Thursday, February 26, 2009

My Love for the Great summer treat

Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

My Love for the Great Summer Treat

Having been in the food business for many years and working on wonderful food presentations, no one would believe that my secret love is the hot dog. I could devour these little yummies 5 out of 7 days a week. But this is not just a summer whim; I keep these little lovelies on hand all the time. There are many types.  The most common are the three meat variety consisting of pork, beef, and veal (some of which can contain “unidentified” cuts of meat).  Nothing beats a nice grilled dog with mustard, relish and minced fresh onions, along with some really fresh hand-cut french fries and a Coke.  This rivals a chateaubriand anytime! I feel secure in using the all-beef variety.  Most of the brands I like are not from R.I.  Sabret and Nathan’s are the famous New York brands I like. For the kosher brands (which I love also) you might choose Pearl Kountry Club, Best, and Hebrew National - these are rich, tasty and a bit pricy, but it’s food and if these processed dogs are to be eaten, why not buy the good ones? Another favorite is Boars Head. They make many varieties but the all-beef are great.  Hot dogs are one food that is eaten more than any other single item. As for the vegetarian variety, they are usually made from tofu and some are made of legumes, but it’s the toppings that make them go from good to great.

Now for the Rhode Island all-time favorite and mine:  hot wieners. Gut busters, gaggers, and tube steaks are among the loveable names given to these wonderful tidbits. It’s too bad that many of my students have never heard of or have never had them.  I tell them to try them in their travels. When you eat hot wieners you get your money’s worth. Why, you ask.  Because they stay with you all day and into the night sometimes! You can eat Tic Tacs or any kind of breath mints: nothing helps. Make sure if someone else is with you that they eat the same thing so the cloud of wiener breath doesn’t overcome the air! In my heyday as a kid, 12-15 wieners was the usual take meal.  I have no idea where the idea for coffee milk came from as an accompaniment.  I think you can’t beat a good root beer or a Coke.  Add 2 Tums and you’re good to go.  Don’t even waste your time on the gum! One other thing:  when you eat these goodies, everyone knows. Good thing there is no law such as DUIW [driving under the influence of wieners]! Can you imagine taking a breathalyzer?  They would check the probe and it would blow up!  So come on:  let’s kick the winter blues out, fire up the grill, heat up some buns, dig out the toppings, chill the Coke, even sit in your shorts barefooted, and enjoy the start of the summer ritual. The American Hot Dog. I think the state should amend the constitution to include R.I. Hot Dog Day….

Monday, February 23, 2009

The Cooks Knife Guide

Frank Terranova M.C..E.

The Cooks Knife Guide

To help make up your mind on what kind of knives you might want in your kitchen, here is a comparison of some name brands. This is in no way my recommendation of any particular knife. Also, they are not listed in any order of preference.

Henckles Twin Fin: this is a seamless, solid, stainless steel knife and is considered high end professional.
Henckles Four Star:  moderately priced knife designed with perfect handling; high end professional.
Wustahof Classic: precision forged high carbon steel; high end.
Kasumi Titanium: made from molybdenum vanadium coated with titanium. It is considered the sharpest edge made; high end professional.  (By the way, I purchased this knife in Germany; it’s as light as a feather.  I love it!)
Kyocera FK Series: this is a ceramic knife that is very sharp and stronger than conventional steel knives; very high end.
Haiku: constructed using ancient Japanese sword-smith techniques. This knife has a Bamboo handle and is very sharp; very high end.
Tojiro Senkou: a top quality Japanese knife with 63 layers of Damascus steel; very high end professional.

When purchasing a top quality knife, always look for a full tang knife, meaning the steel blade extends all the way through the handle. Some knives have rivets in the handles, some do not. Most of the knives have an average cost of $150-$200 each. They must only be sharpened on a whetstone; NEVER use an electrical sharpening machine. Don’t forget, if giving a knife as a gift or for any occasion the receiver must, in turn, give the giver a penny. It’s a chef’s tradition meaning to use the knife in good health. As a professional it took years to figure out what type I like and the balance. To a chef the knife is the extension of their creativity. I have finally (I think) found the knives I love the most; they should at a cost of$2,800!!

Just have fun.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

The Essential Chef’s Kitchen Knife

Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

The Essential Chefs Kitchen Knife

Choosing the best knife for you.

Knives are arguably the chef’s most essential tool in the kitchen. Whether you are looking for professional chef knives or simply using them at home, it is important to choose a knife which is most suited to your needs. There are many different brands of kitchen knives available, each unique. When choosing a knife, there are many aspects to think about such as suitability for the job in question, handling, sharpness, durability and obviously, the cost of the knife.

First of all, how do you decide which are the best knives for your needs? Think about what tasks you may need to use the knife for. Remember different cutting jobs require different blades and knife sizes; using the proper blade is safer and makes the preparation easier.

What about cost? A knife set will usually offer significant savings over individually bought knives, though you are limited to the manufacturers’ choice of what is in the set. There is a huge variance in price between brands. A high quality knife will more than pay for itself over the years. More expensive brands such as Global or Henckles are made of harder steel which is sharper and maintains its sharpness longer than cheaper knives.

