the way I do, and her spirit is one that never ceases to bring a smile to my face. She’s frank, lusty, appreciates beauty, et elle parles francais comme moi.

Also? She smells really good.

Emily is determined to explore every inch of NYC’s ethnic foods, and I’ve become quite eager to follow her along the journey. She chronicles her adventures at MouthoftheBorder.com.

Aw hell, I don’t want to follow. I want to be there in real-time. She’s too purdy for me to miss that part.

Photo: Marc Hall

Twas the night before Christmas, and Jennifer freaked out.
In the middle of cooking, her power went out.
With dozens of guests already en route,
Her feckless attempt at a meal was moot.

She went through her iPhone, Twitter and spam,
Surely someone could spare a ham.
But who would be cooking? That was the key.
With a gasp she knew, and called C.C.

“Code Blue in the kitchen!” she frantically said.
“If I don’t come up with a meal, I’m dead!”
“Don’t worry,” said C.C. “I’ve got a good vibe,
Let me call Brogan and rally the tribe.”

Together they tweeted, and asked and plead,
For able cooks to come load up the sled.
Julien arrived with tiramisu,
And Chris Penn added a bottle or two.

From near and far, the dishes arrived,
From soup to mashed potatoes with chives.
“We’d better get going,” said C.C. with haste,
“The sled’s almost full, and we’ve no time to waste.”

“What about Jen in L.A.?” said Chris,
“If we don’t stop by her house, she’ll be pissed.”
Quickly they fled to the leftward coast.
They had to hurry — this was cutting it close.

“Thank heaven you’re here!” said the bubbly Miss Jen.
“I heard the alert, and prepared a hen.
And Kelly Cline dropped by — call it fate,
But here’s a whole platter of sex on a plate.”

Meanwhile, back home, Jennifer knew
She needed a space to welcome her crew.
She called dear Brian at the Roger Smith,
“Do you guys have room, or is that just a myth?”

Thankfully, Chef Mark called ahead,
So he and Chaz set up for the spread.
Madeline arrived with cocktails in hand,
And Susan showed up with a five-piece band.

With panic, Jennifer eyed the clock.
Where were the boys — and what was in stock?
She ran to the roof to wait for them there,
Hoping there’d be enough food to share.

Like a beacon of hope the sled appeared
With C.C. and Chris — and a few reindeer.
“I told you we’d make it!” said C.C. with glee.
“You have to believe in friendship, you see.”

“Never doubt a crowd,” said Chris,
“Who believes in eating as well as this.
“There’s turkey and bread, and roast beef too,
But I did take a bite of the tiramisu.”

With a laugh, she gave them both a squeeze.
“Let’s get this inside before we freeze.”
As far as her eye could see, there were treats
To bring to life her Christmas feast.

As Chef Mark and crew laid out the spread,
Jennifer cleared the thoughts in her head.
She knew it was time for a special toast,
To celebrate friends who mattered the most.

She knew Chris and C.C. had to run,
To join their own families for holiday fun.
So when each guest had taken a seat,
She clinked her glass and rose to her feet:

“To my friends,” she began with a raise of her glass,
“Without whom I’d be out on my ass,
I thank you for showing me all through this year
That friendships like yours make life more dear.

Through struggles and triumphs I never forgot
That help was right there when my gusto was shot.
My comrades in arms, this toast is true,
From a heart so filled with love, thank you!”

Psst…in case you didn’t notice, over at Culinary Media Network we’re posting a weekly contest from now through the end of the year to give away signed copies of our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook. We’ve had two winners so far, and a slew of comments, so this is getting fun!

The first contest asked for your top 5 dinner party guests (living or dead), and the second asked who inspires you most in this new media space. We’ll have a variety of things to ask you, so get your mental mouths in gear!

When I decided to go to BlogWorld & New Media Expo this year, I had one of those double-edged sword moments. I couldn’t wait to see old friends and make new ones — but ugh, Las Vegas. It’s the one town I try to avoid, because it just isn’t for me. My kind of gambling involves business risk, so I am maddened by the “ding-ding-ding” when I walk through casino mazes designed to keep you trapped inside when you just want daylight.

This trip, thankfully, was a bit different. Planet Hollywood Resort invited me to stay as their guest during my trip, and as I’d never been to their hotel, I accepted with an open mind (and braced myself for the “ding”-ing).

Guess what? Unlike many of the other hotel casinos in Las Vegas, this one is far better suited to my taste, with a sleek, modern design — thank you, designer gods. It actually looks more like a hotel that happens to have a casino, so I didn’t feel overwhelmed every time I walked through the door. This was a very good thing.

I know a lot of people who travel to Vegas for business, and they often find the bells-and-whistles setting to be too much. I found that at Planet Hollywood, I could at least tune it when I wanted to. There’s still room for lots of fun, certainly (some of which I witnessed from the upstairs balcony), and the attached mall is massive, but you can also be zen-like and flake out at the spa. I really wish I’d had time to fit that in; however my room overlooked the dancing Bellagio fountains, so I at least got a bit of eye-candy between BlogWorld events and sessions.

The only thing I really missed was a bathrobe in my room. I realize that all hotels in Las Vegas are designed to keep you out of that room and in the casino, but I really craved a robe for those rare moments of downtime. Now that Las Vegas has become as much a business destination as a party one, I’ll be interested to see how the formula changes over time.

Nonetheless, I left Las Vegas a happy camper this time, and enjoyed my stay even more than I expected to. Of course, part of the journey involved food (like it ever wouldn’t). I was a guest for a tasting dinner at Koi restaurant inside Planet Hollywood, which also happened to be the locale of my pal Jen Kushell’s first foodgasm. This was intriguing.

The setting for our meal was a sumptuous table set with velvet couches overlooking those dancing Bellagio fountains. After more than a few lychee martinis (well, they go down easy), course after course appeared with sushi, spicy tuna on papadums, baked lobster on crispy rice (seen above – the Kushell foodgasm dish), sexy mashed potatoes and other sultry creations. Color me satisfied. You can see all of the dishes in my Facebook album of our Koi tasting.

I also had great company, which always makes a difference at dinner: Jennifer Kushell (@ysnjen), Rohit Bhargava (@rohitbhargava), Tiffany Monhollon Wilson (@tmonhollon) and Chef Mark (@ChefMark).

Many thanks to Brandie Feuer at Planet Hollywood (@phvegas) and BlogWorld party-man extraordinaire Joe Morin (@josephmorin) for making my stay a memorable one!

Sometimes one really needs a carb fix, but plain old French fries just aren’t enough. I’ve grown bored with potatoes, but there are times when I love — nay, need — a good crunchy starch with my dinner. I’ve been experimenting with a variety of different ones to keep my palate enthused, and two of my regular favorites are sweet potato fries and yucca fries (thank you, Peru!).

Sweet Potato Fries
These couldn’t be easier to make. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Peel a sweet potato, cut into fry-size strips, then toss with some olive oil, salt and freshly chopped rosemary. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until they brown to your liking.

Yucca Fries
These take a bit more preparation, but gawd are they worth it. Yucca has substance — potato-esque, but with the slightest hint of butteriness. I also love how it looks like Camembert when you slice it open, but that’s just me. I found a great recipe for baked ones (complete with pictures) here.

After several days here in Peru, one thing has become apparent: This is a culture deeply in love with its food. Nowhere else have I seen such a strong emotional connection to the kitchen and table. In kicking off La Mistura, Peru’s annual culinary festival, Chef Gaston Acurio talked about the state of the economy, and how food is the one sector that is growing in this country — because the emotional connection Peruvians have with their food is the last thing they’re willing to let go. Instead, they are spending their scarce funds on high-quality food products and ensuring that one integral piece of their lives remains intact.

There is something to be learned from this. To eat in Peru is to take the pleasure of dining and hospitality to a level we rarely see in the U.S. Even the fast food here is of better quality — and I’m happy to say that Bembo’s, the national burger chain, is outselling the golden arches, simply because the food is better.

Service is also prized here, and Peruvians demand the very best. The quality is evident at every level, from street foods like anticuchos (hearts, liver and intestines), papa rellena (a mixture of beef, onions and olives deep fried in a mashed potato crust) and picarones (fried dough) to the more exotic fare found in the city’s best restaurants.

With such a rich choice of ingredients, my palate has been surprised a number of times with new textures and flavors, including some from the Amazon that I’ll detail in a later post. We’ve practically gorged ourselves on ceviche and pisco sours, both national treasures. We’ve even sampled cuy (guinea pig), which is surprisingly good, especially when the skin is crisped to a crunchy finish.

It will take me a while to really absorb and share what I’m experiencing here, because it’s life-changing. I’ve never had so many new flavors in a matter of days, so my palate is still reeling from the experience.

We are now in the Sacred Valley in preparation for our trip to Machu Picchu, and it seems that everywhere I look the landscape is bursting with colors and textures — my senses will remember this trip for many years to come. We’ll have videos, photos and podcasts in the months to come, and can’t wait to share it all, but for now we’ll post as much as we can. It’s difficult when we’re always on the go (I’m supposed to be sleeping right now, as I have a 6:45 AM train to Machu Picchu), but at the very least you can take a peek at my Facebook albums:

La Mistura Culinary Festival
Lima Market Visit & Ceviche Lesson
Lima: Photos of the City
Museum of Archaeology (and Erotica – my fave!)
Sacred Valley & Pisac Market (and me on an ATV – w00t!)

My pal Art Insana has created a wonderful new site called the-future.com, which takes a compelling look at the trends that will shape our world in the days and decades ahead, with contributions on topics ranging from fashion to science. I’m intrigued to see the discussions that will surely arise.

When Art asked me to write a piece on food for the site’s debut, I could not help but think about the local (or locavore) movement, and what that might mean for us, globally, as a species. There are more questions than answers that arise when examining such a topic, so I decided to begin with those in hand.

Coincidentally, I’d been spending the past few weeks deep in thought about local vs. mass-production food, as I received a screener’s copy of Food, Inc. and finally had a chance to watch it. After a bit of searching, I also found The Future of Food on Hulu. I used to be of the opinion that genetically-modified foods were fine, given that just about all plant matter we eat has been hybridized at some point in history. However, the idea of flounder DNA in tomatoes crosses a line for me — as does the law of unintended consequences. As does the idea of us not having knowledge readily available concerning what is being put into our bodies.

Given that I’m also a rabid capitalist, this all presented a bit of a quandary. Years ago, I came out swinging in favor of Monsanto — the monolith of seed manufacturing. Now that I’ve learned more abut their business practices, however, I’m very disturbed by what I see as an unethical value system and extremely dirty legal tactics.

Rather than standing on a soapbox and preaching some kind of foodie gospel, however, I am much more eager to encourage people to read, then read between the lines, look at both sides, and draw their own conclusions. Ask questions. Find out where your food comes from. The only way for us to truly affect change is to be well-informed with the truth — not a Michael Moore-esque scare version, but a well-balanced view.

I encourage you to read my article, The Great Food Debate: Romance vs. Reality, and share your own thoughts. This topic is one that touches every single human being on the planet, so it’s worth a bit of brain time.

How much do you really think about what’s going into your mouth?

