Psst, I Have a Secret

Having just watched the newest Food Network show, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, I find I now have a secret of my own.  I have a crush on Anne Burrell.  I had first noticed the golden-haired gastrome as Mario Batali’s sous chef on Iron Chef America thinking, she’s cute and I bet she’d be fun to hang out with.

 

Well, I just hung out with her for 30 minutes and I am smitten.  Not just because she has such an adorable personality but because she has a food knowledge that is (dare I say?) sexy.  I know it is a testament of just how much of a food geek I am but any woman that can take a cut of meat and tell me what part of the cow it came from puts me under her spell.

 

Burrell’s first menu was rustic, spaghetti Bolognese with a salad of baby arugula, grilled asparagus, and poached egg, nothing technically challenging but dishes whose most crucial aspect is attention to detail.  The humor of this menu is that, as many guys can relate, the first meal that a new girlfriend prepares for us is usually spaghetti.

 

Thanks to the magic of television the Bolognese was done in half an hour, however Burrell pointed out that it had actually taken four hours.  For many people it seems absurd to spend four hours making spaghetti, but to a true cook it is time well spent.  She went into ample detail on the importance of caramelization on taste, salt as well.  To many it would seem that she used an insane amount of salt but in actuality it was the exact right amount.

 

For decades salt has had an undeserved bad reputation, not unlike Betty Rizzo from Grease.  Thirty years and millions of dollars have yielded nothing to suggest sodium chloride causes any illness save the occasional kidney stone.  It can aggravate existing conditions like hypertension and cardio-pulmonary disease, but it does not cause them. That is why it is now known as the great salt myth.  Grossly modest health recommendations advocate we ingest no more than 500 mg of sodium a day, but most of us eat roughly 3500 mg.  That’s okay since humans can easily handle up to 35,000 mg per day.

 

TFN has spent so much airtime trying to appeal to the novice that it seemed they had forgotten that many of us can actually cook.  30 Minute Meals is a fine show for those who want to put together a decent menu quickly and Semi-homemade Cooking is perfect for those who don’t cook but want people to think they can.  Unfortunately neither satisfies on the pure joy of cooking.

 

Many have complained that lately the TFN line-up has been driven by personalities rather than chefs.  Secrets of a Restaurant Chef fixes that.  It is a show for the advanced cook and it is the show I have been waiting years for.  Anne Burrell is the perfect host seamlessly teaching technique without leaving the beginner lost in the woods, plus she makes me giggle.  I will definitely add it to my favs list on the old DVR.

 

 

Dear Anne,

I like you do; you like me? 
__ yes __ no __ maybe (CHECK ONE).

Stuart

 

 

Bobby Flay Live

Originally posted at Edible TV (edibletv.net) on November 14, 2007.

On Saturday November 3^rd I was honored to attend a live cooking show performed by Food Network’s Bobby Flay at the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile, Alabama.

Flay was humorous, creative, and humble.  The menu was exactly what we have come to expect from the master of Southwestern Cuisine, simple and bold.  Flay’s first offering was Red Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon with Black Bean Sauce and Jalapeno Crema. It illustrated his approach of down-to-earth proteins teamed with full flavored sauces that are as simple to prepare as they are electrifying on the palette.

The Iron Chef then turned bartender as he made two imaginative cocktails for a few lucky souls to sample.  Both were variations of Margaritas, one with cactus pear syrup and the second featured tangerine and honey.

Flay’s final offering was Black Pepper Crusted Filet Mignon with Ancho-Red Pepper Sauce & Toasted Goat Cheese.  Again Bobby was careful to prepare the protein with little fanfare and instead he married a fistful of ingredients to make a powerful but uncomplicated sauce. Toasting the Chevre with a blow torch made for a nice bit of pageantry to complete the dish.

Flay opened the floor to questions and in so doing also gave up a little dish on Iron Chef America.  When asked if he was pulling for anyone to win on The Next Iron Chef he revealed that he knew who had won because he was there.  Of course he did not give up who the winner is but he did reveal that a fifth Iron Chef was being added because Mario Batali is going to cut back the number of challenges he does each year to just two.

