This past Thursday I was a guest on WKRG Channel 5 in Mobile. I prepared the Tuscan wrap from Mars Hill Cafe’s new menu. Right before we went on air the anchor said, “You’ve done this before right?” I said
“Nope.” He said, “Don’t worry, I’ll guide you through it.” I wanted to laugh a little but I know he had no reason to trust me. When we went to commercial he said, “That was really good. Are you sure you’ve never done this before?” Currently the vid is not available online.
He he. They asked me to come back to do a 4 minute segmant once a month for the rest of the year. I’ll be posting the schedule on my calendarshortly. Apparently, I’m pretty good at this whole TV chef thing. At one point I described a panini press as a George Foreman Grill on steroids.
Oh, I got invited to a red carpet movie premiere at the Wine Loft! That’s right, a red carpet movie premiere in Mobile, AL. Think that is weird? It is for a short Indy film about the CIA backed Cambodian coup back in’71 and most of the dialog is in Cambodian. Now it is really weird, huh?
I can’t wait for someone at the same lifestyle mag I write for to say, “Stuart, who are you wearing?” so that I can say, “Burke’s Factory Outlet and Walmart.” It’s Sunday the 7th of September, which coincidentally marks the one year annivesary for anyone married on September 7, 2006. To see the trailer please go to www.residuethemovie.com.
Originally posted at Edible TV on August 25, 2008.
Food Network host and restaurateur Paula Deen is cruising these days. Specifically from August 29th to September 5th she will be cruising on the Celebrity Inifiti cruise ship departing Seattle and heading for points north. The ship will visit the Hubbard Glacier, Victoria, BC, and Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, Alaska. And you’re invited!
Always on the look out for new ways of preparing dead carcass I ran across this little gem. The science is sound and the look is quite Star Trek-ish. Now if the good folks at Orion are looking for a quasi-celebrity chef to endorse their product I may know someone who is up for the job. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge, say nor more.
Here’s what they have to say about their new fangeled smokerizor thingy:
The Orion Cooker is a new, innovative outdoor convection cooker that uses three cooking processes simultaneously: convection, steam and smoke (if desired). This cooking process couldn’t be any easier and yields incredible results every time. Using 100% indirect heat to create a convection current, there is absolutely no cooking maintenance with drastically reduced cook times. When compared to traditional smokers, the Orion Cooker is unmatched in cooking speed. Smoke six racks of ribs in 1 hour and 15 minutes, or a twenty pound turkey in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
The Orion Cooker includes 3 rib hangers to accommodate 6 racks of ribs, 3 cooking grates providing 398 square inches of cooking surface, and a poultry stand and lifting handle which holds a 24 pound Turkey. Fantastic prime rib, beef brisket, Boston butt and seafood. Just fill it, fire it and forget it!
With her new show just weeks from airing here’s a chance to get to know TheCookingLoft’s Alex Guarnaschelli in this interview from The Next Blog:
Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 11:39PM
Sautéed Florida Shrimp with Arugula Leaves, Crispy Duck Confit, Tomato-Capor Raviolini… All of those dishes sound absolutely divine; they also sound like nothing we could cook up here at ThisNext. Good thing there are chefs out there that can cook up such delicious dishes without setting the kitchen ablaze.
TN: What is Butter’s most popular dish? AG: My grilled halibut with roasted asparagus and a squash emulsion. It was supposed to be a soup but I turned it into a sauce and had it on the menu for four years. One time I took it off for a short period and customers started asking for it so I put it back on and it’s been with me every since. When I look back it’s always the most popular dish.
TN: What is your favorite food?
AG: To eat: Eggplant Parmesan and piping hot blueberry pie with way too much hagan daazs vanilla and a ton of lemon zest. To cook: fish and salads. I love to make fresh vegetable salads. I’ve always really loved seasonality of ingredients. I couldn’t live without hitting the green market.
TN: Why do you have such a green focus? AG: It dictates what I buy. I go to the local market a few blocks away and it’s an easy way to see what people are up to and what’s growing. My favorite equipment of all are vegetables.
TN: Do you have a most memorable dish story you can share?