I wasn’t at work that day. I had a doctor’s appointment. When I first heard the news I made a joke, saying “It’s a good thing I didn’t commute in.” My office was in midtown, but I knew the train schedules would be a mess. It wasn’t until I turned on my car radio that the gravity of the situation hit me. People were jumping from the World Trade Center.

I backed out of my parking spot so fast I almost hit an oncoming car, and drove home with the pedal floored to see what in hell was happening. The rest played out before my eyes. The phone began to ring off the hook as relatives called from Australia and Scotland. Every time I answered the phone, my friends and family members burst into tears. They didn’t know I was home.

My first reaction was to try and find a way to get into the city. My beloved city. But I couldn’t get in, and I couldn’t phone in. So I sat like everyone else and watched the news until I was delirious with fatigue.

Wednesday night I saw a segment on the news — the James Beard House kitchen was up and running. I left a message for my friend Shelley Menaged, who organizes the kitchen volunteers for visiting chefs. I offered to do absolutely anything they needed help with, and packed my kitchen gear to take to work on Thursday.

When she called me back, she had just heard about the staff of Windows on the World, and had been without sleep for thirty-six hours. “I’m at my breaking point,” she said. “Can you come down tomorrow and keep me company?” At last, I could do something.

I was in no way prepared for what I would see. Watching it on television was slightly more bearable, but to see the streets of Manhattan empty — to cross Madison Avenue freely because there was no traffic to be seen — was the most eerie experience I have ever known. The silence was deafening.

It was worse downtown. When I got to the Beard House I was choking on the acrid smoke, and stood in shock as a convoy of Hummers came racing down 12th street. This was like a bad movie. Even so, it had less of an emotional impact than what I would see in the hours to come.

The Beard House’s main focus through those few days was to provide meals for the doctors at St. Vincent’s Hospital (located across the street) and the policemen who were stationed nearby. Food was donated from practically every restaurant in town, and we were tripping over the supply of goods.

Every few hours someone would show up at the door with donations in hand; sometimes it was a shopping cart full of food, other times boxes of toothpaste and toothbrushes. We threw ourselves into the task of organizing everything that came in, restocking the buffet to ensure the food was always hot, and keeping a general sense of calm and quiet about the place.

Since there were so many volunteers in the kitchen, I decided to head to the dining room. There I discovered what my role would be for the next eighteen hours: I would provide comfort, a friendly face, and a warm plate of food for those who came to eat and rest. For a distraction I would give them a brief tour, showing them Beard’s mirrored bedroom and his open shower, with a glass wall as its only shelter from the outdoors. They got a kick out of that.

I fondly remember Vic, a young doctor who felt guilty that he was eating a decadent meal as he waited for patients who would never come. He loved to cook, and was thinking about changing careers. I wonder if he ever did.

I shared food stories with two detectives who would be guarding the President of the United States at sunup. The weather was horrible, and they were embarrassed that their suits would be wrinkled. They took great pride in their work, and wanted to be at their best when protecting the man in charge of this crisis.

But the policemen broke my heart. Like handsome characters from Central Casting they paraded into the dining room, with uniforms soaked but faces warm and friendly. The television was on, and as they sat down to eat, Howard Lutnick’s heart-wrenching interview came on. The officers visibly blanched as they listened to his story, and I realized in watching their faces that they were hearing it for the first time. We were seeing all of this unfold on television, but they were out there in the pouring rain, living it. In a way, it protected them from hearing stories like this. They had enough to contend with.

What affected me more than anything else, though, was the attitude of every person who walked through that front door to eat a hot meal. They were so grateful that people were kind enough to take care of them. They couldn’t believe they were eating soup from Le Cirque and sandwiches from Daniel, and thanked us profusely for what we were doing. I was speechless. I wanted to throw myself at their feet for what they were doing, and they were thanking us.

It then hit me that food is, in fact, life’s true comfort. A hot meal can lend solace when we truly need it, and providing such a meal can be the most effective way to show one’s caring for another human being. I feel fortunate that I was able to serve those men and women I will never see again, but with whom I feel eternally bonded.

I have never visited Ground Zero; I’m not sure I ever will. The faces I saw over the course of those eighteen hours told me all I needed to know.

This article originally appeared on the Atlasphere on September 9, 2004.

If you happen to follow my Twitter activities, you may have noticed that I’ve begun a regular thing called #sexonaplate. (That little number sign is called a hash tag, and creates a Twitter stream of people’s tweets on a given subject when they add the tag.)

The original “sex on a plate” quote comes from my first manifesto, On Food and Sensuality, written in 2004 when I discovered that the pre-consumption sight and/or smell of certain foods evokes a visceral reaction in me that is so sensually satisfying, the eating is almost an afterthought. Almost.

So now I’m asking what evokes that reaction in you. What makes you swoon? Sigh? Tremble? Drool?

I do have an ulterior motive here, which has become my life’s work: I want you to eat better food and have better sex. They go together, you see.

My second manifesto is in the anthology Food & Philosophy: Eat, Think and Be Merry. My essay Food and Sensuality: A Perfect Pairing takes the premise quite a few steps further, delving into comparisons of cheap porn and bad television cooking shows — and explaining why neither is truly satisfying.

The conclusion of both manifestos, however, remains the same: Life is more satisfying when it is accompanied by sensual indulgence that is felt all the way down into the soul. It makes colors more vivid, tastes more satisfying, and lovemaking more fulfilling. It takes what might have become a daily routine and spices it up in a way that makes one feel more alive simply for being here and witnessing what is present for the senses to enjoy. If you’ve ever bathed in the scent of lavender, I think you know exactly what I mean.

But I cannot embark upon this mission alone. Indulgence is better when shared — and I would love for us to experience it together. How do we do that? Well, for starters, we need to talk about it. The conversation on Twitter is coming along nicely, and that is one spot — but there are others. Talk to me on Facebook. Leave comments here. Sniff basil leaves. Dip a piece of bread in truffle oil and inhale deeply.

Then share the experience — let somebody in on the secret.

Photo: Kelly Cline

Our trip to Scotland starts off the right way with a tuck in to a good traditional Scottish Breakfast in Inverary. We’re here to learn a bit about Jennifer’s family heritage, and we’ve brought along her Mum!

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

The first time I traveled to Scotland with my mother was in 2004, when the Culinary Media Network was a mere blog-type thing called “Gastronomic Meditations,” and my newsletter had about 4 subscribers. It was my first time there, and we were able to visit the house in which she was born — many, many moons ago. Don’t tell her I said that.

I wrote a few things about my discoveries then, so I thought I’d recap my first impressions (listed at the end of this post).

Next week Chef Mark and I are taking Mom back for a little retracing of the roots — this time on video. Incidentally, since she has thoroughly become an American despite the lingering Scottish lilt in her voice, I don’t call her Mum. She’d probably box my ears. Given the scare we had with her very serious heart attack last year, this trip is nothing short of a miracle, so I’m beyond grateful that we have the opportunity to do it at all.

2009 is a very special year for those of Scottish heritage, who have been invited to take part in Homecoming Scotland. For the entire year, the country has thrown open its doors to everyone of Scottish descent, so if there’s a trace of Bonnie Scotland in your blood, get your kilt over there lest you miss all the fun. Alas, we will arrive just after the largest clan gathering in history in Edinburgh; I would have been enraptured by big hulking men in kilts throwing telephone poles around, so it may be just as well.

Our journey will begin in Inverness, where my mother was born, and where our clan made its greatest impression (my ancestor, Duncan Forbes, built the monument at the Culloden battlefield). Then we will wind our way along the Whisky Coast, where we’ll visit some distilleries and sample a nip or two of Scotch. After that it’s down toward Glasgow for a visit with our pal Chef Tom Lewis of Monachyle Mhor — this part excites me terribly, because we’re going to make a clootie dumpling. That damnable recipe has eluded me for nearly a decade, and I *will* get it right. Though I am waiting for Mom to get after him while we’re in the kitchen if he doesn’t do something the way she remembers. This is going to be a hoot.

I’ll also be spending some time with my cousins in dear old Glaesgae, where they will speak to me in sing-songy tones I’ll barely understand, but we’ll laugh and drink and play music until the wee hours.

I’m hoping we have good internet access while we’re away so I can bring you along, but one never knows. “Access” is a relative term, I find. After our stint in Scotland we’ll be traveling on to Wales and the Costwolds, so this should be quite a fascinating trip. Lots more to come!

Ancient posts (2004):

Off to the Land of Haggis
A Trip to the Chippy
For the Love of Archibald

Though I would love to be indulgently pampering myself with a spa day right now, the very thought of such a luxury seems sadly far off. Having said that, my soul and skin need a little rejuvenation every now and then to keep the stress at bay.

For me, there’s nothing more sensually satisfying than baby-soft skin, and there are lots of ways to achieve this right at home. Here’s a little secret: Chefs swear by olive oil and kosher salt for exfoliating hands.

In the same vein, but a bit more delicate, is a scrub I use for my face: olive oil and table sugar. You only need a little of each to make a paste, and after delicately scrubbing your face with the mixture you’ll be left with silky smooth cheeks. And as a moisturizer it can’t be beaten.

Since I only use good olive oil in the kitchen, my face is treated to some extra-virgin goodness. What could be bad about that? :)

I’ve been experimenting with various home treatments, so I’d love to hear about your successes with them. Do you have any favorites?

Posted via web from foodphilosophy’s posterous

As you might know, it’s national berry month, and as I try to eat in season as much as possible (or at least grab the goods while they’re in season), this can mean berry doldrums for the rest of the year. However, more and more tips are becoming available for preserving fresh fruits and vegetables, and I received a tip on freezing strawberries this morning from Janie Hibler, author of The Berry Bible.

I’m liking this idea, as I can envision myself savoring strawberries with vanilla sugar over a nice shortcake come October or November. Can’t you?

Here are Janie’s tips:

- Rinse strawberries and pour them onto a baking sheet lined with a paper towel.  Pat dry with another paper towel.
- Put baking sheet in freezer until strawberries are completely frozen (about 2 hours depending on freezer temperature)
- Transfer strawberries to self-sealing plastic freezer bags and place back into freezer.

It really doesn’t get much easier. Hibler insists on freezing the strawberries in exact portions, such as pints and quarts, because strawberries become condensed when thawed (rendering them impossible to measure with accuracy).  She also recommends consuming frozen berries within a year for maximum freshness. “After that, ice crystals will start breaking down the berries’ flesh, and eventually they will lose their flavor,” adds Hibler.

You can see more ideas like this in The Berry Bible.

For berry information and recipes, you can peruse our test kitchen dossier, Berries: Naked Deliciousness.

Kitchen Elves are wonderful, but they tend to burn things.

Yes, they are very handy for washing dishes, peeling potatoes, etc., but they are costing us a fortune in melted spatulas, burned pots, and scorched aprons. They also can’t type to save their lives, so we’re looking for some human help:

Editorial Assistants

Will assist with the management of our editorial calendar (scheduling & some editing), as well as communication with media, food and wine professionals. Some light office duties may also be included.

Our editorial internships require a typo-sensitive eye (we are mental about typos) and an excellent grasp of the English language. We have pretty strict editing standards, so the more conscientious you are (nice word for anal-retentive) the better.

You will also be communicating with food and wine pros of all calibers, so we are looking for someone who is polished and professional. Pleasant also helps, as does knowledge of WordPress and general HTML code.