Afterwards, hundreds stood in line for a book signing as the chef supported his latest cookbook, Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook.

Two for One Review

Originally posted at Edible TV (edibletv.net) on June 24, 2008.

This past weekend I set the Tivo to record two of the Food Network’s newest programs, Paula Best Dishes with Paula Deen and Chic and Easy with newcomer Mary Nolan.

Perhaps it was just the episode I happened to catch but there really doesn’t seem to be anything new about Paula Deen’s new show Paula’s Best Dishes. I mean the premise as I understood it was that each week Paula would be joined by a special guest to cook some of their trademark creations with the grand dame of butter. I like that idea, it kind of takes the best of her two other shows and creates a new vehicle for us to watch Deen’s progression from down-home Southern cook to the worldly culinarian she has become since rubbing shoulders with the likes of Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, and Giada De Laurentiis.

I have truly enjoyed watching her attempt the world cuisines she has absorbed since becoming a celebrity. However, in the episode I caught Paula’s special guest was her husband Michael. It was just a little too familiar – on her first show Paula’s Home Cooking she was often joined on camera by members of her family or circle of friends. Although there was a new set, a more formal menu, and the bluegrass theme music has been replaced with cool Jazz the show just felt too much like Home Cooking. I miss the fun of watching her learn from and cook with someone versed in style alien to her. That is when her sincere love of food and her folksy, quick wit are at their best.

I guess I will just have to watch this week now won’t I?

 

I also took my first look at new cheflebrity Mary Nolan. Nolan is a great story. She sent in an audition tape for the casting call of this season’s Next Food Network Star and after meeting her in person, TFN’s execs decided to skip the reality show and jump straight to offering the 26-year-old her own show. The title, Chic and Easy, sums up her “culinary point of view.”

Nolan is spirited and perky, no doubt she will draw comparisons to Rachael Ray because of this, but I thought her more like Giada in her first season, cute and informative but a little awkward on camera. If there is one term to sum up my first exposure to Chic and Easy it would have to be frenzied. It seemed she was constantly battling the clock to get things done but she handled it well and I am sure she will eventually become smooth. And if she doesn’t who cares? After all, that was part of Sara Moulton’s charm was that she always seemed to be frantic in her attempt to get everything done right and on time.

I look forward to watching the progression of both of these new TFN offerings. I guess as with a child it is fun to watch them discover their place in the world.

Literary Tapas

Originally published by Paper Palate (paperpalate.net) on June 24, 2008.

Small dishes from the rhealm where paper meets palate.

In the May/June ’08 issue of Draft Magazine, Bruce Paton helps everyone with the often daunting task of what wild food should be paired with each obscure micro-brew. He suggests pairing wild blackberries with Maylon’s Dragoon’s Dry Irish Stout, trout with Mad River Steelhead Extra Pale Ale (a no-brainer), figs with Urthel Samaranth, pine nuts go with Stone Pale Ale, and of course if you are drinking Marin Point Reyes Porter you will need plenty of Morel mushrooms.

Blogger and food writer extraordinaire Molly Wizenberg explains in the July ’08 issue of Bon Appetit that she realized she had met the man of her dreams when he made her marshmallows . . . from scratch. Wizenberg then goes on to offer a brief but informative history on what the French once called pâté de guimauve, perfect for those wondering just what the heck a marshmallow actually was.

Sergio Esposito’s new book Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy is being well received. Bill Buford (the food writer not the drummer from 70’s art rockers Yes) states, “Without qualification, the best book about Italian wine today, if only because Sergio Esposito understands that its mysterious greatness is in its poetry – the earth, its diurnal magic, the ghosts of great-grandfathers. A beautiful, boldly sentimental memoir.” Passion on the Vine is the latest in the growing genre of “culinary adventure” that began with Buford’s best seller Heat and continues with other publications like Bob Spitz’ the Saucier’s Apprentice which I am currently reading.

A recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated had Christopher Kimball and crew (specifically Erika Bruce and Adam Ried) rating the world of Dijon mustard. Their findings? While they rated France’s Roland Extra Strong Dijon Mustard as their #1 pick, their top 5 was dominated by American-made Dijon’s headed by Grey Poupon which is manufactured by Nabisco. Who knew?

After Hours with Daniel

Originally posted at Edible TV (edibletv.net) on March 19, 2008.

In the culinary world Daniel Boulud is royalty. To put it in musical parlances Jamie Oliver is like Justin Timberlake – hot, young, and showing a lot of staying power. Daniel is more like Eric Clapton – proven, reliable, and still capable of topping the charts anytime he wants. He is a classic. Chef Boulud is also about to begin the third season of After Hours with Daniel on MOJO HD, a 100% high-definition network geared towards affluent males.

After Hours certainly takes advantage of the crisp 1080i picture with beautiful images and transitions. The scenes are stylishly shot pictorials of enchanting locations like Miami, LA, and New Orleans. The food is unbelievable – it is a no-holds-barred foodie burlesque show. The guests are diverse consisting of athletes, models, entertainers, and of course chefs.

Recently, I was afforded the chance to preview some of the upcoming episodes. Boulud floored me in the very first one when he threw an after-hours party at Michael Schwartz’s Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Miami’s Design District. Chef Schwartz came loaded for bear with a fresh caught Black Grouper speared that morning just for the wood fired oven at Michael’s. An impressive offering, or so it would seem.

Boulud described his dish as a meat pie. My first thoughts went to the small spicy-sweet meat pies of Jamaica that I love so much. But that was far from what Daniel had in mind. He used ground pork, fois gras, and freshly killed game birds for his meat pie. Chef Schwartz watched in amazement as Boulud reached into a plane brown paper bag and retrieved a woodcock, a red-legged partridge, a female pheasant, a male pheasant, and a wild mallard duck. The resulting tureen was a treat for the eyes.

The guest list included former baseball Hall of Famer Gary Carter, Formula One racing great Brian Redman, Miami Herald food critic Victoria Pesce Elliot (in disguise), and a number of area restaurateurs. All sat at an intimate table in the heart of the closed restaurant and were dazzled by the creations of the two hosts.

After Hours is not a dump and stir show nor is it educational cooking so do not expect any step-by-step instructions or clever diagrams of the layers of a grain of wheat. Instead it is a true reality show that simply documents a dinner party of extraordinarily successful people with discerning tastes from dissimilar backgrounds. Like all good dinner parties it is about the food and the company.

Daniel has hosted these after-hours parties for years with his friends in the restaurant world. Thanks to MOJO HD for giving us a glimpse of these highly entertaining gatherings. On succeeding episodes Daniel shares his table with models Ines Rivero and Eve Salvail, athletes Magnus Liljehal (Olympic Gold Medalist) and Dorell Wright (NBA player), and a host of famous chefs including Norman Van Aken, Allen Susser, and one of my all time favorites Michelle Bernstein.

The new season of After Hours with Daniel premieres on Sunday, March 16 at 9:00 PM, ET/PT on MOJO HD.

Assume the (New) Position!

As of today I am now the editor of the Azalea City Food Blog!

Don’t send champagne or roses yet.  It doesn’t pay.  In fact I invented the site just a few months ago.  But the position is a true editor’s position in that I will have other writers churning out food news and restrauant reviews for Mobile and Baldwin Counties in South Alabama while I will be in charge of what makes it to the pages of the blog.

The first new writer to come on board is Miss Candace Fox, a brilliant young lady with a biting wit that I am sure will make a grand contribution to the site.

NFNS: Adiós, Nipa!

 

This week on The Next Food Network Star we saw Nipa’s final meltdown. Nipa is a beautiful woman with an untapped genre for Food Network, Indian food, and I think that is why she managed to hang on so long. However, her lack of versatility and inability to handle criticism were her undoing. You cannot truly consider yourself of TV chef if you are scared to touch a fish.