AG: I went to a hole in the wall in Nice, a place called la Miranda with no phone, no reservations. It’s very informal. You go in and sit on a stool at a table it’s very informal. At the time the wife served and the husband cooked. The wife sat my colleague and I and down. I looked over and saw the cook pan-frying something in olive oil and it looked just perfect. He then took the pasta, steaming, out of the water and dropped it steaming hot into a vibrant green basil pesto and that waft of steam gushed from his bowl and into my nostrils. He quickly tossed the basil pesto with the pasta and it was the best dish I’ve ever had.
TN: What is always in your fridge?
AG: At home I always have a bottle of champagne. I like a couple of different brands but my favorites are Camille Saves Rose or Bollinger. Both are French champagnes and I always have one or both on hand. Also 8-10 jars of mustards, none of which I can ever finish and lingenberry jam. I always have way too much brie. I’m a classic girl and don’t like the bells and whistles, just give me a slab of cheese. My favorite is straight Brie De Meux from a place outside of Paris.
TN: Being a pro chef, do you spend a lot of time in your own kitchen?
AG: None. If I had more free time I would. I love to cook but I think it’s OK for a chef to say, “Hey I just spent 12 hours in the kitchen and for the other 12 I have left I am going to be outside the kitchen.” I just got married and my husband loves to cook so I let him do it.
TN: Which is your most important room in your house? Why?
AG: The bathrooms because it’s quiet and cool in there, the things I don’t often get to enjoy in a [restaurant] kitchen. When I close the door I feel like everyone is going to leave me alone for a few minutes. Also, I’m a soap collector, like a squirrel in winter hording nuts. I can have up to 20 soaps on hand at any time. Roger Gallet is a favorite. They make a lot of different vegetable and fruit based soaps. One is lettuce scented and is a cross of freshly moved grass and the best salad I’ve ever eaten. He also has a tomato soap that I like.
TN: How would you describe the style of your home?
AG: I would say it’s a mix of classical and modern. Kind of like Ikea meets the Mediterranean. It’s more on the modern size but I have my classical touches. I love a good oriental rug and some hardwood floors and maybe a scratched steel coffee table.
TN: How would you describe your fashion style? AG: I am seven months pregnant so I am very disconnected from my wardrobe right now. Typically I buy a lot of Betsey Johnson. I also love calypso and Lolita Lempicka but I also have sweat pants from the Gap. I don’t shop at H&M and I don’t shop at Target. Not because I don’t like them but because I don’t believe anything that cheap can really be that good.
TN: Prized possession?
AG: A Vitaprep blender. If I could bring it home and hide it under my bed every night I would feel much safer in the world. It’s looks similar to a frappuccino blender and is good for everything. I couldn’t make a soup or a sauce without it. The one at Butter is model number VM0101. This is my number one choice for a blender or food processor.
Baltimore is the star tonight on the Food Network’s new prime time show Road Tasted with the Neelys. It airs at 9:30 p.m.
Pat and Gina Neely seek out family businesses and one-of-a-kind specialties. As for their Baltimore trip, first they go to Dangerously Delicious Pies and learn about savory pies. Then on to Gracie’s Gotcha Ginger for ginger recipes. So far, so good.
But I’m a little worried that they couldn’t find all the wonderful eats they wanted in Baltimore itself. They drive to Delaware, which is not exactly Towson, ”to taste one-of-a-kind treats at Sweet and Sassy Cupcakes.”
Of course, you knew they would stop at Faidley’s Seafood. Hey, read this blog, Neelys. Good as Faidley’s is, I wish outsiders would give a little love to some of the other places in the area where you can get a fine crab cake.
Originally posted at Edible TV on August 19, 2008.
I guess it shows how much of a foodie geek I am that I waited with great anticipation for Food Network’s latest hit Food Detectives with Ted Allen. I was justly rewarded. Food Detectives is very entertaining and host Ted Allen is charming. He’s been a judge on every season of Top Chef (Bravo) and Food Network’s “Iron Chef America.” But Ted first hit the small screen on the much beloved Queer Eye for Straight Guy.