Please send a resume and cover letter to editor AT culinarymedianetwork.com.

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Video Editing Assistants

Will assist with production and distribution of our numerous food, wine and travel videos. Knowledge of FinalCut Pro and familiarity with online video outlets essential.

Please send a resume and cover letter to chefmark AT culinarymedianetwork.com.

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Our internships are unpaid at this time, but if you are eager to work with a passionate group of gourmands who are blazing a new trail in the world of cuisine, and where you won’t have to get coffee for anyone (or spend the day in front of the copier), this could very well be the place for you.

As we are a virtual company, you can be located just about anywhere. Having said that, we would prefer someone based in NYC for hands-on help one or two days a week at “HQ.”

Note: We are also seeking cookbook and food book reviewers. If you read either with the kind of passion normally reserved for seedy romance novels, please send your credentials and a writing sample to editor AT culinarymedianetwork DOT com.

We are looking for dedicated, professional, energetic people for whom the pursuit of excellence is standard operating procedure. A sense of humor bordering on salacious is also required.

For the last 4 years you’ve followed our evolution from articles to recipes, podcasts and videos. Now, at last, we are going past your computer screens and ear buds with something you can actually hold in your hands! Signed copies of our new cookbook are now available for pre-order for delivery in June 2009.

With The Gilded Fork Entertaining at Home: A Year of Dinner Parties, we invite you to throw open your doors to friends and loved ones — and offer them a seat at your table. And don’t be afraid to ask them to help — that can be half the fun!

With a baker’s dozen of dinner party menus ranging from casual summer fare to an elegant dinner for two, we’ve compiled colors, flavors and textures from our favorite recipes (along with some new ones!) to indulge your senses with the seasonal tastes that make us happy to be in the kitchen. We’ve also included beverage pairings for each menu, and lots of helpful tips to help take your cooking to the next level.

And in case you haven’t heard, our friends have gotten in on the fun, too! Our readers and listeners helped us to photograph these recipes (some are right there on the cover) and test them extensively, ensuring that our instructions are clear and the recipes as close to fool-proof as possible.

We believe entertaining should be fun and stress-free for all involved, so please feel free to invite us to dinner. We do dishes.

Hand-signed copy. Price includes shipping.

Price: $25.00

Click HERE to be taken to our secure cart for ordering.

CMN Video: Food Blogger Playdate: Photography & Ingredient Play

Part 2 of our latest Food Blogger Play Date, where we do a blind tasting of Artisanal steaks from Carrie Oliver of www.oliverranch.com. Anu Karwa from Swirl Events brings along some great wines to pair with the beef.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

If you’re a beef lover like me, things can get a little confusing when it comes to buying the right thing — or even finding out which beef you like best. You might be surprised at all the nuances involved — I certainly was!

Carrie Oliver from Oliver Ranch is here to help all of us learn a lot more about beef, so this is a veritable primer on grass fed vs. corn fed, Kobe vs. Wagyu, marbling, grading — meaty stuff! (Sorry, couldn’t help it.)

http://www.oliverranch.com

Follow Carrie on Twitter: @OliverRanch

I’ve also got our book contest winner, updates on our latest travels including last week’s trip to Toronto, and news about our upcoming Gilded Fork cookbook!

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com).

Music: Beau Hall (www.beaurocks.com) and George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal (www.georgefletcher.com).

After spending this (very early) morning with my twin nephews, I was reminded of a piece I wrote when they were itty-bitty, and children were the scariest things I could think of. Now I find them not so daunting, provided there is enough caffeine to keep me functional. We bonded through the act of cooking, and to this day they will still explore most of the things I cook. This might be a reason why.

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I’ve never liked children. In fact, I don’t think I ever really qualified as one. As a person who could read the newspaper at age four, childishness always seemed a bore to me. While other girls played with Barbie, I played “lawyer,” with my next-door neighbor as my secretary. He was good at it.

So imagine my surprise when I discovered that through cooking, I could engage a child’s curiosity, could see the process going through his mind as he crafted a sculpture out of ingredients. This was good stuff.

It all started with my twin nephews, Zachary and Alexander. They are frenetic three-year-olds notorious for refusing to eat, so I tried to come up with a way to make their arduous mealtime ritual fun. I thought perhaps if they created the food, they would be more eager to ingest it.

So we made baby pizzas. I was delighted with their enthusiasm as they ladled the sauce, sprinkled the cheese, then watched the pizza bake in the oven. They ate two bites and fed the rest to the dog.

But it was a beginning, and it inspired me to explore the idea further. My friend Lisa runs a progressive preschool, and she and I had discussed building gastronomy into the curriculum. Since her three- and four-year-olds were already starting to work with multiplication tables, I knew these kids were eager to learn.

I was concerned that too many children had no idea what raw broccoli looked like, and didn’t know that a chicken did not naturally come in a plastic-wrapped container, so I figured this audience was ripe for the challenge. Of course, my desire to rid children of their food-related misconceptions was at distinct odds with my desire to stay as far away from children as possible.

Lisa invited me in to teach, and much to my surprise I got really excited about it. The question was, how would the kids feel?

Since I was going in during “Colors and Shapes” week, I wanted a recipe that would reflect the theme they had followed. Pizza seemed to fit the bill. I also discovered through my research that pizza was created to honor Queen Margherita of Italy, so I equipped myself with a tale and a replica of the Italian flag. Perfect! Good story, easy ingredients, and what kid doesn’t like pizza?

The morning of the class I was nervous. What if they didn’t like me? What if they could sense I was not user-friendly? I know that Lisa and some of her teachers had equal misgivings. Could I, the self-proclaimed child-hater, present a lesson that was up to snuff?

Kids have radar for people like me, like a sixth sense where they can tell there is an enemy in their midst. They typically proceed, in such cases, to make said enemy’s life a living hell.

Undaunted, I shrugged off the fear and headed to school. I could do this. As long as no one bit me or peed on me I would survive.

Much to my surprise, the children were calm and collected when asked to sit down around the work table. They even washed their hands. As I told them the story of Queen Margherita they were rapt with attention. (No doubt the visual aids helped.)

Then they sat quietly for thirty entire minutes and put their pizzas together. I let them taste different ingredients to see what toppings they wanted to add. They fearlessly tasted red peppers, broccoli and mushrooms. One of the kids, who will forevermore be known as “The Stacker,” created a pie that was at least three inches high. Turns out he really digs broccoli.

I couldn’t help admitting I was having a ball. The kids ate every bite of what they made (finally proving my theory), and were perfectly behaved.

As I walked out the door, one of the kids popped up from his nap cot and waved enthusiastically — “Bye Miss Jen!” The feeling of victory was complete: I had actually bonded with a child.

I can’t wait for the next class.

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Article originally published on The Atlasphere.

CMN Video: Food Blogger Playdate: Photography & Ingredient Play

We have another food blogger play date, getting together to taste new ingredients, and to photograph several dishes for our upcoming Gilded Fork Cookbook! We then explored making dishes with truffles & black garlic. Look for part 2, where we do a blind tasting of Artisanal steaks from Carrie Oliver of www.oliverranch.com.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

What’s better than cooking, eating, drinking and talking food and wine with people who love (ok, are obsessed with) the subject as much as you? Not much!

We had our first food blogger playdate back in September in the Martha Stewart test kitchens, so Chef Mark decided to arrange another because these gatherings are just so much fun. This time we headed to Chelsea, where our wonderful host Tommy threw open his doors so we could run amok in his beautiful kitchen.

Our fellow bloggers and food friends arrived with cameras, wines and spirits (both physical and otherwise) ready for action. We welcomed Jaden Hair from Steamy Kitchen, Anu Karwa from Swirl Events, Olga Massov from Sassy Radish, intrepid food writer Betty Fussell, Grace Piper from Fearless Cooking, and we even had an uber-techie, Charles Hope, from blip.tv — who arrived right from the airport after attending SXSW and headed straight for the wine. Last, but certainly not least, Carrie Oliver from Oliver Ranch brought the pivotal piece to the table: a selection of gorgeous meats for us to do a blind beef tasting.

The first part of our afternoon was dedicated to testing and photographing recipes from our upcoming cookbook, so we cooked and scrambled to finish that up before the others arrived. Our dishes served double-duty for the night both as props and delicious sides.

Jaden was wonderful enough to help us with some photography tricks, so we can’t wait to see how those shots came out! I’ve included some snaps from the gathering (please forgive — some were taken with my iPhone, and are thus a bit blurry) to give you a peek. There’s a link at the bottom of the post to more photo albums online.

Carrie guided us through a blind tasting of different meats to help us (and thus you) better understand the differences, from the intense grassy flavors of Holstein to the buttery richness of Kobe-style beef. Everyone seemed to have a different favorite, and a lively discussion ensued regarding the labeling used for beef (Grade A, Choice, etc.), grass-fed vs. corn-fed, and what to look for in purchasing meats. Look for more details on our upcoming CMN video.

After the tasting, we began the other tasting — of delicious sides and wines. Anu brought a selection for us to choose from, including a tart, appley (my new word) Pinot Bianco from Alto Adige. We sipped those along with a Cauliflower Puree from Grace Piper, which we dressed with shaved Oregon truffles and a drizzle of olive oil, Pumpkin Bisque with Creme Fraiche and a Honey Port Reduction from our upcoming cookbook, bruschetta made with black garlic courtesy of Jaden, and a Radicchio & Endive Salad with Chevre, Candied Pecans and Figs, also from the cookbook.

Many thanks to everyone who helped to make this such a wonderful evening. We look forward to many more of these! You can see more photos on the blogs above and in the following places (I’ll keep adding these as more links come in):

My Facebook photo album

Grace Piper’s Flickr stream

Twitter IDs:

Jennifer Iannolo: @foodphilosophy
Chef Mark Tafoya: @ChefMark
Grace Piper: @GracePiper
Olga Massov: @sassyradish
Jaden Hair: @SteamyKitchen
Anu Karwa: @swirlwinesavvy
Carrie Oliver: @OliverRanch
Charles Hope: @CharlesHope

Chef Mark was kind enough to update our progress on the meaty ol’ Gilded Fork Cookbook over at CMN:

Our Gilded Fork Cookbook project is coming along nicely, and we’re so thrilled that our recipe testers have been cooking up a storm trying out our recipes. They are an enormous help to us, holding us to task on the smallest details that could be confusing to readers, including pointing out where measurements or ingredients might be misunderstood by readers from other countries. (If you’re in the US, did you know that in Canada has 4 different types of cream? We didn’t! Here we just have heavy cream and half and half. One of our testers told us that they have 10%, Half and Half, 18% and Whipping Cream!)

This week, we thought we’d feature some pictures of various dishes as photographed by different testers.

Our Dilled Crab Salad on Artichoke Bottoms recipe was prepared by Lisa Marie Tran, whom I met last year at Podcamp NYC 2, and Lisa turned out a tempting photo:

The same recipe was tested by Chef Toni Scott, a friend of mine who’s a personal chef in Austin, TX, and owner of Dinner Made Simple. here’s one of Toni’s photos:

Café Brulot is one of the signature drinks of New Orleans, and it’s included in the Mardi Gras Menu in our cookbook. Here’s another shot done by Toni Scott:

Another talented personal chef is Robyn Barber. She’s the owner of Barber’s Bistro Personal Chef Service in Middle Tennessee. Here’s her version of Café Brulot.