The other thing this week’s episode showed us was that there are only three people in this season’s cast who actually have a chance of winning Kelsey (who has to be the odds-on favorite and has been since day one), Lisa (who is great when she stops trying to be so damned perfect), and Adam (a bit of a wild card – he is not afraid to take risks – but sometimes they do not work). Shane is easy to root for but until this week he just wasn’t getting it done. A few more good weeks and Shane may become a contender. Jennifer is so sweet but I really think she goes home this week unless she can pull a 180 like Shane.

Aaron divulged that the reason he has not opened up about his family and background is that his son ran away just prior to taping. I think Aaron should be at home with his family and inside I believe Aaron feels similarly. You have to feel for the guy though – on one hand there is a serious situation within his family but on the other he has a chance to get a position that can financially take care of his family for generations. My prayers are with you, buddy.

Tyler Florence and Michael Symon joined in on the fun and were their usual liakable selves.

The most disturbing thing to come out of this week’s episode is that TFN has once again sold its soul to the bane of American existence – chain restaurants. First they teamed up with TGI Fridays on the show Ultimate Recipe Showdown and this week they sold out to Red Lobster, a concept owned by Darden Restaurants who also own the Olive Garden. The OG has long had the reputation within the food industry as “Chef Boyardee without the annoying can.” The hypocrisy of TFN imploring everyone to go green and use locally sourced foods and then partnering with corporations who use mostly imported product makes for an unholy alliance.

Airline In-Flight Meals Soar

In 2007 American Airlines unveiled new in-flight meals on premium service flights to Hawai’i, superlative dinners designed by cheflebrity Sam Choy. Choy’s imaginative menu featured both traditional and modern interpretations of the diverse cuisine of the Island state.

This year American is expanding the program by including similar dishes for many of their international flights: European travelers are treated to rosemary-scented shrimp drizzled with garlic sauce, Asian voyagers enjoy chicken Thai curry over Jasmine rice. They have even called on acclaimed Sommelier Diane Teitelbaum to perfectly pair each offering.

There are special menus for flights bound for Latin America, US transcontinental routes, and even domestic flights. Other airlines are following suit with notable chefs like Charlie Trotter, Michele Bernstein, and Todd English designing new high-flying menus. If only we could afford to fly somewhere. For more information on American Airlines visit their site at aa.com.

Allez Cuisine!

Originally posted on Edible TV (edibletv.net) on June 12, 2008.

Iron Chef America Reviews:

Sunday before last Iron Chef Mario Batali took on old friend and protege Paul Bartolotta, a Milwaukee native, who runs the acclaimed Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at the Wynn in Las Vegas.

I gage who I think will win by how many times the panel is unified in their appreciation of a dish. I call these home runs – with dishes that totally overwhelm the judges being of course grand slams.

Bartolotta took the approach of giving the judges a tour of arborio rice including several variations on risotto. Batali countered with a trip around the world on a rice junkette. Bartolotta’s offerings all carried with them the same description, “Perfecto.” As the episode went to commercial I was really thinking, wow, the guy brought his “A” game then I thought back to the judge’s comments. Bartolotta had met every one of the judge’s expectation. But he did not surpass them.

Batali did. Fried Paella croquettes, Korean Bibim Bap, and an inventive risotto. It was close but Batali proved to still be the master as he edged out his old pal by one point in each category. A great battle, by my score Bartolotta had five home runs but the Iron chef had five grand slams.

This week Bobby Flay took on a truly remarkable chef in the form of Marcus Samuelsson.  Born in Africa, Samuelsson has also worked in Switzerland and Austria but now is the executive chef and co-owner of Aquavit restaurant in New York City, all this by the age of 24.  He was also the youngest chef to ever receive a three-star restaurant review from The New York Times. In 2003 he was named “Best Chef: New York City” by the James Beard Foundation.  He is also the host of ”Inner Chef” on Discovery Home Channel and is an adjunct professor in meal sciences at Sweden’s Umeå University.