Today Allen is an award winning food writer and cookbook author, he is the spokesman for Robert Mondavi Private Selection, and now the host of a hit TV show. According to Allen the ratings for Food Detectives have been great. In fact, the show’s popularity is growing so much that actually had their best ratings the same night the world tuned in to watch Michael Phelps make Olympic history.
Recently, I got to speak with Ted. What I had planned to be a professional interview turned into two foodies sharing tips and stories of culinary adventure. Here’s the interview part:
What has the journey from “Queer Eye” to “Food Detectives” been like?
Things have worked out so well. Queer Eye was a hit and ran for a hundred episodes. I’ve been on every season of Top Chef and Iron Chef: America. I’ve been able to maintain a presence doing something I’m passionate about.
How did the idea of Food Detectives come to fruition?
There have been a few similar shows, the most notable being Alton Brown’s show Good Eats and there was the Secret Life of. But we felt that food lore wasn’t being done. On Good Eats, what Alton does so well is he teaches the science. Alton instructs, we explore. We test the science.
When you judge on Iron Chef and the theme ingredient is revealed do you try to figure out what you would make if you were the challenger?
Of course. Definitely. I don’t think I would think of any of the stuff Morimoto comes up with. And I’m blown away by Michael Symon. Barry (Barry Rice, Allen’s partner and an accomplished interior designer) and I have eaten at both of his restaurants in Cleveland and really enjoyed them. All of them are just amazing Mario, Cat, Bobby Flay.
Speaking of Flay, Ted offered this anecdote:
We used to live across the street from Bobby and his wife, Stephanie March. Barry had recently finished redoing our kitchen when we ran into Bobby and Stephanie on the street. They were getting ready to redo theirs so we invited them up to have a look. At one point Barry says, “You two should come over for dinner.”
I’m thinking, “there’s no way I’m cooking dinner for Bobby Flay.”
One last question, how does one become a judge on Iron Chef?
Remember that YouTube clip of the upcoming Iron Chef America game for the Wii that Shayna shared back in March? Well, now we’ve got more solid details about what faces have made it from the transition between show and game, courtesy of Eater.
Mario Batali and Masaharu Morimoto are definitely in. (Check out their Mii versions through the Eater link.) Batali says: “I’m delighted to be involved with Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine. My video game counterpart is as passionate and competitive in the virtual Kitchen Stadium as I am in real life, and I think the participation of Chef Morimoto and I adds a great level of authenticity to the game.”
But what about the other guys? Alton Brown, Cat Cora, Bobby Flay, and new Iron Chef Michael Symon? They are curiosly missing from the press release, but if you check out that cover to the right, it certainly looks like at least Cora and Brown are involved. Since Flay ISN’T on the cover, I assume that means he’s not a part of this.
We’ll know for sure soon enough — the game hits shelves this fall.
DC landmark, Ben’s Chili Bowl first opened its doors August 22, 1958. That was the first time Washingtonians got their first tastes of Ben’s trademarks Chili Dog and Chili Half-Smoke. As part of the celebration comic icon Bill Cosby showed up last Thursday to kick off the hoodledooinz. Cosby wasn’t the only celeb on hand either, legendary diva Roberta Flack was there to croon the legions of Ben’s fans.
It was the summer of 1958. Eisenhower was president. Federal troops were ordered into Little Rock, Arkansas to aid in the integration of public schools. Explorer I was launched, as was NASA. The first-ever Grammy Awards were given, and Ella Fitzgerald won two of them. That same year, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. published his first book, Stride Toward Freedom. Griffith Stadium was home to the Washington Senators, and 30% of D.C.’s black population owned homes. Nelson Mandela wed Winnie. And, in 1958, newlyweds Ben and Virginia Ali gave birth to a new enterprise.
Despite a national business failure rate of 55.9%, the Ali’s used $5,000 to begin renovating a building at 1213 U Street. It had high-arched ceilings, character, and plenty of history. Built in 1910, it first housed a silent movie house called the Minnehaha Theater. Later, Harry Beckley, one of D.C.’s first Black police detectives, converted it into a pool hall. On Aug. 22, 1958, Ben’s Chili Bowl was born.
