Monday, January 26, 2009

Gadget Freak

Frank Terranova

KITCHEN GADGETS AND TOYS

Being in the food business, we, as chefs, love kitchen toys. It makes our lives easier, and fun to use. There are so many types of gadgets that take up little space and are fun to use in some cases. Think of how difficult it would be to peel carrots, apples, pears, and potatoes without that little peeler; some cost as much as $1.00. How frivolous!

Well, I have a few ideas on how much easier your cooking chores can be. Most of the ones you will recognize. There is one crazy one you will think: how unusual and what a nice little thing it is. So let’s begin. The famous micro plane for grating citrus peel, spices like nutmeg, and cheeses with their fine textures. But think about it: you only can grate in one direction with most of them. I was in the drug store and saw this display for the Ped Egg. Now this is for the feet and has a small reservoir. I picked it up, and felt its gentle but fine grating teeth. So I purchased one. Taking it to school I found it is the best micro plane around. It scrapes in two directions and it catches its filings, which are very tiny pieces. It’s now a staple in my school kitchen; we even took it to Germany and it became an instant hit with us during the Culinary Olympics . You never know what’s out there!

First of all, myself being a salad geek, I love hard, crisp greens. So I use a plastic container to keep the greens crisp. After purchasing the greens, I bought a container from one of those dollar stores with a snap on the cover; actually I purchased four of them.
Greens need moisture so I got them home, rinsed in cold water for a few seconds, and shook as much water out. Place a paper towel in the bottom of the container, put in the head lettuce, romaine or whatever I decide to use. One day covered and a greenhouse takes effect; then you have very hard, chilled crisp greens. 

How many times are there when you cannot open a jar or even a bottle with the plastic cover on it? Well it’s time to use a jar opener; saves those pain-in-the-hand messes. One of my favorite gadgets is a rotary hand grater. How many times do we buy a nice piece of Parmesan cheese or a pungent piece of Romano cheese?  It stays fresh if kept in an airtight container. Just break off a piece, place it in the rotary grated opening, and twist just like the restaurants do. Cheese stays fresher longer.

Here is a fun one. How many times do you try to squeeze the juice out of a lemon? Not bad. Then try to do the same to a lime? It’s almost like squeezing a rock! Try a lemon reamer. It’s a little wooden (and in some cases a stainless steel) cone shape with ribs. All you do is insert it in the center of a cut citrus and spin it. The juice flows easily. Let’s not forget the garlic press. At least it leaves less of a garlic smell on your hands, plus it distributes evenly in food.

Pastry brushes. Now, we have used for years in professional kitchens the type with either hair or nylon bristles.  I love the soft plastic. Rubber bristles are the best; they never get messy, they are simple to sanitize, they never lose their bristles, and they last for many years.
Last, but not totally complete: the meat thermometer. So useful for poultry and all types of meats.  It’s also useful for checking the doneness of cakes to see if they are still moist in the center; some have a probe with an attached magnet with timers. Very useful for that Thanksgiving turkey.

I can go on and on about the little toys chefs use. Some are inexpensive some very expensive. But it makes all of our lives easier and adds much more fun to cooking.
Any questions on gadgets, you can email me here on the recipe web site.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Food Trends in 09

Frank A Terranova

TREND WATCH 2009

So what’s up for the nation in 2009 in food trends? As usual the experts, chefs will take out their crystal ball when it comes to this year’s food trends and not to anyone’s surprise its budget [money] will drive the business “the biggest bang for the buck”

Comfort food will make resurgence with a dramatic twist. Expect things like Caesar Salad with the steak, Tomato salad caprese mashed potatoes, shrimp cocktail will appear but with the twist. Exotic salts, basil espuma grated fresh horseradish as a sprinkle to give that extra unexpected pop. With the budget menus so will be the labor force using lower paid staff to off set the high food costs.

Cheaper cuts of meats like tri tip, flat iron steak, and hanger beef will be used by restaurants little will be accessed to the consumer because of the higher labor in stop butcher shops. Usually this is taken from carcass animals at the processing plants. The flavor, tenderness will be great. The usual Filet Mignon, Strip Steak, Rib Eye will be available but its higher price will prevail.

Local is still the most used food catch to be used. Chefs have a place in their heart for the farmer weather its fishing, produce farming raising livestock we want to provide the customer with the freshest Seasonal product. Artisan, heritage and heirloom ingredients are going to see a big increase in restaurants and for the home cook.

Savory, Dishes will use less sweetened pastries and flavors, Puff pastries will accompany herbs, cheese and other flavors to complete a meal with less expensive products. Chilis, kaffiir lime leaves will make the simple flavors explode.

Tea will continue to lead the hot beverage market also a large tea infused foods will be the trend we now have green tea jasmine rice, green tea mints and green tea infused truffles sounds like its all coming up green.

Fresh juices will be used to make the favorite drinks the juices will add the attraction of “healthy” as in Bloody Mary, Screw Driver using Fresh orange juice, fresh tomato juice grapefruit juices.

My favorite is Cryovac-Sous Vide This is the new way of using and processing foods to create completely new dishes. Things like compressed melons using a cryovac machine to remove all air and drive any flavor added into the food. Seafood compressed, placed in a thermo circulator and cooked at low Celsius temps then finished in hot skillets. Braised meats which cook for 3 days on low temperatures in water baths. Foods can be shaped, flavored and totally burst into wonderful flavors. This process is only about 30 years old keep watching here for more details.

This is only the tip of the new trend list. Things will get wilder and more fun as the season comes. Keep tuned to our blog as we try to inform and help consumers look at the greatest thing we have FOOD. [My opinion]