Dear Chef/Restaurant Owner: We have had a long and loving relationship, you and I. As of late, however, we have hit a road bump, and I’d like to see if we can work things out.
http://blip.tv/file/get/Culinarymedia-FP89CasaSolla548.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download | EmbedDuring my trip to Rias Baixas, Spain, our gaggle of journalists spent an evening in the dining room of Chef José González-Solla, owner of Casa Solla in Pontevedra. We were in for a delightful interpretation of Galician cuisine, many of which came with a variety of textures, flavors and colors. After dinner I sat down with the chef to talk about his food philosophy and the way he plays with his food. You can see the photos of our various courses below. www.restaurantesolla.com Two exciting announcements this week: Our new Knife Skills…
Chef Mark and I head to Ontario to taste the culinary delights of Toronto.
Feast your eyes on some of the flavors we sampled at a recent Felidia dinner showcasing the region of Basilicata, hosted by Lou DiPalo and Lidia Bastianich.
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…
http://blip.tv/file/get/Culinarymedia-FP86ScottishChefJasonHenderson832.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed During our trip to Scotland, I sat down with Chef Jason Henderson from Knock Castle to talk about his approach to fine dining. I posted my initial impressions about Knock Castle, but this takes a little behind-the-scenes look at how Jason thinks about food, and what he wants people to experience in his dining room. His able staff left me with one of my best hospitality experiences to date, so if you are going to be in the vicinity of Crieff, Scotland, I highly recommend staying here. He didn’t pay me…
http://blip.tv/file/get/Culinarymedia-QuickBitesScotlandMhorFish839.mp4Podcast: Play in new window | Download | EmbedOur kooky day with Chef Tom Lewis of Monachyle Mhor continues, as we pay a visit to his Mhor Fish location, which combines a fish n chip shop with a seafood diner, including a cooking school upstairs. We’ll have some of his cooking demos coming up later on the “Main Show”, but this is a Quick Bite! A production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com
http://blip.tv/file/get/Culinarymedia-QuickBitesScotlandMushroomingWithChefTomLewis950.mp4Podcast: Play in new window | Download | EmbedWe go out into the woods with Chef Tom Lewis of the Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland, to forage for mushrooms. We met him in New York, and now we’re at his place in Scotland to discover how he uses the produce that grows wild around him in his cooking. We’ll have some of his cooking demos coming up later on the “Main Show”, but this is a Quick Bite! A production of the Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com
Every woman should feel like a princess once in a while. It makes the world a better place. After our long, winding journey south from the Scottish Highlands, we found ourselves on the lush grounds of a castle, and I felt right at home. (Shocking, I know.) When I think of romantic, bucolic settings, Knock Castle in Crieff is what I picture in my mind’s eye. Aside from being an actual castle, which comprises a certain ancient mystique, there is a sense about the place of intimacy, respite and unpretentious welcome. As I strolled through different parts of the grounds,…
Cooking is not really that difficult. In fact, it’s more about love and touch and caring than about special techniques or magical recipes. – Charlie Trotter It is intriguing to discover what tidbits our minds file away, only to thrust them to the surface when we least expect it. I started this adventure with the idea of presenting “Charlie Trotter on Tomatoes;†he swoons for them, too, so I was eager to capture his thoughts on such a glorious ingredient. Then I revisited his cookbooks. Though I have read them many times, my mind has been so preoccupied with his…
OK, I don’t watch television (the one I have here is unplugged and in a corner), but in this case I actually have a reason to promote a television show. You see, my pal Andy Husbands, chef/owner of Tremont 647 in Boston’s South End, is making his debut this week on Hell’s Kitchen. Andy and I became friends in Boston many moons ago, when I was cutting my teeth in the food world, and I liked him instantly because he’s full of sass, piss and vinegar. He also makes a killer Tibetan momo. Hell’s Kitchen premiers Tuesday night, July 21,…
Cooking is not a chore, it is a joy. Dining is not a fuel stop, it is recreation. – Julia Child “Full steam ahead.†It is a phrase that would serve as a mantra for the ebullient woman that was Julia Child. This giant of character, spirit, and stature changed the meaning of cuisine for a culture with its feet firmly implanted in a quagmire of frozen dinners and canned, limp ingredients. (Here is where I am supposed to say: “We have come so far!†But have we? More on that in a moment.) As a child, I was enthralled…