If you are serious about getting the best out of your knives you will need a sharpening whetstone, as knives are most effective when sharp. A sharp knife requires less effort to cut and makes the job easier and safer.

The next blog will look at different brands of knives and their cost.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Stainless Steel Cookware part two

Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

Stainless Cookware

Part Two

The Best of the Best in stainless. For most uses, experts say stainless steel cookware is your best bet. Not only is it sturdy and most of all noncreative, but it’s also dishwasher safe and impervious to scrapes. You’ll have to use fat to prevent foods from sticking, but the resulting: fond” [these little browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pan] can be used to create delicious pan sauces.

I searched all Brand names of pots and pans. Not because I do love them but All-Clad earned top marks in professional reviews. All-Clad is distinguished by its construction, which marries an aluminum core with a stainless steel exterior. Also made by All-Clad is a tri poly bottom layer of stainless steel, aluminum and copper. But All –Clad’s own line of pans has an aluminum core that extends up the sides of the pan. This is particularly important when you use them on a gas range, as the flames lick the sides of the pan. Stainless steel reflects light, making is easy to tell how quickly your food is browning, and cleans up easily in the sink of dishwasher. All-Clad pans have the most generous cooking surfaces, and most important then have stay-cool handles and excellent maneuverability then are balanced and like most pans when you lift them even with a weak wrist the pan won’t drop down. It’s a good idea when looking at pots and pans to pick them up, spin them around you can feel how balanced some are compared to others.

All-Clad is very expensive usually you can do very well on the internet but don’t purchase one or two at a time. I am in no way proposing the readers to purchase All-Clad. This blog is only my professional opinion and being in the business for over 35 years [I am only 38 I started when I was 3] lol. I enjoy talking to people on cooking, recipes, equipment tools, gadgets anything. I hope this will give you an indication on stainless steel pots and pans. I welcome any comments and just email me with any questions you have my email is   . Next I will tackle the fun stuff which knives are best.  enjoy.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

The First in a Series on Cookware

Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

The First of a Series on Cookware

The Wonderful World of Stainless Steel Cookware.

The Magic question I am asked by people what’s 18/10 Stainless Steel. The first number in the 18/10 stainless steel refers to the percentage of the alloy that is made of chromium. In order to be considered stainless steel at all, the number must be at least 10.5%. A higher value of chromium means that the protective layer will be thicker and will repair itself more quickly if damaged. Therefore, 18/10 stainless steel has a high level of chromium, and will be more resistant to staining and corrosion.

Stainless steel is one of the most popular materials for cookware because it is smooth, doesn’t stick easily. Is resistant to corrosoion, and because its natural gleam is very attractive. But what makes stainless steel different from regular steel?

Steel by its self is an alloy, or combination of different metals, that is made up mostly of iron. Steel is made harder and more durable than iron by adding other metals such as carbon, however, steel remains prone to corrosion, rusting and pitting easily which is far from ideal in cookware.

So in order to make steel more suitable for cookware in the kitchen, another metal is added to the alloy chromium. Chromium has a chemical property that causes the steel to react with elements in the atmosphere, forming a protective layer over its surface. This protective layer resists corrosion, far removing the chance of stains and rust.

In Conclusion

The number 18/10 in stainless steel cookware indicates a very high quality, durable construction that will be highly resistant to stains, rust and corrosion while maintaining a bright, attractive shine.

Stay tuned right here as we give ideas and professional opinions of name brand stainless cookware. 

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Battle Rages on Organic or Local Produce

Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

The Battle Rages Organic or Local Produce

This is about as controversial as Rhode Island politics. We eat them every day. The produce sections in markets are packed with a large array of fruits and veggies some with signs reading “local” and “organic” and some without. The main question is weather to buy organic, conventional or local produce is a decision shoppers struggle with daily.

The amount of produced advertised as organic or local is on the rise and it seems as if everything from prunes to potatoes has an organic counterpart.

Under today’s standards organic certification is a time-consuming and costly process for many small farmers, but only certified farmers can label their products organic. Many shoppers are left standing in aisles, wondering what’s best for themselves their families and the environment. But there are key differences between local, and organic and conventional produce that may make your purchases easier.

The term local remains very loosely defined. It is believed that food that comes from within a 100 mile radius from one’s home is local. Whole Foods, a national natural and organic grocery chain considers products “local” only if they have traveled fewer than seven hours by truck. I drive very fast so I could cover a lot of road in seven hours See what I mean.

The term organic, on the other hand has been strictly defined by the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA} as produce that has been grown without using synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

Although both local and organic movements are increasing, the USDA has only set standards for organic produce only.