Very impressive credentials indeed, but Bobby Flay brings himself to the table.  The culinary demi-gods smiled on Flay as the theme ingredient was unvailed, corn.  Judge Jeffrey Steingarten said it best when he stated something along the lines of Bobby Flay has used corn beautifully in every dish he has ever cooked.

Speaking of Steingarten he was the epitome of himself during the battle, whimsically annoying. For those of you who do not know Jeffrey Steingarten, he was a self-professed picky eater who had to learn to eat everything after leaving the law profession to become the food critic for Vogue magazine in 1989. He documented his transformation from finicky to gourmand in his 1998 James Beard Award winning book The Man Who Ate Everything (Vintage, 1998).

Samuelsson put together an amazing menu, unfortunately Steingarten was the only judge who got it.  By my count Samuelsson had one home run, a nice job considering he was using an alien ingredient and only one judge got his approach. Of course Flay had three home runs with his corn waffle with Bourbon caramel syrup being a grand slam.

When the secret ingredient is unveiled each week I rack my brain trying to think what I would prepare if I were the challenger. I am sure I am not the only one who does this. I cannot believe that neither chef did fish and grits – grits (made from corn), fried catfish (dredged in cornmeal), and hush puppies (a fried cornbread). But maybe that is my Alabama showing through.

The final score was lopsided with Flay taking a huge lead from the taste portion of judging. Samuelsson is an amazing chef with a truly international background that I would like to see more of; a rematch perhaps?

Review: Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati

Posted by Edible TV (edibletv.net) on June 12, 2008.

In 1967 the small local chain of convenience stores known as Pronto Markets changed their name and in so doing became the model grocery store of the new millennium. The new name? Trader Joe’s, of course. Today there are over 280 stores in 23 states that feature the best for less. Sure, lots of people claim that, but Joe’s actually pulls it off.

In 2008 two college friends combined their international backgrounds, love of great food, and need to feed busy families to produce a collection of recipes using the many amazing prepared foods to be found in Trader Joe’s Grocery Stores.

Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati created Cooking with All Things Trader Joe’s (Brown Bag Publishers, LLC) because as they say, “Time and time again, as we shopped the aisles at Trader Joe’s, we overheard people saying, What do you do with quinoa? How do you use tapenade? What goes well with ricotta-stuffed chicken?   Before we knew it, we were writing a cookbook.

“Through necessity, as our lives became more hectic juggling kids and full-time jobs, we discovered ways to become fast and efficient cooks. Rather than resort to fast-food or frozen dinners, we found that if we used a little help with prepped ingredients at Trader Joe’s, suddenly it became completely doable to still feed our families healthy, homemade meals every day.”

“What I love most about this cookbook is that every recipe can be made with ingredients that are available at Trader Joe’s,” says Miniati. “As a mom of two young kids, I don’t have the time to shop at multiple grocery stores. We specifically wrote each recipe using ingredients Trader Joe’s carries, from specialty sauces like Trader Ming’s Soyaki to staples like milk, flour, and spices.

“So this cookbook is a great time-saver, not only because the recipes themselves are easy and fast, but also because you only have to shop at one place to make these fabulous meals.”

Fans of Trader Joe’s rejoice for Dunn and Miniati have conjured their own book of magic. And the two are not done, either, they are already working on the next edition and plan to publish new recipes regularly, showcasing new items as they appear.

I thumbed the recipes in the book and found their variations on one of my favorite soups, Black Bean. The soup was dark and exotic . . . just the way I like it. Try it yourself, then go buy the book.

Black Bean Soup

• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped, or 2 cups bagged Freshly Diced Onion
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 clove crushed garlic, or 1 tsp jarred Crushed Garlic
• 2 (15-oz) cans Organic Black Beans (do not drain)
• 1 cup (half a jar) Chunky Salsa
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (juice of 1 lime)
• Plain yogurt, such as Plain Cream Line Yogurt, or sour cream

In a medium pot, sauté onions in olive oil until they are soft and translucent.