We’re blessed to have a number of USPCA personal chefs helping us out with the cookbook (membership has its privileges!). One of them is Lisa Brisch of Dinner Thyme Personal Chef Service in Middletown, Delaware. Lisa tried out our recipe for Milk & Honey Lavender Sorbet:

And here’s another interpretation of the sorbet from Christina Pacella, a talented young cook and budding photographer. The Pacellas are long time friends of our very own Jennifer Iannolo.

We’ll have another roundup next week, with updates on our progress. We’ve received many dozens of photos and great feedback from our testers, and we’ll feature some more next week. If you’re one of our testers, please feel free to blog about your experience cooking our dishes. We’ll be sure to include it next week!

Jennifer and Chef Mark taste the many dishes and drinks on offer at the Savour Food & Wine Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We were fortunate to have sunny weather for our trip to Nova Scotia last week, where we attended the Savour Food & Wine festival featuring some of Nova Scotia’s best chefs, winemakers and brewers.

This is the event’s 7th year, and takes place throughout the month of February with tasting dinners, wine tastings and cooking classes throughout the region. (Now, dear readers, if you’ve been following closely — and we know you have — you saw that our first tasting dinner was at The Five Fisherman.)

Presented by the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, Savour has built up a great deal of momentum, showcasing the finest Nova Scotia has to offer. During our time in the region, we’ve learned that said offering is a bounty of culinary riches, from succulent scallops (or SKAH-lops, as we have learned to say when in town) to candy cane beets and nutty ales.

And in case it hasn’t been obvious in some of our recent videos, we love Nova Scotia. The food and wine is as delicious as the people are friendly, and we’re always sad to leave. It was heartening to see so many familiar faces upon our return, and to revisit the wines we can’t get outside of the region (we’re not happy about that either). In addition to Jost, Domaine de Grand Pre and Gaspereau wines, we also discovered Blomindon Estate Winery with its memorable Baco Noir and port wines.

The grand finale of Savour was a grand tasting event at Halifax’s Marriott Harbourfront, seemingly filled to capacity with tasting booths and an eager, sell-out crowd. Chef Mark and I had a wonderful time sampling our way through the event, and even managed to find ourselves being interviewed for Canadian Public Television. (OK, which of you reading this in Nova Scotia has TiVo so we can get a recording? We are prepared to offer a bribe.)

I’m always amused at the way tasting events tend to unfold with a subtle theme or two, as if the chefs were comparing notes behind the scenes. This year Digby scallops took center stage — as well they should — along with sliders made with everything from lamb to Kobe beef. There was also an entire table devoted to sushi, resplendent with colorful platters and bright flavors.

We’ll have more videos coming soon with our adventures in Halifax, including a trip to the farmers market at o’dark-hundred with Chef Dennis Johnston from fid. I believe my final caffeine tally for the morning comprised three double espressos and two cups of coffee, but I forgive Dennis because he made me breakfast. We’ll also recap our meal at fid, along with videos of some behind-the-scenes action with chefs Eric Lee from Onyx and Trevor Simms from 44 North.

Many thanks to Emily Kimber from Destination Halifax, Christine White from the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, Pam Wamback from Nova Scotia Tourism, Jeff Ransome and his staff at the Marriott Harbourfront, and the whole gang who helped to make this trip (and our last one) a magnificent adventure. Next time we’re bringing a gaggle of people with us — and you might not get rid of us. Sociable!

We kicked off our tour of the Savour Food & Wine Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia last night with a tasting dinner at The Five Fisherman, situated in one of the city’s oldest buildings. Chef Dafydd Williams-Jones and restaurant manager Gary MacDonald treated us to a tasting of Nova Scotia specialties, which were wonderfully enhanced by the presence of sommelier Avery Gavel and Gary Ramey of Blomidon Estate Winery, who guided us through each course with a selection from his and other local vineyards.

Here is a little sampling of what we tasted last night. We wish you could have joined us at the table — it was a meal to remember! We also had the pleasure of dining with friends old and new here in Halifax, including freelance writer Lola Augustine Brown, Christine White from the Winery Association of Nova Scotia, and Emily Kimber from Destination Halifax.

With dinner and wine also came some ideas for a very special project we’re putting together, but you’ll have to wait for that. For now, feast with your eyes.

Amuse Bouche: Digby scallop on pork belly with pea puree
paired with ’07 Nova 7, Benjamin Bridge Winery

Scallops and pork belly are a sublime combination — this dish was a little bit sweet, a little bit rich, and a whole lot of loveliness. Our first bite was served with a local (and very hard to find!) favorite, Nova ’07, made with a hint of ice wine grapes and a hint of sparkle that made it a great match for the scallops.

Barbequed Duck Breast Salad
paired with ’07 Red Eft Pinot Rose, Bear River Vineyards

The duck breast was treated to a spicy dry rub and served perfectly rare with goat cheese, apples and micro greens. The pinot rose wine was new to us, and we were pleasantly surprised by its light fruitiness. We could envision serving this type of rose with a number of different dishes, and are glad to see roses returning to the table.

Pan Seared Atlantic Haddock
paired with ’06 Chardonnay, Blomidon Estate Winery, Annapolis Valley

One thing is certain in Nova Scotia — if you order haddock, it was probably caught within the past 24 hours, and once you’ve tasted the freshest of catches, fish will never be the same for you. This haddock was served with a south shore lobster succotash and asparagus, and Chef Mark was in the kitchen to get some video of it being prepared a la minute. Until then you’ll have to suffice with my little photo, but patience is a virtue.

Blomindon’s Chardonnay was wonderful with the lobster, as it had a smooth vanilla finish perfectly paired with lobster (we are huge fans of that combination).

Jost Prost

We do love a nice palate cleanse, so we refreshed ourselves with a glass of Jost, one of my very favorite sparkling wines from Nova Scotia. This twist on a Kir Royale was crafted with a Nova Scotia wild blueberry juice and served with a little knot of lemon rind. I could have danced with this one all night.

Oven Roasted “Oulton’s Farms” Beef Tenderloin
paired with ’07 Baco Noir, Blomidon Estate Winery, Annapolis Valley

Mmm…beef. And beef served with beef cheeks? Color me happy. This sumptuous dish was served with a wintry combination of sweet mama squash, yams and parsnips, as well as Brussels sprouts.

Baco noir has become a new favorite red for me. Lighter than a pinot noir, it has a complexity that holds up to meats without overpowering them. The grape is originally from France, but apparently they don’t like to talk about it. Better for us, methinks.

Farmers Market Artisan Cheeses & Jellies
paired with Barrel Aged Port, Acadianna Reserve, Sainte-Famille, Annapolis Valley

I loves me some port — any time, anywhere. Coupled with garlic and blue cheeses, along with a dash of pepper jelly, we could feel the afterglow setting in as we awaited the final course.

Poached Valley Pear Tart
paired with ’07 New York Muscat, Gaspereau Vineyards, Gaspereau Valley

We were delighted to see this bottle arrive tableside, as we had a wonderful time at Gaspereau Vineyards when we visited in October. This dessert wine was served on my own Thanksgiving table, and it is a sublime dessert wine. A bit lighter than an ice wine, it has just the right level of sweetness to pair with your favorite bite of dessert.

Today we’re off to the kitchens to get a peak behind the scenes as local chefs prepare for tonight’s Savour Food & Wine Festival grand tasting. Look for more updates from this event as well as our other food and wine adventures this week, and we’ll do our best to keep up with it all. I may need to limit my wine intake or the blog posts could get…interesting.

Wish you were here!

CMN Video: In Flight Meals

We learn what SWISS International Airlines is doing to improve the image of airplane food with their new In Flight Meal Service in Premium classes. We fly from New York to Zurich and pay a visit to the Gate Gourmet facility where the meals are made.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Brunello Luncheon

We attend the Brunello di Montalcino Preview Luncheon for the 2004 vintage at the Villard Mansion of the New York Palace Hotel. Chef James Staiano shows us how each dish for the meal is prepared.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Shucking Scallops

We’re back on the dock at Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, as we learn all about Scallops from Norman Kaizer and Wallace Skinner, 2 seasoned Nova Scotia Fishermen. Jennifer learns how to Shuck Scallops, or as the locals say, “Shock Scollops”.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Colonial Baking

Lara Templin, Historical Interpreter from the Jamestown Settlement in Virginia, shows us how Colonists baked bread 400 years ago, using a Cloam oven.

Learn more about the Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center at www.historyisfun.org

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer speaks with Chef Brent Wertz of the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia about his innovative pairings of beer with food. Chef Brent explains the best way to pour a beer, and shows that beer can even go well with dessert!

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer and Chef Mark discover the many treasures of Virginia, from Colonial Williamsburg to Jamestown Settlement, farmer’s markets, and the many restaurants of the region.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We have some fun playing around among the vines at Gaspereau Vineyards, then enjoy lunch at Le Caveau Restaurant at Domaine de Grand Pre Vineyards. That’s SOME pepper!

We have some fun playing around among the vines at Gaspereau Vineyards, then enjoy lunch at Le Caveau Restaurant at Domaine de Grand Pre Vineyards. That’s SOME pepper!

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Jennifer discovers Tantric Chocolates at Sugah! in Halifax, Nova Scotia. What’s better than Sex and Chocolate?

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Bogs Across America

Jennifer and Chef Mark get a healthy dose of cranberries at Ocean Spray’s Bogs Across America event in New York’s Rockefeller Center. We get cooking tips from Cindy Taccini, learn how cranberries are harvested from Adrienne Kravitz, taste some great dishes and learn who won the cranberry recipe contest from Chef Tyler Florence, and we even run into Justin & Henry, those goofy cranberry growers from TV.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Culinary Roundtable – Food Blogger Playdate at Martha Stewart’s

Jennifer and Chef Mark go on a “playdate” with a group of other food bloggers after the Martha Stewart Show Blogger day, and join the staff of Everyday Food Magazine to play in the test kitchen for the afternoon. Matt Armendariz from www.mattbites.com makes his grandmother’s albondigas soup.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Cooking with Fleur de Sel

Chef Dominique Macquet from Dominique’s Restaurant in the Maison Dupuy Hotel in New Orleans shows us how to use Fleur de Sel to finish dishes. We’re using his private label Fleur de Sel from his native Mauritius.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Chef Oliver Ridgeway, Anasazi Restaurant

Chef Oliver Ridgeway of Anasazi Restaurant at Inn Of The Anasazi in Santa Fe, NM shares with us three special dishes from his eclectic menu, and talks about the inspiration he takes from his diverse cooking background and from New Mexico.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

CMN Video: Action Against Hunger Benefit

We attend the Benefit party for the Restaurants Against Hunger campaign, to raise funds for Action Against Hunger, an International agency devoted to fighting hunger in over 43 countries in the world. Their aid helps children and adults with severe malnutrition and in many cases brings them back from the brink of death.

Please take a moment to donate at www.actionagainsthunger.org

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Gary Vaynerchuk from Wine Library TV declared today “Good People Day” on the web, and it seems to be spreading everywhere. My turn!