Ben’s isn’t a 24/7 operation but it is dang near. Check out these crazy hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Breakfast from 6am – 10:45am
Main Menu from 10:45am – 2am
Friday
Breakfast from 6am – 10:45am
Main Menu from 10:45am – 4am
Saturday
Breakfast from 7am – 10:45am
Main Menu from 10:45am – 4am
Sunday
No Breakfast
Main Menu from 11am – 8pm
Good News! Anytime Ben’s is open, even during breakfast hours, you can always get our famous chili dogs, chili half-smokes, or bowls of beef or veggie chili.
Ben’s Will Be Closed…
on Thanksgiving Day, at 6pm on Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day, and during breakfast hours on New Year’s Day
Originally posted at Paper Palate on August 11, 2008.
Anthony Bourdain, author of Kitchen Confidential and host of No Reservations has put together his personal list of the Top 10 foodie books of all time. Take a gander:
1. The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller
The mad monk of Napa Valley’s unsurpassed cookery book – the ultimate in porno for chefs.
2. White Heat by Marco Pierre White
A chef who looks like a chef! A revelation to professional culinarians when it came out. Great food, recognisable worldview of the culinary perfectionist – and a ground-breaking shot of a chef smoking.
3. Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell
The first account of what it’s REALLY like in a professional kitchen, and as true today as it was when it was written.
4. Kitchen Book by Nicolas Freeling
Another seminal work on the business, from the point of view of the professional.
5. The Belly of Paris by Emile Zola
The Citizen Kane of foodie books: escaped convict becomes food inspector in 19th-century Paris marketplace Les Halles.
6. La Cuisine du Marche by Paul Bocuse
The Big Daddy of Nouvelle Cuisine’s widely imitated cookbook. Still useful, decades later.
7. The Epicurean by Charles Ranhofer
The turn-of-the-century Delmonico’s chef spills everything he knows about cooking. Ranhofer’s work was unprecedented – and was considered high treason by his peers at the time. A fascinating and imposing tome and an important piece of culinary history.
8. The Ivy by AA Gill
As fascinating for its account of a day in the life of a swanky restaurant as for its recipes.
9. Le Bernardin Cookbook by Eric Ripert
Modern, clean, impeccable and austere recipes from New York’s brilliant seafood Dauphin.
10. Nose To Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson
Absolutely uncompromising ode to British cooking by the awesome chef of St John’s. A rare and unpretentious collection of recipes for the neglected (but often tastiest) parts of edible creatures. Who says British cooking isn’t great? This book ROCKS!
I am absolutely giddy about this week’s Iron Chef: America selection. TFN is billing it as Epic Battles Week and it kicked off (in my opinion) Friday night with a replay of the 2005 battle between two of my favorite chefs, Iron Chef Bobby Flay undisputed king of Southwestern Cuisine and Rick Bayless is el Presidente of authentic Mexican cuisine squared off in Battle: Buffalo. When I say authentic Mexican I don’t mean the strip mall Tex-Mex with crunchy tacos or any of the other American bastardizations, but Authentic Mexican cuisine. Here’s the rest of the schedule:
Aug 17, 2008 9:00 PM ET/PT – Flay vs. Garces Battle: Melon
Aug 23, 2008 8:00 PM ET/PT – Morimoto vs. Puck Battle: Eggs
Aug 23, 2008 9:00 PM ET/PT – Batali vs. Oliver Battle: Cobia
Aug 23, 2008 10:00 PM ET/PT – Flay vs. Tsai Battle: Duck
Aug 24, 2008 9:00 PM ET/PT – Cora vs. Guarnaschelli Battle: Farmer’s Market
UPDATE: Big Daddy’s Kitchen has been renewed for 13 more episodes. Read HERE.