Sprinkle in cumin and garlic and sauté for a minute; pour in black beans (including juices), salsa, and lime. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt. Chili and Lime Tortilla Chips or other white corn tortilla chips go nicely on the side.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Hands-off Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

Photo courtesy of cookingwithtraderjoes.com.

The Art Institutes Introduces Best Teen Chef 2008

Originally Posted by Edible TV (edibletv.net) on June 9, 2008

The Art Institutes has announced the winner of their 2008 Best Teen Chef award as Jonathan Miller of Savannah, GA.  Not only does Miller pick up a full-tuition scholarship, but he also pockets a gaggle of cool Food Network gifts, including a series of 60 second spots showing highlights from the Best Teen Chef 2008 competition.

Here is the press release:

The winner of Best Teen Chef 2008 holds the recipe for success.

The International Culinary Schools at The Art Institutes congratulate Jonathan Miller of Savannah, GA, for winning “Best Teen Chef 2008″ title. Apart from bragging rights, Jonathan will also receive a full-tuition scholarship, a tour of the Food Network Studios, a dinner for two at a Food Network chef′s restaurant and a library of Food Network Kitchens cookbooks. In addition, the Food Network is inviting the Best Teen Chef of 2008 to be an “Intern for a Day” at the Food Network Kitchens in New York City.

Catch our Best Teen Chef finalists in action!

Starting this June, you can tune into the Food Network and the Fine Living channels to catch a glimpse of the Best Teen Chef 2008 competition. A 60-second featurette, containing highlights of the competition will run on Food Network, Monday June 16 at 8:00pm during ‘Good Eats’ and also during other programming including ‘Barefoot Contessa.’ Also, on Fine Living the featurette will run the entire week of June 16 during “Fine Ideas” programming.

Don′t miss it!

Photo courtesy of The Art Institutes.

Tomatoes and Salmonella

Another classic example of why you should buy local produce or get an Aerogarden is the recent recall of tomatoes because of salmonella.  I know some of you may be interested in the situation so I am pasting the FDA’s most recent update:

The FDA expanded its warning to consumers about the salmonella

Published:Tuesday, June 10, 2008

CAUTIONS

What you should know

The FDA expanded its warning to consumers about the salmonella outbreak. Here are some tips:

Raw red plum, raw red Roma or raw round red tomatoes and products containing these tomatoes may be the source of the salmonella outbreak.

If consumers choose to eat these varieties, it recommends they eat them from the following areas: Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Belgium, Canada, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Netherlands and Puerto Rico.

Limit consumption of tomatoes to varieties that are least likely to be the cause of the salmonella outbreak. These include tomatoes attached to a vine, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes and tomatoes grown at home.

Avoid purchasing bruised or damaged tomatoes and discard any that appear spoiled.

Refrigerate tomatoes within two hours after preparing or discard cut, peeled, or cooked tomatoes.

Separate tomatoes that will be eaten raw from raw meats, raw seafood and raw produce items.

Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counters with hot water and soap when switching between types of food products.

Thoroughly wash tomatoes under running water.

Young children, frail or elderly people or those with weakened immune systems are most at risk for serious and sometimes fatal infections from salmonella.

Symptoms to watch out for include fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Consumers should contact their health-care provider if they have recently eaten raw tomatoes or foods contaminated by raw tomatoes and are experiencing any of these symptoms.

Source: FDA

Is Bobby Flay the Greatest Iron Chef?

Two weekends ago I warmed up for the new batch of Iron Chef America episodes by watching the ICA: Battle of the Masters mini-marathon on Food Network on Saturday. Those first ICA’s featured Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, and Wolfgang Puck. Flay competed in two of the three Masters episodes and won in both over the grand poobah of Iron Chefs, French master Hiroyuki Sakai. The first match was mano-e-mano with both chefs bringing their A games. Thinking back it occurs to me that both Flay and Sakai offered five dishes each that were absolute home runs. Honestly, all ten dishes were equally genius. In the second Flay/Sakai battle it was a mismatched tag team battle with Flay teaming with Morimoto and Sakai with Batali.