Conventional grown produce uses pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

The alternatives to conventional produce are out there. Locally grown foods reduce transportation costs both economically and environmentally, as well as supporting local farmers. And organic foods although they may cost more, use farming practices that support a healthy earth. Just look beyond your labels, local farm produce organic is still the best way to go both for taste, and for safe food for your family

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

The Flavor Genius

Frank Terranova

The Flavor Genius

Why Taste At All

Why is the tasting process so complicated? Just so we can enjoy our food? Well there’s more to it than that. In all animals, including humans, tasting does two things, it warns us about bad foods and it attracts us to good ones. When our ancient ancestors roamed the forests and fields, hunting and gathering their dinner, they needed a way to tell poisonous plants from healthy ones, or weather a piece of meat was spoiled. Generally poisonous plants have a strong bitter flavor that both animals and humans know to avoid. Because the taste buds on the back of the tongue are most sensitive to bitterness, even if you start to eat something bad, you have one last chance to gag and spit it out before you swallow. Similarly, spoiled food often tastes sour warning us not to eat it. Sourness can also mean a food is not ripe and therefore not good enough to eat.

On the other hand, foods that contain certain amino acids, which are the building blocks of the proteins that our bodies require, have a savory, sort of meaty taste that humans like. Likewise a pleasant, sweet taste is common in foods that are high in calories, which we need for energy. Early humans learned that sweet and savory foods meant healthy foods. As a result. We still favor these tastes today. Indeed, human babies are born with a taste for sweetness to make sure that they will eat their first food, milk which contains natural sugars.

The world is full of wonderful things to eat as we have our favorite foods and other we are not so fond of. Tongues and taste buds are all the same, right? Who does like the taste of cauliflower anyway?

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Really now is it worth a grain of salt

Frank A Terranova

Really Now Is It Worth a Grain of Salt

With all the hoopla on different gourmet salts is it possible to spend .90 cents for a pound or is it possible to spend as much as $35.00 a pound, do we need a boutique variety of salt to flavor our food. Good question. Well here is my take on the use of salt we use salt to flavor liquids, or use as a topical to add a nice sea like flavor to food. So here it is the Readers Digest version.

All salts that we consume are made from sea salt or mined from inland salt deposits. There are common four varieties: Iodized table salt, kosher salt, sea salt and fleur de sel [a special type of sea salt. Table salt is made by sending water into salt deposits and then evaporated the mixture until only salt crystals remain.  In 1924 the Morton Salt Company began adding iodine to the salt to help prevent goiters which at that time were typically caused by iodine deficiency. So 70% of all table salt has iodine still added although goiters really don’t exist in America any more.
Kosher salt gets its name because of its role in making meat kosher. Jewish law dictates that blood must be extracted from meat prior to consumption. Kosher salt is harvested like the table variety it’s raked during evaporation to give it its block like structure which is better to absorb blood from animal carcasses.

Sea salt is created by evaporating sea water until you are left with salt: it is less dense than table salt meaning its slightly less salty then table salt.

Fleur de sel is a type of sea salt obtained by hand harvesting the young crystals that form on the surface of salt evaporation ponds. The harvesting of fleur de sel is always takes place in the summer months when the sun is the strongest. Most fleur de sels have a higher mineral content and often smells like the ocean.
Here are a few tests which were conducted on different foods for flavor and taste. These are professional opinions so look at the findings. Then you decide.

Finger test: This was made by simply using the finger slightly wet and dipped into the salt
Maladon salt ranked highest It’s a hand harvested flaked salt from England
Fleur de sel ranked second highest
Kosher ranked third.
Pasta test: simply sprinkled over plain pasta
Kosher Salt ranked highest
La Baleine ranked second is a hand harvested salt from the mediterranean
Fleur de sel ranked third
Steak:  Simply grilled steak
Maladon salt ranked highest
Fleur de sel ranked second
Kosher ranked third.
The worst ranked salt was the Nu Salt which is a salt substitute which is designed for people on low sodium diets.
So over all for whatever you cook or flavor food with salt is salt. If used properly it is the most used spice we have on the planet.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

The SKinny on Processed Food

Chef Frank Terranova

The Skinny on Processed Foods

Why are processed foods so much sweeter than natural foods? Simple, humans are programmed to seek out sweetest foods. This fact is not lost on processed food industry. If the sweetest fruit is 100 on a scale of 1 to 100, food manufactures design their food to be 150 on the same scale.

Think about it. Give a young child the choice between a banana and a piece of candy after sampling both he or she will go for the candy every time because our brains are hardwired that’s how companies take advantage of our sweet tooth.

The desensitizing of our taste buds by abnormally tasty processed food isn’t restricted to sweetness; the same goes for salty as well. But natural foods saltiness is a more subtle taste than sweetness, so if you eat junk food, or worse if you add salt to your food you are never going to taste the natural saltiness in natural foods. And over time you’ll likely have to salt your meal to be able to taste them at all. But fear not you can re-sensitize your taste buds simply by avoiding unnaturally sweet and salty items.

So remember. When it comes to food, personal taste isn’t just affected by your use of condiments; it’s influenced by your lifestyle habits. Including diet, sleep, sunshine, stress, physical activity. Toxins and hydration. The healthier you live the healthier your taste buds will be And the healthier your taste buds are the more sensitive your sense of taste and so the tastier life can be.,