It’s been roughly a month since the controversial ending of The Next Food Network Star. The fall out was tremendous and everyone (self included) has their own opinion. A few facts: Aaron McCargo Jr. was named the winner and his new show Big Daddy’s House premiered a few weeks ago to less than steller reviews. Adam Gertler has been given his own show, Will Cook For Food which premieres in September in one of the coveted primetime slots with Ted Allen’s Food Detectives as a lead in. Lisa Garza, who remains the most seached for NFNS contestant on Google, was last seen doing personal apperances for Texas-based Whole Foods Markets. Kelsey Nixon was the overwhelming winner of the fan poll on Food Network’s own web site and has since married Robby Egan – Aaron went to the wedding. Kelsey has also retooled her web site, KelseysKitchen.com for those wanting catering and cooking classes. Shane “Cheesey Mac” Lyons, a former child star is currently working as a private chef. The others have enjoyed their 15 minutes.
FN giving Adam his own show, in primetime no less, is a clear indication that they know they made a mistake. I’m waiting to see if Lisa also ends up with a deal. Likely it would be on sister network Fine Living where it appears she is a star in waiting but there are rumors of a possible deal with Bravo and oddly enough HGTV. Kelsey and Shane are the two that really got shafted in this whole deal. The final should have been between them. Despite the fact that they were head and shoulders better than anyone else on the show they were both sent packing for the same reason – they were too young. If Bob Tuschman had such a problem with their age then why have them on the show to begin with? And if age is such a factor why give 26-year-old Mary Nolan a series without even making her compete?
Aaron’s show is mediocre at best and at times is just flat out hard to watch. Clearly my tastes are different from many in the country; Barfefoot Contessa remains popular and I have absolutley no idea why? The same can be said for Semi-Homemade Cooking. But from what I have read most viewers feel the same as I do about Big Daddy’s House. Now, I will watch Big Daddy before either Ina or Sandra, but I’m not setting a reminder for any of the three.
I think they found the perfect vehicle for Adam. He loves food and has a talent when it comes to BBQ, but I am not convinced he can actually cook, at least not on a level to justify having a cooking show. Not yet, any way. If I’m Adam, I spend my spare time hanging out in Hyde Park. A travel show will be great for Adam, it will give him a chance to show off his talents.
My guess is that ten years from now Lisa and Kelsey are both stars, Adam too. Aaron will make the move to public television and open a highly succesful restaurant in Jersey that assures his family of a comfortable life. I would not be surprised if Shane washes his hands of television all together.
Rumors have been aswirl lately about chef Govind Armstrong considering selling Table 8 because of slowing business. “It’s definitely not true,” Armstrong said on the phone last week from Nevis in the Caribbean. “It’s unfortunate, but you know how bloggers are. They think they’re in the know. It’s the most annoying thing in the world.”
Armstrong says that Table 8 is “so far from closing.” The recent “Top Chef” judge says he’s been spending three weeks out of the month in Los Angeles and one week in Miami or elsewhere. “L.A.’s home for me, and any time I’m in L.A., I’m at the restaurant.”
On Friday night, not a lot of others were there — the restaurant was less than half full at 9:30, but it was Labor Day weekend, and I’m blogging, so what do I know?
Meanwhile, Sona chef David Myers says Comme Ça is set to open the last week of September or the first week of October. He says he’s still tweaking the menu of “bistro classics — steak frites, frisée lardon salad, onion soup.” And yes, there’s a cedilla under the “C” in Ça, so anyone who’s been pronouncing it “Kum Ka” — er, stop it.
– Betty Hallock
Table 8, 7661 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 782-8258; Comme Ça, 8479 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles.
For those who follow food blogs, Waiter Rant is probably a familiar stop for you. The “waiter” in question gives a behind-the-scenes look at life in the restaurant business, namely an establishment in New York City. Recently, his blog fodder became a page-turner as it was turned into his first book, Waiter Rant – Thanks for the Tip – Confessions of a Cynical Waiter, and now, nearly five years after his first words hit the Internet, The Waiter is anonymous no more.
Making the rounds on the interview circuit, including a recent stop to chat with Matt Lauer on the Today Show, The Waiter, Stephen Dublanica, also made the August 18th issue of People magazine. In the issue, he shared a little bit of what waiters think when you . . .
Walk in the door. I can tell how a person is going to tip in 15 seconds. Women, I would say, tip less, for the simple reason that they eat less. But if we see four big guys in expensive suits, we go, ka-ching!