I am blessed to have many great people in my life, not the least of whom include my family and close friends, but there is one person who clearly stands a head above the rest. Many of you know him as Chef Mark, but I know him as my business partner, confidante, and a constant source of inspiration.

Mark Tafoya is the hardest working, most energetic person I’ve ever met. When there have been moments in the three years of our business partnership that I’ve experienced doubt or frustration, Mark has been ever-present with words or actions that can turn things around for me; and when there are moments of joy and success, he is the first person to raise a glass in celebration.

Best of all, whether we are in the throes of a redesign, crafting a strategy or on location trying to get the perfect shot, Mark is ready to do whatever it takes to bring those ideas to reality. On our trip to Sicily, almost every single person marveled at the energy and dedication Mark has to his craft — even at times when the rest of the group was ready to drop with fatigue, Mark was running around with camera in-hand. And when the day was done he had energy left over to chat with everyone on the bus, so if you’ve never experienced it first-hand, his dynamism is truly a sight to behold.

It has been such a pleasure for me to watch him blossom not only as a chef, but as a dear friend — I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have in the trenches with me.

Since I met him, I’ve known Michael Newberry was an artistic genius, particularly with regard to his use of light. He has, however, outdone himself with his latest oeuvre, Venus.

A web rendition does no justice to this captivating beauty, but as I have watched her come to life from her first strokes of color, I simply had to share her with you.

Look at the musculature, the expression on her face — unencumbered and pure. The way the light glows over her breasts and abdomen is nothing short of glorious.

I lust for this painting, but my purse will not be able to afford it for a long time. Giclees are available, however, so for now I will aspire to owning one of those.

Michael has also published a time-lapse video of the painting’s evolution, so do indulge yourself. He paints from his studio in Brooklyn, and I will be sure to post an announcement of his next show.

Thank you, Michael, for these moments of beauty that take my breath away.

For those of you familiar with the unique study programs put together by the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy (or, heck, those who are unfamiliar, as this is an info session), here’s your chance to learn more:

UNIVERSITY OF GASTRONOMIC SCIENCES HOLDS INFORMATION SESSIONS IN NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA

On May 1st, 2008, Italy’s University of Gastronomic Sciences will hold information sessions in Manhattan, NY, and Berkeley, CA, for prospective students interested in learning more about the school’s programs and application procedures. Staff and alumni will be on hand to explain the educational philosophy of the university, present the undergraduate and graduate degrees, discuss internships and work opportunities post-graduation, and answer all other questions.

Co-founded in 2003 by the international non-profit Slow Food and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Emilia-Romagna, the school’s innovative approach is to create a new understanding of gastronomy, linking the act of eating with the act of producing, along with all the phases in between. Four programs at two Italian campuses follow a multidisciplinary learning model, merging science with humanities, sensory training with communications, classroom study with field seminars (including travel to five continents).

The two information sessions will take place as follows:

New York
May 1, 2008
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Murray’s Cheese
254 Bleecker St.
New York, NY

California
May 1, 2008
7:00 – 9:00 pm
The Ecology Center
2530 San Pablo Ave., Ste. H
Berkeley, CA

To attend one of the sessions, email your name and phone number to d.szanto@unisg.it. (Last-minute attendees are also welcome.)

For more information about the University of Gastronomic Sciences programs, visit www.unisg.it.

For more information about Slow Food USA, go to www.slowfoodusa.org. For international Slow Food, visit www.slowfood.com.

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Psst, I did a show about UNISG and its Wine Bank after my trip to Piemonte, so take a tour with me. The Wine Bank is currently holding an online auction of its treasures, so if you’re interested in bidding you can find it here.

Welcome, welcome, welcome to the new home of Food Philosophy on the Culinary Media Network. We are so excited and relieved to have the big move overwith, and now it’s time for you to play!

Did you know there’s a bigger site attached to this lil’ ol’ blog? You betcha. We’ve got articles, recipes, entertaining tips & menus, videos — and did I mention cocktails?

I invite you to explore everything at www.culinarymedianetwork.com, because we want you to come with us as we travel the planet tasting and learning — even if you can only join us from your desk chair (it will give you a brain break from the tedium, trust us). Look for lots of new quick videos soon to debut, as well as HD videos and travelogues from our various locations (Sicily is next!).

My Food Philosophy feed is still the same, and can be found at:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/FoodPhilosophy

Best of all, we now have multiple options for our CMN feeds, so you can receive our content just the way you like it. Yes, we’re here for you.

If you want all of our content, including recipes, articles, audio and video shows, use this feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/CMNAllContent

If you’d like to get the feed just for our audio and video shows, use this feed:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/CMNShows

We will soon have feeds for videos and HD videos, so be sure to visit us at www.culinarymedianetwork.com for updates!

food, food podcast, cooking, Hamilton Beach, coffee, Food Philosophy, Culinary Media Network, Gilded Fork

Food Philosophy Video #13: Yummie Chocolates

Laura Waite Zuckerman, founder of Yummie Chocolates, joins me for a discussion about what’s new in her collection this year. From chocolate clouds to dipped pretzel rods, we’re covering every yummie base just in time for the holidays.

http://www.2yummie.com/

Find Yummie Chocolate collections in the Gilded Fork Boutique!

Sponsors:

Partida Tequila (http://www.partidatequila.com/)
Don’t miss our video podcast series with Partida, On the Tequila Trail!
(onthetequilatrail.podshow.com)

Hamilton Beach (http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/)

Go Daddy (www.godaddy.com)
Use code food1 for 10% off your order
Use code food2 for $5 off orders of $35 or more
Use code food3 for $6.95 domain names

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Culinary Media Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow, chocolate, Yummie Chocolates, gifts

food, food podcast, holiday gifts, Hamilton Beach, chocolate, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

On The Tequila Trail #3: Sip It, Don’t Slam It – How to Taste Tequila

Join Chef Mark at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco with proprietor Julio Bermejo, the foremost tequila expert in the US, as he shows Mark how to taste fine 100% agave tequila. We learn about the taste characteristics which distinguish the Amatitan Valley from the Highlands, and the differences in flavor, aroma, and mouth feel between Partida Blanco, Reposado and Añejo.

On The Tequila Trail is a production of the Culinary Media Network (http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).

Music: Courtesy of Talking Taco Music

Enchiladas Rojas by Frank Corrales and Ben Tavera King from Burning Desires, available as a CD and download at http://www.talkingtaco.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-2665933-6662233?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=talking+taco+music+&x=0&y=0.

food, food podcast , tequila, On The Tequila Trail, Culinary Podcast Network, Culinary Media Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, Chef Mark, Mexico, Partida

On The Tequila Trail #1: The Soul of Tequila

Join Chef Mark and Jennifer as they explore the Amitatan Valley of Jalisco, Mexico to discover the true soul of tequila.

Don Enrique Partida, who has spent his life growing blue agave, shares his poetic expression and passion for the plant. His estate-grown agave is cultivated, roasted and distilled to make Partida Tequila — and you’ll get to see every step of the fascinating process. But you won’t find any worms!

On The Tequila Trail is a production of the Culinary Media Network (www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).

Music: Courtesy of Talking Taco Music

Enchiladas Rojas by Frank Corrales and Ben Tavera King from Burning Desires, available as a CD and download at www.talkingtaco.com or www.amazon.com.

food, food podcast, tequila, On The Tequila Trail, Culinary Podcast Network, Culinary Media Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, Chef Mark, Mexico, Partida

My dear friend Jennifer Kushell has a new blog over at the Huffington Post, and posted an article on The Great Baby Debate. As I am childless (and hope to stay that way), I gave my viewpoint on the idea of balancing motherhood with owning a company:

- “The way I see it, my company is my child — it was a colicky infant, and now it’s starting to walk, though it occasionally falls on its butt. However, it is now speaking in complete sentences!” – Jennifer Iannolo, food media entrepreneur, mid-30s, no kids

There is a compelling array of viewpoints from all sides of the fence, from couples who have chosen to remain childless to others who are juggling parenthood and entrepreneurship. Give it a read!

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, Huffington Post

I finally got around to opening a Flickr account, so you can see the photos from our San Francisco trip, which included a round or four of drinks with the PodShow gang.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/foodphilosophy/

And away we go…again! This time Chef Mark and I are off to San Francisco to shoot the next part of our Super Secret Project, coming soon to a video screen near you. Yes, we’ll eventually tell.

If you are in SF, please let us know by posting a blog comment. We are not only looking for recommendations for restaurants and fun spots, but we would also love to meet you for a drink. We’ll be at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in Outer Richmond on Friday night, September 14th, during which time we’ll be gathering some footage and sipping Partida Tequila drink specials. Come one, come all!

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow, San Francisco

Yes, it’s that happy, happy time: The neighborhood is quiet (at least until 3PM), the air has that familiar chill, and…did I mention how quiet it is?

Now that the kiddies are back to school, I do hope they are eating something better than what passes as “food” in most school cafeterias. If you’re looking for ideas for your own tots, tweens or teens, I’ve crafted a game plan for the Hudson Valley’s Times Herald-Record called School lunch: A world beyond PB&J.

Please, please skip the soggy sandwiches, I beg you. And so do they.

food, food podcast, kids, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, school lunch ideas

Our pal C.C. Chapman’s company, Crayon, was just featured on ABC News as part of a story on virtual companies and the future of work. We love that people are seeing virtual setups as a way to do business, as it’s certainly ours — our company is wherever on the planet we happen to be, and our team participates from around the world, creating everything from podcasts in Spain to cocktails in Singapore. That the news media is catching on is refreshing, as the typical office scenario is rather Old World (and boring) to us. We see no need for a stifling corporate setting — nor for its required overhead costs.

Since the Gilded Fork was launched with me, a laptop and a tray table, you can see that the method works. Me has now become “we,” and we do have desks, but sometimes our office view is of clouds at 40,000 feet, and other times it comprises a view of foreign countryside. In the coming months our HQ will be in San Francisco, Italy, Las Vegas, Boston and wherever else our noses (and palates) lead us.

It’s not a bad gig.

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, virtual company

Well, we’re wrapping up our trip to Guadalajara, and I have to say that I’ve tasted some incredible flavors over the past few days. Our hosts were kind enough to take us for some authentic Mexican cuisine, and I must tell my fellow gringos that you don’t know what you’re missing!

Take the chalupa as an example. We had some last night at La Tequila, and they were so very tasty — nothing like the ones you’re going to find at Taco Bell. Their smoky flavor, combined with the sweetness of the corn tortillas made for an excellent way to start the meal.

I also sampled several different flans while I was here (R&D, people), and last night’s was most decadent, as the caramel sauce was made with goat’s milk, which gave it a tart richness that served as a perfect foil to the flan. This flan was a bit more like a soft cheesecake rather than the usual smooth, gelatinous type I’m used to — this did nothing to harm the flavor.

And of course, I took the time to sample a number of beverages, as you can see below. I sipped some fantastic Partida Blanco tequila, which has a gorgeous perfume of agave, and I followed it with a sip of sangrita, a drink whose ingredients spurred some debate at dinner, as it is crafted from roasted chiles, potentially with some tomato. Half the table insisted that tomato was not part of the mix, but I definitely tasted tomato. I’ll get to the bottom of this with some additional research (I did get to the bottom of the glass, however).