Having watched Flay school the dean of the Japanese IC, I prepared for the first new ICA episode, Flay versus Chef Bob Iacovone of restaurant Cuvée in New Orleans. The theme ingredient was languostine, a spectacular shellfish popular in Europe. Languostine are incredibly delicate and sweet. Flay remarked that the biggest challenge was in restraining himself from over pouring the languostine. Iacovone did not do as well at respecting the secret ingredient as the judges repeatedly remarked that they could not taste languostine in his otherwise inspired dishes. It was clear after hearing the judges’ comments to the challenger that Flay had won before his food was even tasted.

ICA was followed by a special one-hour Throwdown in which Bobby rematched three former Throwdown competitors in Miami. This show was fascinating as you viewed the opulent hotel suite shared by the three competitors and the various twists that TFN threw at them like having them dress for a fancy dinner on a veranda and then showing up with raw steak and shrimp and a charcoal grill that they had to assemble before using. During this Throwdown something happened that many have been waiting for, Bobby got challenged to a Throwdown by yet another former challenger. The voting was close and had to go to a tie-breaker with Bobby just edging out the self-proclaimed Dream Team.

Can I have another napkin, please?

I have long lived by the axiom that the best food is food you wear. Tacos, burritos, BBQ, pizza – if it’s sloppy then it’s good. With that being said, why are restaurants so chinsy with their napkins?

When reviewing a restaurant, napkins are a big part of my early impression. Paper napkins cost you immediately. Cloth napkins are what you should provide but paper is passable at “country” style diners and the like as long is there is a dispenser on the table. No dispenser and only one paper napkin? That’s really gonna cost ya.

And why do those places who use cloth only give you one? Two napkins is not a luxury; it is a necessity, one for the lap and one for the table. Honestly, chain restaurants, you save enough money only paying servers slave wages and by importing carcinogen filled seafood to spring for two napkins per customer. Not only would it lesson the burden on the overwhelmed-underpaid server but it would be a proper gesture for the customer you are slowly poisoning with chloramphenicol.

One napkin, be it cloth or paper, is very poor customer service. If a restaurant is that cheap, what other costs are they cutting at the expense of the customer they purport to treat like you are “part of the family?”

Exceptional Table Settings

It would surprise you to know just how much of what we taste is influenced by the other senses. To prove the point, there is a fad currently emerging called “dark dining.” There are two different approaches to dark dining but both involve the customers being blindfolded for the entirety of the meal. DD enthusiasts claim that food tastes differently when you eliminate one of the senses. For the record the two different approaches to dark are that some restaurants have servers donning commando-style night-vision goggles while the other employees only vision-impaired servers.

The importance of what we see towards what we taste is essential. This is why chefs are so maniacal about their plate presentations. One example that comes to mind is Chef Charles Mereday of the Battle House Hotel here in Mobile. Last summer I did a profile on the Johnson & Wales classmate of Tyler Florence for ‘Zalea Magazine. My editor told me that when they photographed one of Chef Charles’ entrees for the article that the photographer took the liberty of rearranging the items on the dish. The chef politely removed the plate and cooked the dish again asking that the picture reflect the way the dish is served.

For the home cook an easy way to set the stage visually is to set the table creatively. One great teacher of how to set a table is Food Network star Sandra Lee. Though many have been critical of the food on the show (Lee professes to use 70% prepared foods), none can argue that the TV star sets beautiful tables, or what she calls tablescapes. I have recently stumbled on some videos that will help everyone set an immaculate table.

The first is by 19-year-old Michael Nielsen who is currently serving on a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. Michael has made over a dozen videos that show you step by step how to fold your dinner napkins into all kinds of interesting shapes like the common fan or pyramid shapes or whimsical folds like a clown hat or intricate like an atrium lily. You can view Nielson’s videos by clicking right about here.

The other video is a quick lesson in how to properly set a place. Perfect those who can’t remember which fork goes where. Check it out here. Nope, sorry, make that here.