Use your cell phone. It’s plain rude. We’re reading the specials (which we despise doing) and you take a call – it’s like we’re beneath you.
Discuss private topics. We hear everything! If you don’t want anyone to know about something, don’t talk about it in a restaurant.
Send the food back. Fine, if there’s something wrong with it. But don’t say mean things about the chef before you’ve eaten.
Act disrespectfully. I never spit in the food, but there are ways to deal with rude customers, like pretending their card doesn’t go through. So treat us like people.
Want more behind-the-scenes dish? Check out his blog right here, or grab a copy of the new book, which hit the New York Times bestseller list, right here.
Originally Posted by Well Fed on the Town (wellfedonthetown.net) on August 1, 2007.
Auburn, Alabama, home of Auburn University, has a population of 42,987. But that number swells to over 130,000 on Saturdays in the fall when the Auburn Tigers hit the gridiron. Legend has it that a crowd exceeding 200,000 was on hand for Auburn’s game with the University of Georgia in 2004. Football is a religion in the South, and Alabama is its holy land. The Auburn Tigers are undeniably the best team in the state and are arguably the best team in the nation’s best conference. The phrase “game day” is a bit misleading in this small college town as the RV’s begin showing up at 5 p.m. on Thursdays. Why 5 p.m. on Thursdays? Because they aren’t allowed in any sooner.
For many, a trip to Auburn for the big game is not complete without a visit to Chuck’s Bar-B-Que in the neighboring town of Opelika. The central Georgia/Alabama area has a barbecue style that is distinct to this region. It originated in the 50’s at a place in Columbus, GA called Smokey Pig by Buck Ferrell. Buck is the uncle of Chuck’s owner, Chuck Ferrell. Chuck’s Bar-B-Que has become the standard barer for the Smokey Pig style of cue.
So what is unique about this style of barbecue found exclusively in the villages of Auburn, Opelika, and Phoenix City in Alabama and Columbus and LaGrange in Georgia? Well, there is a lot involved. First off, they use a very specific cut of pork called a CT butt. Essentially it is a Boston butt that has had the bone and the fat cap removed. Therefore it is a leaner roast usually weighing between 2½ to 4 pounds.
Secondly, Chuck’s uses a wood fire of oak, hickory, and occasionally pecan rather than the usual bed of coals. This creates a hotter fire so the barbecue is done faster. It is an intense cooking method that requires constant attention. Ferrell prefers to oversee this himself. “I like to cook the product. I have some guys that work for me that can cook it just probably as good as I can. But for some reason, I just don’t think nobody can cook it as good as I can; so if I’m there, that’s what I like to do is cook,” he told The Southern BBQ Trail.
The finished product is a roast that is a little bigger than a softball with a good deal of char on the outside. Chuck’s offers the pork three ways, chopped, chipped, or sliced long ways. The most popular is the chipped (or finely chopped) because of the quality of sandwich it produces. The busiest days of the year are during Auburn home games and it is not unusual for Chuck’s to sell 2,000 chipped pork sandwiches on those days.
The final originality that signifies the Smokey Pig style is the sauce. It is a combination of ketchup, mustard, and cider vinegar with a few spices thrown in. The mustard sauce is used not just on the barbecue but it is also the sauce for their uncommon coleslaw as well which garnishes each sandwich. It even flavors the Brunswick stew which is another house favorite, often topped with a little chopped pork for good measure.
One last bit of business when visiting Chuck’s, it is not uncommon for folks there to greet you with the phrase, “War Eagle.” Don’t ask any questions, just say it back to them and go your way.
Chuck’s Barbecue
905 Short Ave.
Opelika, Alabama
(334) 749-4043.
The restaurant is just a mile or so off of Interstate 85. The town of Opelika is about 45 minutes east of Montgomery, AL and an hour west of Atlanta, Georgia.
Stuart Reb Donald is the executive chef at Mars Hill Cafe and a freelance food writer whose work has appeared both online and in print. Donald performs live cooking demonstrations and has penned the cookbook Amigeauxs - Mexican/Creole Fusion Cuisine. He is also the publisher of WannabeTVchef.com and hosts two Internet cooking shows.
For those who follow food blogs, 