Most importantly, I hand-crafted some margaritas at the table, as I was not enthralled with the restaurant’s mixture. I’ve recently been introduced to the Partida Margarita, and I have to tell you that it is, hands-down, the best margarita I’ve ever tasted. The secret is in the agave nectar, which is used in place of any sugar syrups or mixes. The delicate perfume of the nectar supports that in the tequila, resulting in a finish that is oh-so-smooth. It is simple to make:

3/4 ounce Partida agave nectar
3/4 ounce water
1 1/2 ounces Partida Blanco tequila
juice from one lime
ice

That’s it! Mix them all together, pour over ice and savor near a body of water, preferably in a place that comes with a hot cabana boy.

OK, I’m off to pack, so we’ll share more of our delicious dishes from Guadalajara when we’re back in NY. Adios!

food, Mexico, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, tequila, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow

I say this not just because my fine-toqued friend just celebrated his second podiversary with ReMARKable Palate episode 104, but also because he has been elected to the National Advisory Council for the U.S. Personal Chef Association.

Given his tireless advocacy for personal chefs and their unique metier, I think the USPCA and its members will be very grateful for Mark’s role on a national level — those of you who have seen him in action know he’s a whirling dervish, and always has another idea to share.

Congratulations to you, my dear friend, for such a wonderful duo of successes. You have earned them, and then some.

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow

Food Philosophy Videocast #5: CheddarVision

The gents from CheddarVision join us for a discussion about flavor shapes (yes, flavor shapes), the concept of CheddarVision, and how their site has welcomed nearly 1.5 million visitors since its launch. Who knew so many people loved to watch cheese as it quietly ages.

http://www.farmhousecheesemakers.com/
http://www.cheddarvision.tv/

Sponsor: Go Daddy (www.godaddy.com)
Use code food1 for 10% off your order
Use code food2 for $5 off orders of $35 or more
Use code food3 for $6.95 domain names

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Podcast Network (http://www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com/).

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, PodShow, video, CheddarVision, cheese

I have finished it.

I began at 1:30 AM, but succumbed to a power nap from 5:00 AM to 9:00 AM as the words began to quiver on the page — and due to no magical spell.

Resuming at 9:00, I finished at 1:30 PM. Now I am just sitting, absorbing.

My best wishes to all who are still reading. It is a rollercoaster from page 1.

:::Potter Log, 5:00 PM, July 20th, 2007:::

Midnight approaches.

As the clock ticks softly, I assemble the pieces of my Severus Snape costume. I have not forgotten the wand.

Two miniature Harry Potters prepare themselves to appear at my side. One refuses to wear the lightning scar. The other has broken his glasses.

They must nap.

First to New Paltz, where we shall quaff butterbeer and partake of several chocolate frogs. Perhaps a vomit-flavored Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Bean.

As the clock strikes twelve, we shall return to the Mothership, where the bounty of Potter treasure awaits…and the twins get on video (toward the end, look for Alex striking a pose like the one below).

(Update: Zach, the one refusing the scar, instead embraced Draco Malfoy. Alex sallied forth as Harry.)

food, Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Bertie Bott

Yes, the time is nigh. Less than 3 days remain until we learn the fate of someone who, for many of us, has been a decade-long companion. I’m speaking, of course, of my dear Harry Potter (or, in the words of my favorite black-haired, sneering professor, “Poh-TAH!”). After summers of endless speculation, re-reading and discussion, some note-taking, and even questions about the food at Hogwarts, mere hours remain until we get to the end. The END.

I have cleared my calendar from midnight, July 20th through noon, July 21st, and woe unto the person who attempts to disturb me in between. My normal reading rate is about 80 pages per hour, so that should give me ample time to finish. During that time, my cell phone will be shut off, the laptop will be powered down, and nothing else in the world matters. Nothing. Even Chef Mark has been banned from my universe for that span of hours. I will, however, have water and snacks nearby for sustenance — perhaps some treacle tarts and butterbeer. :)

Of course, I’m torn between flying through the book and savoring every word — such is the spell J.K. Rowling has cast on me as a devoted reader. What I find so remarkable, aside from the personal pleasure I’ve derived from these stories, is the transcendental quality of what the Harry Potter series has done for reading as a leisure activity. When in history has a mass of readers around the world anticipated a book with such fervor? To see children waiting at midnight for a book is something that makes my soul smile, because these books challenge the imagination, refuel the spirit, and teach some magnificent lessons about friendship, integrity and, in the words of Rowling, doing what is right instead of what is easy. May those lessons make a profound impression upon all who have embraced the little boy with the lightning-shaped scar.

Thank you, J.K. Rowling, for an adventure that has made me laugh, cry, curse, get a wand (Snape’s, incidentally), and wish for the existence of such a wonderful place as Hogwarts. I am sad that our journey together is coming to a close, and my gratitude for the joy you have brought to my life is almost impossible to put into words. When I am finally able to build my dream house — I’ve already developed the plan in my head — there is a space for a Gryffindor lounge. And my office might just have a pensieve.

food, Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling, Food Philosophy, Snape, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo, Gryffindor

After what seems like an eternity, Baker’s Edge brownie pans are at last back on the market in their new incarnation, which includes a non-stick coating both inside and out for easy cleaning. We’ve had so many requests the past few months, and unfortunately had to turn people away because there was not a pan to be had in America — so if you are still in the market for one of these babies, get thee to the Gilded Fork Boutique!

food, baking, Edge Brownie Pan, Baker’s Edge, brownies, bakeware

Adam Curry was recently on Bloomberg to explain the phenomenon of podcasting, and what it means for the future of independent media. For those who might not understand exactly how it all works, and why it’s so different, this is a great primer. Enjoy!

podcast, Adam Curry, PodShow

Chef Mark and I are running amok in San Francisco for meetings with PodShow and other friends of ours, so in the midst of all that we’ve had the pleasure of sampling various beers, sausages (wild boar…mmmm), and best of all, a dinner at The Stinking Rose (we reviewed the cookbook last year on the Gilded Fork).

The dinner was delish, but I must say that I’m glad no dates were on my schedule for last night!

Now we’re off to Napa and Sonoma for the weekend with our dear friend Rosina Tinari Wilson, so stay tuned for more updates!

gilded fork, food, San Francisco, The Stinking Rose

You know, the Gilded Fork test kitchen would not be what it is without the royals, Queen Lia and the Pastry Princess (a.k.a. Lia Soscia and Monica Glass). Just last night, Chef Mark and I were marveling at how much these two have contributed to our recipe section, from kitchen tips to photos to mouthwatering combinations of ingredients.

So thank you, ladies, for all you do here. Our chef hats are off to you, and we are not only grateful for, but inspired by, your contributions to the Gilded Fork.

Ooh, the elves are going to be so jealous.

Mark and I spent the weekend at PodCamp NYC with our fellow podcasters and new media brethren (and sistren?), and we had a blast! We finally got to meet some of the people who are part of our daily lives, and hugs were given all around.

The spirit of camaraderie at PodCamp was exhilarating — there were recorders and earbuds as far as the eye could see, and more than anything else, a desire to share information so we could each take our mission of new media to the next level. Best of all, it was an un-conference, so sessions (at least the ones I attended) were more like a group conversation — sometimes a rowdy one. Chris Penn, co-founder of PodCamp and host of the Financial Aid Podcast, gave an inspiring talk on the recent Bum Rush the Charts initiative, which offered an interesting case study on the power of social media. Needless to say it gave us a few…ideas. Hey, as one person in the room pointed out, if Sanjaya can become a phenomenon…

Speaking of phenomena, the talk of the weekend was Twitter. (Does that make its users Twits?) OK, I have not quite embraced the need to share with people what I’m doing at random moments of the day, but in a setting like this it was mighty handy for locating people. I may dabble with it for a hot minute, but since I have so far withstood the need for a BlackBerry, I feel like this might take me into dangerous territory.

Now, back to hugs. I got to share a mammoth one with one of my favorite people: Michael Bailey, creator of the MobaTalk recorder and savior of the Gilded Fork Boutique’s shopping cart (long story…trauma…don’t ask). Michael and I imbibed tasty beverages whilst waxing poetic on the future of digital voice mail and all the features soon to debut on MobaTalk.

I’m just amazed at the things that are happening within our community, and this weekend was a source of fuel for everything we have planned for this year — not only for the Culinary Podcast Network, but for the Gilded Fork as a whole. MobaTalk is part of it, but there is much to come. Muahaha…

Last, but far from least, I finally got to meet someone we’ve been working with for months. He’s been a patient soul, particularly when he gets notes from me saying, “Um, this doodad isn’t working — what did I break?” I have a terrible feeling that there is a dartboard somewhere at PodShow HQ with my photo on it. I’d better get to baking those cookies I’ve been promising them.

Anyhoo, this adorably slick-headed male is Joe Carpenter of A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle, and he might just be unrivaled in the cuddly department. Joe has an interesting dual life: He’s not just a podcaster (and Valued Member of the Culinary Podcast Network), but he’s also the Director of Talent & Promotions at PodShow. Therefore he is the Go-To-Guy for Jennifer’s Broken Doodads.

Joe, Chef Mark and I recorded a tasting session at Veloce wine bar over the weekend, so look for that next week!

Top two photos: Whitney Hoffman; bottom photo: Mark Tafoya

PodCamp NYC, podcampnyc, MobaTalk, Bum Rush the Charts, Financial Aid Podcast, Chris Penn, PodShow, A Guy, a Girl and a Bottle

Ok, side career. I’ve just finished my first voice over project, and I’m having a blast! Check out the new Baker’s Edge site for details, and a little taste of moi.

Jennifer Iannolo, voice over, Baker’s Edge, Edge Brownie Pan

This is about the time of year when I start hearing from male friends both near and far.

“Jennifer, I want to do something special on Valentine’s Day for my wife/girlfriend/latest conquest, but I have no idea what I’m doing in the kitchen. Can you please, please help me?”

Ah, these poor lost souls. I have taught cooking lessons by e-mail, tutored in the art of sensory seduction via Skype, and generally tried to make the world a more sensual place; but I realize that even the fastest learners have limitations.

So this year, instead of wringing my hands as I watch said students whip themselves into a frenzy along with the fresh cream, I’ve decided to give them — and you — an out. You see, there are specialists in the realm of Valentine’s Day, and they are called chefs and restaurateurs. However, rather than encouraging you to fight for reservations and pay an exorbitant amount for a meal in a cramped dining room, I shall still encourage you to dine in — only this time we’re going to focus on ambience and leave the meal to the experts. (read more)

Note: This article is from my Sunday Magazine feature for the Hudson Valley’s Times Herald-Record. You can also see notes on the menu, decor, wine and presentation, and my Honeyed Chai Tea recipe (also available here).

Photo: Times Herald-Record/Tom Bushey

gilded fork, Valentine’s Day, restaurant, seduction

My family started Round 1 last night with the Secret Santa exchange, and today we shall move to Round 2 with presents for the kiddies and a very long day of eating. Yes, that’s the family specialty.

I’m giddy to announce that I GOT A STOCKING this year!!!!!!! I love, love, love a stocking filled with goodies all for me, and would trade it for just about anything except diamonds. Of course, in the best of situations diamonds are *in* the stocking.

