Monday, April 27, 2009

We are Rhode Islanders

Chef Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

So How Famous Are We.

We are Rhode Islanders;
So, How Famous Are We?
First of all, our little state flag is an anchor and the state motto is “Hope”. But did you know that our state’s foods are in the state constitution? Check this out. Did you know that the official state rock is Cumberlandite? It contains such a large amount of iron in the stone that it was used to make cannon balls during the Revolutionary War. The state mineral is Bowenite; of course, neither of these can be eaten!
So let’s go after the big stuff. The state shell is the quahog clam named by the native Indians who used it as trading wampum. Go figure.  So that’s where Rhode Island clam chowder came from or the famous clam cake’ fritter, depending where in R.I you lived. Never the less, very tasty little things. Now for the big guy. The state fish is the striped bass. And I do have to say these guys fight like heck! I can attest to a 30 pounder I caught last summer, and they even run bigger than that.
The state animal is the R.I Red; yes, a chicken. Really not an animal in the true sense of the word, but they do taste pretty good. But what makes them great is they lay brown eggs. Yes, white chickens lay white eggs, and brown or reddish-colored chickens lay brown eggs.
The state fruit is the apple; to be exact it’s the R.I. Greening. This is a very famous apple and it’s best for making apple pies. It is also widely used by commercial bakeries, even outside R.I.
The official R.I. drinks: maybe beer?  Hmmm, nope, you are going to have to settle for coffee milk. It was adopted as the official drink in 1993 and the big controversy is that some believed that Del’s should become the state drink. However, it’s a frozen confection (and very good, by the way). To go with the coffee milk is the famous R.I. hotdog, better known as the hot weiner.  That is my all-time favorite food.
How about some other famous foods? Well, we do have some great maple syrup. What should we use it for?  What makes it special is the Johnnycake meal, still produced by stone grinding corn. We do have some really wonderful foods in out little state.  Leave behind all the negative publicity caused by some irresponsible people. Our state foods are the best. So here is a really nice tribute menu of R.I. foods. How about:
For breakfast:
2 R.I. Red Eggs over light
4 Johnnycakes with Maple Syrup
For lunch:
Bowl of R.I. Clam Chowder
Clam cakes
6 Hot Wieners with Coffee Milk
For a snack:
Del’s Lemonade
For dinner:
Baked Striped Bass
For dessert:
Apple Pie
Say what you want:  there isn’t another state that can produce that kind of menu.
Now that’s Cooking with Class.

Stainless Cookware

Chef Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

Part Two

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   enjoy.  . Next I will tackle the fun stuff which knives are best.

Its Hotter Than Hell

Chef Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

The New King of Hot Sauce

Hell

The New King of Hot Sauce

Things are certainly heating up for young upcoming chefs in the area of hot sauces. They have been around for a many years; bottles have even been found on shipwrecks which have been recovered on archaeological sites.

We have long had a love affair with hot sauces in the USA; they appeared in Massachusetts newspapers as early as the early 1800’s. According to reports, the first hot sauce was imported from England to the USA as Worcestershire sauce. As time passed the love of hot sauces became so popular that many homegrown hot sauces in the United States began to come from the South, mainly as seasoning for Cajun food using the famous cayenne pepper.

One of the first manufacturers of domestic hot sauce was Edmund McLihenny’s Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce, which came on the market in 1868 and is still made today. Many other hot sauces are made from Tabasco peppers but the original recipe is still a guarded secret. Many chefs used the Tabasco Pepper Sauce for many years as an addition to cocktail sauces and even white sauces. I find one major problem with Tabasco Sauce:  first you taste strong vinegar; then comes heat and then more heat.  It seems to destroy all the flavor in food if used excessively.

So here comes the new kid in hot sauces. Its Sriracha hot sauce made from chili peppers, garlic, vinegar and sugar. Its flavor is chili peppers first, the heat, then the sweet, and then along comes a little tang. As the school year progresses, I usually ask questions of these young aspiring chefs in my classes. I ask them a simple question: it’s your kitchen; what is your preferred hot sauce flavor? Usually 18 out of 18 students pick Sriracha pepper sauce. Sometimes young minds know a lot and it shows. I love this hot sauce! I almost put it on my Corn Flakes one morning then discovered it didn’t go well with the bananas and milk. As always, “That’s Cooking With Class”.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

The WOnderful World of Stainless Cookware

Chef Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

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.
As Always “Thats Cooking with Class “

The Battle Rages, Organic of Local Produce

Chef 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

As Always “That’s Cooking with Class”

Saturday, April 25, 2009

The Flavor Genius

Chef Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

Why Taste At All

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, April 01, 2009

The New Taste Sensation

Frank Terranova M.C.F.E.

A New Taste Sensation

We Americans are taught from an early stage there are four basic sensations of taste: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. So how would you describe the taste of chicken soup? An increasing number of chefs and food industry insiders have the answer. It’s “Umami”, dubbed the fifth taste. This was first identified by Japanese scientists over 100 years ago. Umami is hard to describe, so now it’s identified as meaty and savory; a totally satisfied taste.

The food industry is embracing umami as part of an effort to deliver highly flavored foods to consumers while also cutting back on fat, salt, sugar and artificial ingredients. At the same time, consumers are scrutinizing food labels for chemical-sounding words and unhealthy ingredients.
To understand the taste of umami, imagine a perfectly dressed caesar salad, a tomato and pepperoni pizza, or a hot bowl of cream of tomato soup. The savory taste of these foods and the full tongue-coating sensation they provide is umami.

For years, western chefs and food scientists have debated whether umami is a true taste, as fundamental to the sensory system as sweet is to sour. That changed in 2000 when scientists at the University of Miami published a study which identified receptors on the human tongue. This trial was partially funded by the famous company Ajinomoto. This became the new taste creation called umami.

This is a boon to the prepared food industry because it eliminated the need to add unfamiliar chemical sounding words to an ingredient list. This product is used by food manufacturers to enhance the long taste sensation which is easily achieved with the old style classic cooking techniques. Umami is used as an additive because it is quick and inexpensive.

Finally, where is umami located on the tongue? Is it near the sweet part, the bitter area, the sour area or the salty area?  Try some sugar to find out where the sweet receptors on the tongue are.  Next, find the salty area with some salt from your shaker.  For sour just take a bit of lemon juice and watch the sides of your tongue curl up.  Also, a sip of red wine loaded in tannins to hit the back of the throat. Lastly, a bit of grated parmesan or Romano cheese. Your whole mouth will be totally awake. There will not be one area where the flavor won’t be tasted. That is the sensation of umami.

The food business is now a science, which makes my job more interesting each and every day. In an average school year we taste and sample somewhere around 10,000 items. Good thing we have a workout room! As always, “That’s Cooking with Class”.