Gargantua (brother #4) awakened me this morning with news of breakfast fully prepared (it truly is a holy day), so I dined on a bit of filet mignon, eggs and fresh croissants while I prepared myself for an afternoon with small hyper children.

Shortly I shall unveil the Gift of Gifts to my darling sous chefs (the nephews), who prominently placed an Easy-Bake oven on their Christmas list. A loving aunt, who am I to refuse, particularly when I have inspired such wanton cooking lust? Thankfully the contraption comes in boyish colors of silver and blue, because there was no way I was unveiling a pink and purple one — the men in my family would simply turn shades of green, and we have enough of that with the tree and lights.

If you are celebrating Christmas today, I wish you the merriest of Christmases with your loved ones. Remember, it’s only once a year, and if I can be nice so can you. If you are not celebrating this day, enjoy your day off and take-out, and we’ll see you for a week of New Year’s Eve preparations!

gilded fork, food, food writing, Christmas

My bottle of Allure Estates Olio Nuovo 2006 just arrived, and I don’t know what to do with myself. They’ve outdone themselves, because this year’s vintage is even better than last year’s; I won’t even use this one for cooking, as it is to be enjoyed solely for dipping and drizzling. More than once since it arrived, I’ve found myself sitting down to dinner with a a healthy drizzle of olio nuovo and a piece of bread, ignoring most of my meal to focus on the elixir.

There is something so pure and exquisite in a perfect bottle of olive oil — one whose potency hits the back of the throat with a peppery punch and tastes like olives at their very best moment of ripeness. Olio nuovo is the first pressing of the olives, bottled and presented immediately for consumption. Its pungent flavor and aroma is likely not for the consumer accustomed to mass-produced olive oils with little more than a bland flavor and aroma, so I like to see this as the connoisseur’s oil.

Laurie and her husband Alex shared their story with us in last year’s Artisan’s Corner article, Adventures in a Pile of Dirt, and it is one of risk, toil and soil. I hope it pays off for them in spades, because of all the olive oils I have tasted from around the world, this one is the very best.

gilded fork, olive oil, olio nuovo, Allure Estates

I find it fascinating that people would be “appalled” by my comments on foie gras fascism in my latest Food Philosophy podcast, but not even slightly appalled by the animal rights activists who rocks through restaurant windows and threaten chefs with further violence.

Thankfully the NYC foie gras ban has been sidelined for now, but I’ve no doubt it will resurface soon enough. We are trying to get Mr. Gerson to join us for a Culinary Roundtable discussion, but as of yet he has declined. Shocker.

From yesterday’s NY Sun:

Council Member Puts Foie Gras Ban Aside For Now
On the verge of introducing legislation tomorrow that would ban foie gras from city restaurants and food markets, a city council member decided to pull in the reins and investigate the matter further. “I’m generally sympathetic to humane issues,” the city council member who was proposing the ban, Alan Gerson, said, “but there are a lot of people on both sides of the issue.” Mr. Gerson said that a phone call he received from a constituent aided in his decision not to introduce the legislation. The proposal for the ban was submitted to Mr. Gerson by the League of Humane Voters of New York City. The Humane Society of the United States filed a lawsuit on November 15 in Albany to ban the production of foie gras on the grounds that the process, where ducks are force fed so that their livers expand, results in diseased animals that are a health hazard.

gilded fork, food, foie gras, NYC foie gras ban

As I wait for the squash to finish baking, I’ve had some time to ponder the amazing year that has gone by, and how much I have to be thankful for. This year my checklist is a bit more poignant, because the transformations I’ve seen in the past twelve months — both in this site and myself — have both surprised and motivated me in a way that is difficult to express.

One year ago, I wasn’t sure where I, this site or my company were headed. Things looked good, but building my dream was daunting, and I chose to take things day by day in order to keep myself from breaking under the exhaustion and frustration.

When Mark Tafoya first approached me with his unbridled enthusiasm to build a business partnership I was hesitant — I had never gone into business with a partner before, and wasn’t sure if that would fit well with my lone-wolf entrepreneurial nature. He had already contributed a lot of ideas for the site, however, and I had known him for several years, so I decided to take a risk.

It has paid off in spades.

So this year, in addition to being thankful for my incredibly supportive family and friends, as well as my fellow entrepreneurs, I am most grateful to have Mark Tafoya as my partner in the trenches. Aside from being an expert at talking high-strung entrepreneurs off ledges at various times of the day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever known. I always know he is in my corner, willing to listen to my ideas, rants, philosophical musings and anything else that needs to be expressed. He is a rare gem in a world that often bends under the weight of cynicism, the idea that “it can’t be done,” or that we are limited by something outside ourselves. Such things are not part of his existence.

So thank you, Mark, for all you are and all we — and this company — will be. I am proud to have you at my table today for a feast of thanks.

Thanksgiving is a bittersweet holiday for me. Yes, it’s time to gather round the table with The Family and cook wonderful dishes, but therein lies the problem: As I’ve lamented before, The Family does not appreciate deviations from the tried and true Thanksgiving menu, so it is up to me to ingeniously sneak in a new dish here and there while maintaining an air of blithe innocence.

I must be frank: I’m not a huge fan of Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey rarely gets my taste buds going, and mashed potatoes bore me to death. OK, I am a freak for the crispy brown skin, which typically leaves the bird looking quite naked before service, but I would much rather partake of a nice garlic-stuffed roast beef, thinly sliced with a delicious brown gravy and roasted root vegetables. Alas, such food fantasies are not to be had on T-Day, and I am compelled to follow the script and play nice.

I’m relying on our test kitchen team to inspire me this month, and thankfully they are coming through (as always) with some interesting ways to liven up the menu. Tomorrow we’ll see some turkey preparations from Chef Mark that are delicious without being overly complicated, and later this week we’ll have a southwestern-themed turkey menu in case your Family *does* allow such twists. If so, may I please come to your house for dinner? Really, I don’t take up a lot of room, and I can even sit at the Kids Table if need be.

For those who do lurve the turkey, we have created a special Thanksgiving Tips section right on the table of contents, and our Test Kitchen Notes for this month are chock full o’recipe ideas for soups, sides, breads, etc. See, so despite my own dismay at the thought of the turkey menu, it’s still there for those of you who are passionate for that special Thursday dinner.

Cook well, fellow epicures (and aspiring ones), and may your kitchen be filled with the comforting smells of tryptophan as we celebrate our hard work for the year.

gilded fork, food, food writing, Thanksgiving

I’d like to emphasize that I mean that as in curry the fabulous array of spices, and Curry comma Adam, who could read me the phone book and still get me all flustered.

But anyhoo.

If you noticed it on my latest podcast episode, Food Philosophy is now officially part of the PodShow family, with a new podcast home page and what I hope will be a bevy of listeners. Adam welcomed us to PodShow this morning on the Daily Source Code, and we are very excited to be a part of the new media revolution. If you decide to sign up as a user at PodShow, which you can use as a podcast download and channel manager, you can post comments about my shows and find all sorts of goodies for your listening pleasure.

Come on over!

gilded fork, food, podcast, Food Philosophy, PodShow, Adam Curry, Daily Source Code

You know, there is nothing quite like savoring a luxurious product that is hand-crafted and so deliciously rich that no more than a few bites are needed to indulge the palate. I’m sitting here sampling (again) a few nibbles of brownies and blondies from Sugardaddy’s, as they have customized some holiday packages for the Gilded Fork Boutique, and I’m having a little “moment.”

I don’t think I’ve ever tasted brownies and blondies so luscious. They bake each flavor from scratch — every day — and overnight them to you, and the moment the package arrives you can see they’ve thought of every last detail. When you open the lovely white box with brown swirls, you find a little tuft of tissue protecting a tall silken bag tied with a stream of wide, shiny ribbon. Since this one was a prototype for the GF package, I was treated to our familiar colors of white and gold, with our pretty new postcard hanging from the neck. Inside is a stack of round brownies and blondies, each individually wrapped in adorable round plastic containers with swirled wrapping and a list of ingredients inside. I cannot emphasize enough what a joy it was to see such attention to excellence — I was swooning before I even got to the treats!

They offer 8 flavors, and I can’t decide which one I like best, because they are all amazing. They also have a trifle bowl gift set (pictured above) which looks almost too yummy to eat. Almost.

I have the best job in the world. :)

gilded fork, food, Sugardaddy’s, gourmet gifts, brownies, trifle

You’ve seen us talking about it, and at long last we are proud to unveil the first line of our signature collection of luxury table accessories. Serafina is a little tribute to my Dad, whose sense of style and flair inspired the elegant colors of this rich collection celebrating Autumn’s palette.

Designed exclusively for our Gilded Fork Home Collectionâ„¢ by Caserta Italia, this luxurious table runner from our Serafina collection is crafted in festive copper and earth tones, perfect for bringing an elegant touch of sparkle to your holiday feast. Each runner is made by hand from imprinted Florentine cork with copper metallic leather trim, then deftly accented with brass hardware and gold tassels. Matching napkin rings also available. Items sold separately. Please allow 2 weeks for delivery.

gilded fork, luxury tabletop, table runner, napkin rings, Gilded Fork Home Collectionâ„¢, Serafina

Mark and I are headed to a wonderful event on Thursday in New York to benefit City Meals on Wheels, so we hope you’ll join us there for a sip and a snack!

Spanish Wines: Far from Ordinary-Totally Extraordinary!

Please join Wines from Spain at the 13th Annual Great Match: Wine & Tapas to preview more than 300 wines representing many of Spain’s 64 denominations of origin, paired with a selection of international tapas from 11 of New York’s most creative chefs. See for yourself why Spanish wines are perfect for any occasion and with any type of cuisine.

Thursday, September 21, 2006
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th Street, New York City

Ricardo Cardona – 809 Sangria Bar & Grill
Helen Park – Pair of 8′s
Philippe Chow – Philippe
Cal Elliott & Polo Dobkin – Dressler
Giuseppe Fanelli – Tre Dici
Yasuhiro Honma – EN Japanese Brasserie
Jose Meirelles – Tintol
Marco Moreira / George Mendes – Tocqueville
Marc Murphy – Ditch Plains
Mina Newman – Christos Steak House
Alex Ure̱a РUre̱a

Donation: $60 per person in advance
(IMPORTANT NOTE: No reservations will be taken after 3:00 p.m. on September 21, 2006. Tickets will not be sold at the door.)

100% of proceeds benefit CITYMEALS-ON-WHEELS, an organization dedicated to hand-delivering meals to the homebound elderly.

For easy on-line reservations and directions, visit www.greatmatch.org for additional information, please call 1-866-849-8703. American Express, Visa & MasterCard accepted.

For press inquires, please contact Emily Nordee at 212-620-7027 ext 310.

gilded fork, tasting events, NYC, Wines from Spain

At last, somewhere, sanity prevails. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has signed a proposal to repeal the foie gras ban in his city, and for this I give him a standing ovation.

Daley sees the ridiculousness of the ban in the first place, calling it “the funniest law they [the Chicago legislature] ever passed,” and understands that not only does government have more important things to attend to, but it also must hold sacred our right to freedom of choice.

For those who continue to spout that foie gras banning doesn’t really matter because it’s merely a treat for the rich, their blindness prevents them from recognizing that such a violation of civil liberties should never be introduced on a legislative floor to begin with. Once the government starts to control what we are allowed to eat — not due to health reasons, but to matters of personal taste — we have begun our descent on the slippery slope of dictatorship.

I always did love Chicago. Helluva town.

gilded fork, food, Chicago, foie gras

If any of you subscribe to BusinessWeek, I’m in the September 18th issue in the Fall 2006 Small Biz section. The article is entitled Hitting the Books, and questions if an MBA is needed to be successful as an entrepreneur.

From the article (following a section about the courses to choose for your MBA program):

And what if, after plenty of research, nothing seems to fit? Well, academic studies in entrepreneurship aren’t for everyone. Last year, Jennifer Iannolo thought she’d go back to school for an MBA in entrepreneurship and use that time to develop her next company. But she was rejected by Oxford University — a great stroke of luck, she now says. The 34-year-old has her rejection letter framed in her office. The day after it arrived, she dove into work for the Gilded Fork, her new online media startup. She’s hardly pining for more time on campus. Mostly, she says, she’s using “what I learned by being in the trenches.”

I think 12 years of business trenches are far more valuable than an MBA, so I’m encouraged that they decided to include an opposing perspective. And, since BusinessWeek is the world’s largest business publication, I’m rather delighted on a number of levels. :)

gilded fork, new media, Business Week, Jennifer Iannolo

There’s a new podcast review website up called, appropriately enough, Podcast-review.com! Please take a moment to go there and filter for Food shows and leave us reviews! You can review Culinary Podcast Network and several of the individual shows, or submit a podcast for review.

www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com
food, food podcast, cooking, recipe, Podcast Review, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

If you arrive here via bookmark instead of iTunes, RSS feed or www.foodphilosophy.com, please note that we’re doing a bit of housekeeping, so the blog page address for Food Philosophy is changing. It can now be found at www.gildedfork.com/foodphilosophy.

Please update your bookmark to reflect the new address, and happy listening!

Yes, I am indeed alive and well! I’m in the midst of changing/updating my equipment this week, so Food Philosophy will resume this coming Sunday and all will be back on schedule. There’s some great audio coming from a wonderful dinner Mark and I had at the Bruno Jamais supper club in NYC with Paul Goerg champagnes, so stay tuned!

The Food Philosophy podcast is a production of The Gilded Fork.

food, food podcast, sensuality, Food Philosophy, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork, Jennifer Iannolo

If you listen to show #9, you’ll note that I forgot something rather critical in my lavender pound cake. It turns out that instead of 4 eggs and 2 egg yolks, I added 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks. Of course, if you downloaded the recipe you would have noted that anyway. I’m terribly sorry for the gaffe — this is why I should stick to the other side of the kitchen (and away from the oven).

:)

I’ve discovered the first review of Food Philosophy on My Daily Recipe, and I was flattered to be given an A-. I’m glad that people are listening and liking the discussion that has been prompted by these shows, as I often wonder what effect the title has on people (i.e. are they expecting an NPR-type show?). My intention is to let the show develop organically, and we’ll see where the road takes us. This week’s episode is a bit different, and is more of a “down to earth” glimpse of my love for cuisine. I want to show all of my sides as a gourmande, because while I have my high-falutin’ moments, I also love a good hot dog.

Feedback is always welcome, so please share your thoughts with me.

gilded fork, food, food writing, podcast, Food Philosophy

Share your comments on the Daily Meditation in our forum.

If you listened to my interview with Chef Jean-Louis Gerin on Food Philosophy, you know that he is very much into exploring sensory stimuli and taste memories. I’m very excitable today because he invited me to go behind the kitchen doors for a peek at a very special tasting dinner at his restaurant, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store.

I had originally planned to feature a Gilded Fork Behind the Toque article on him in April, but given this development, I’ve decided to publish it in May instead. There should be much interesting food for thought tonight, and my taste buds are eager for the experience. More details to follow later in the month!

Gilded Fork, food, Jean-Louis Gerin

We are thrilled to announce that Chef Ming Tsai is the newest member of the Culinary Podcast Network. The Simply Ming Videocast delivers his unique brand of culinary instruction, which has been an inspiration for both professional and amateur cooks, and we are honored to have him as part of our collection of shows.

Host Ming Tsai shares simple tips on everything from wine basics to filleting fish in this complementary videocast to Simply Ming, the PBS program from WGBH Boston. Ming is the Chef/Owner of the world-renowned East/West bistro Blue Ginger, Emmy award winning host of the Food Network’s East Meets West and Ming’s Quest, and author of cookbooks Blue Ginger and Simply Ming.

Since Chef Tsai’s show is a videocast, you can watch it directly on iTunes, or on your video iPod.

We’d also like to thank Charles McEnerney of WGBH Boston, Managing Editor of Simply Ming’s Videocast, for bringing this new show to CPN. Charles has his own indie music podcast, Well Rounded Radio. Check it out!
food, food podcast, cooking, recipe, Ming Tsai, Simply Ming, Culinary Podcast Network, Gilded Fork

Continuing our discussion on labels and the power of language, we’ve put up a poll on the forum to see what term you might use to define yourself as a food lover. Is it foodie? Gourmet? Gourmand? Gastronome? Do you refuse to wear a label at all? Registration is required to vote, but not to discuss, so take a minute and give us a click.

gilded fork, foodie, gourmet, gourmand, gastronome

An interesting discussion has begun over on the CPN blog about my first show and my dislike of the term “foodie.” As I had anticipated, some people will not be happy about what I had to say, but I think this is a great opportunity to start a dialogue on the very subject. I am equally passionate about food and serious about ideas, and I’m interested in hearing your thoughts, positive or negative.

Introducing the Food Philosophy Podcast

Join host Jennifer Iannolo as she explores food with a pinch of philosophy, a dash of sensuality, and a heaping tablespoon of sass.

food, food podcast, cooking, philosophy, Food Philosophy, ReMARKable Palate, Culinary Podcast Network, gilded fork, Jennifer Iannolo

After another wonderful weekend of cooking, tasting, and sipping cocktails with great friends, I’ve returned to my desk with thoughts anew. Though it certainly can be said that the ideal way to savor a meal is by sitting at a gorgeous table, calmly partaking of an array of dishes, there is a special kick I experience when the food doesn’t even make it that far.

Upon presenting a lovely, simple roast beef perfumed with cloves of garlic and spices, I watched as the first tastes were supplanted by blatant grazing, with everyone gathered around the counter. In minutes the roast was gone. I suppose my inner chef should have been mortified, but I found the whole display of enthusiasm quite delightful. And the bonus: no dishes to wash.

After giving this subject much thought, I have come to form a hypothesis that the connection between openness to the sublime pleasure of food and to sensuality may be rooted in one’s sense of life. To swoon over a forkful of something divine — one that inspires rolling of the eyes and primal groans — requires a person to be open enough to experience a feeling of pleasure that deeply. This would likely be apparent in a person who also revels in the art of making love.

I think of a person who can feel all the way to his core — to his pleasure center, if you will.

Gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin had a famous quote: “Tell me what you eat and I’ll show you who you are.” Do you subsist on bland pork chops, or do you savor the delicate perfume of garlic on a medium-rare steak that is flowing with aromatic juices? Do you eat to get full, or to satiate your palate? I would liken that to someone who prefers the missionary position rather than the numerous other ways one can enjoy sex. I am also speaking of a person on the whole, as not every meal can be a gastronomic feast, nor can every sexual encounter be a marathon.

In the end, such an approach to food and sex reflects a greed for life. And that is a huge turn-on. I think it is no small coincidence that seizing one’s time on earth with gusto is likened to “sucking the marrow” of life.

From a personal perspective, I have found that the deeper I come to know myself, the stronger the potency of these sensual responses. It seems to require the ability to experience pleasure on a very deep level, without any sort of inner censor, and to appreciate the quality and source of that pleasure.

Gastronomy has always captured a special place in my soul. Though I love to cook, it is the study of food’s cultural and historical impact by which I am consumed. There is a small group of individuals who added timber to what is now a pyre of passion within me, and I am compelled to celebrate their impact on my thinking. Beginning with the June issue, I will begin to delve into the colorful history of these magnificent individuals, from Fernand Point to Brillat-Savarin, to MFK Fisher and more. To me, they illustrated that food was far more significant than just a method of sustenance.

I’ve recently set up a baker’s rack in my kitchen, and I am enthralled with the sight of stainless steel and kitchen tools, just waiting to be touched. Some might find this strange, but I experience an odd sort of comfort when surrounded by kitchen equipment. The cold, smooth surfaces are like a beacon to my creative soul. Hey, we all have our quirks.

Cooking for good friends brings with it a special kind of joy. To know that your efforts will be savored by more than an anonymous crowd offers spiritual replenishment and a smile for the soul. If you are buried in a project and don’t get to see them often, the act of nourishing them in this way puts the focus on the quality of time spent, rather than the quantity. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Of course, said friends are also handy when owning a magazine with recipes that need to be tested. (Like they mind.)

With liberty comes the requisite pursuit of happiness, and so I am now on a quest to see if the law will change enough for me to obtain a bottle of this wine. It is one of the most wonderful taste creations I have ever sampled, like a cross between Sauternes and tawny port. The anticipation is almost too much…

After going through the bureaucratic nightmare the first time around, I expounded on the frustrations of U.S. wine prohibition for a New Zealand magazine, where my message to the government was “Get Your Hand Off My Glass.” Indeed.

Are the suffocating confines of American Prohibition at last being given their final rites? For too long, our vineyards have been shackled by interstate commerce laws that are absurd and antiquated. Let us hope that states now see the wisdom of open commerce, capitalism, and liberty — as the Supreme Court has done — and leave us the pleasure of our wine. And may our winemakers experience unprecedented growth and prosperity. In honor of such a momentous occasion, I leave you with a quote from Monsieur Brillat-Savarin:

A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.
The Physiology of Taste, 1825

Cuisine is both an art and a science: it is an art when it strives to bring about the realization of the true and the beautiful, called le bon (the good) in the order of culinary ideas. As a science, it respects chemistry, physics and natural history. Its axioms are called aphorisms, its theorems recipes, and its philosophy gastronomy.

Lucien Tendret

[Told ya.]

Let one open any book of history, from Herodotus to our own days, and he will see that, without even excepting conspiracies, not a single great event has occurred which has not been conceived, prepared, and carried out at a feast.

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste, 1825

At long last, I have been the inspiration for a restaurant menu item — and in exactly the way that suits my personality.

I was spending some time in the kitchen with my friends at Park Place Restaurant in Goshen, NY, and in a moment of purely sick humor, I suggested they put together a dish with foie gras, fava beans and a Chianti, and call it the Lechter.

Heh…next time I went into the restaurant, there it was on the menu:

“Liver with Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti…”

Ththththththththththth……

My kitchen is enveloped in the scent of cardamom as I test the recipes for next month’s issue of Gastronomic Meditations. In fact, I’m not sure they make a Ziploc bag strong enough to contain its powerful aroma.

This will not be a problem until it starts to give off the decadent perfume of musty sawdust, at which point I will probably have to bury it in the backyard. Perhaps I can put it next to the plot I have planned for the bird outside my window that simply will not shut up.