Deciding what to do in DC? There is so much going on these two months with the fantastic Afghan treasures being unveiled at the National Gallery of Art. Read all about it in my column "DC City Guide" for Arrive magazine, now online.
COming to DC and wondering what do see/where to eat/what to do? Please check out my column with ARRIVE magazine... here -- it focuses on fun stuff to do in DC each month. ARRIVE is the official magazine for Amtrak's Acela Express.
My Glocal column this month features - Scrumptious Desserts with Pastry Chef David Guas
Native New Orleanian David Guas was supposed to be a doctor. However, it was clear to this young man that becoming a chef was his calling.Fortunately for Guas, his background of culinary devotion helped him chase his dream, all the way to Washington, DC. In the Guas family, all gatherings and entertainment centred around food. At the early age of six, during visits from his Cuban relatives, a curious, younger hand in the bunch seemed to be playing indoors and not outside with the other kids. And in this family, it was not always the woman taking charge in the kitchen. Guas’ first mentor, his grandfather, inspired this impressionable young man and taught him that being in the kitchen did not make him any less of a man. “Abuelo” (grandfather) opened Guas’ eyes to appreciate the cuisine of his Cuban heritage. “Desserts were something I fell into. I quickly developed a love for sweets by being surrounded by other chefs at The Windsor Court in New Orleans who were so passionate about them. I feel I truly respect sugar and its awesome power. I eat desserts that I make all the time, and my sweet tooth has definitely gotten sweeter over the years. There is no better feeling for me than creating something sweet, and then diving right into it to savour the results,” says Guas. Here are mouth-watering images of the recipes featured:
Check out my first column with RELISH magazine - my son and I pick a country and learn about it and its food. It's a fun and more delicious way to learn geography and history!
“The Gooseberry Patch” with Vicki and JoAnn
Vicki Hutchins, a flight attendant and legal secretary, and JoAnn Martin, a first grade school teacher, decided they wanted to launch a business that would allow them to work and still be with their kids at the same time. They agreed to invest their personal savings into the company and went traveling the Midwest US in search of just the right products to sell and just the right artisans to craft them.
Gooseberry Patch, “A Country Store in Your Mailbox,” is the result of Vickie and JoAnn’s hard work coupled with a business philosophy that puts forth the most time-treasured values…..home, family and friendship. They started Gooseberry Patch in 1984 in Delware, Ohio
Their story is what the American Dream is all about. They were next door neighbors who shared a love of collecting antiques, gardening, and country decorating. Their little at home business grew into an amazing empire becoming one of the greatest success stories of our times. “We moved into our own building in the country and filled the shelves to the brim with kitchenware, candles, gourmet goodies, enamelware, bowls and our very own line of cookbooks, calendars and organizers!” Their multi-million dollar harvest with Gooseberry Patch today is a thriving mail-order catalog and cookbook company with close to $20 million in sales and over 6.5 million copies of its cookbooks in print. Today 10 million copies of the Gooseberry Patch catalog are mailed annually to addresses all over the world from Ohio to Osaka. Each uniquely illustrated catalog features close to 700 heartwarming products, including mason jar soap pumps, handmade dolls, gift baskets, country crocks, heart-in-hand cookie cutters, and wooden “welcome” signs.
They would like to welcome you to their world – the Gooseberry Patch, true Americana
The column features some fun recipes including Coconut Shrimp --
Coconut Shrimp
An interesting mix of sweet and savory, try these on skewers for a portable treat.
1 egg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
2/3 cup beer
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cup flaked coconut
24 medium shrimp, peeled
3 cup oil for deep frying
Combine egg, 1/2 cup flour, beer and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. Place remaining flour and coconut in 2 small bowls. Holding shrimp by the tail, dredge in flour, dip into egg mixture and roll in coconut. Arrange shrimp on a wax paper-lined baking sheet; chill for 30 minutes. Heat oil to 350 degrees in a deep fryer. Fry shrimp a few at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serves 4.
Recipes -- From Get-Togethers with Gooseberry Patch: Food to Bring Family & Friends to the Table. Available at www.gooseberrypatch.com.
While it is cold here in Washington DC, Mumbai is glowing in the seventies! What better time for a picnic? This month's Glocal is about kicking back and relaxing out doors with simple picnic and punch recipes. Recipes featured are -- Papaya Pleaser,Gin Rummy,Mango Tango,Spicy Sesame Noodles and Spicy Glazed Shrimp
Salad with Sugar Snap Peas.
From the “Punch” book by Colleen Mullaney (Chronicle Books, 2005) here are two awesome recipes that were featured in the column. (Recipes and photos are copyrighted to Chronicle books and are used here with permission.)
Papaya Pleaser (the Punch book) This bright orange punch has the divine taste of the tropics and is sure to delight a crowd. The papaya has a commanding but subtle, sweet taste and smoothes out the rum kick, making this a drink to please almost anyone.
Punch bowl and glasses
Ice form(s) made with lemon slices
5 cups papaya nectar
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups light rum
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dark rum
Kiwi or lemon slices for garnish (optional)
At least 3 hours ahead, make the ice form(s).
Combine all of the liquid ingredients in the punch bowl and mix well. Place the ice form(s) in the punch and serve immediately. Garnish the putath bowl or the glasses with, the fruit slices, if desired.
For a nonalcoholic Papaya Pleaser, substitute 2 cups additional pineapple juice for the rum.
Gin Rummy from the Punch Book
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Punch bowl and glasses
3 cups gin
11/2 cups orange juice
1 cup apricot brandy
8 cups chilled club soda 6 cups ice cubes
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3 lemons, thinly sliced
2 tangerines, thinly sliced
Combine the gin, orange juice, and brandy in the punch bowl and mix well. Just before serving, slowly pour in the club soda. Add the ice cubes and fruit slices, reserving some of the fruit slices to garnish individual glasses if desired. Serve immediately.
SERVES 12
* For a nonalcoholic Gin Rummy, omit the brandy and substitute an additional 3 cups of orange juice for the gin.
This month my column focuses on one of my favorite chefs - Jose Andres. Talented and driven, I have never met someone who has such a passion and love for food.
Patatas Bravas
Patatas bravas is one of those tapas that you’ll find in many, many bars. There are hundreds of different recipes for brava sauce out there. The traditional dish is a good, crispy potato served with a secret sauce made with spicy pepper and olive oil; you splash the sauce on top of the fried potatoes. The chef uses a freshly prepared allioli sauce with this dish that uses raw eggs, I have adapted it to be used with store bought mayonnaise. It is a simple dish to prepare.
INGREDIENTS |
PREPARATION |
For the brava sauce: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1½ cups fresh tomato puree 1 teaspoon sugar 1 bay leaf 1 pinch cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt to taste |
Pour the 2 tablespoons olive oil into a small pan and warm over a low flame. Add the tomato puree, sugar, bay leaf, and cayenne. Raise the heat to medium and cook until the mixture reduces by ¼ and becomes a deep red color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the lemon juice, add salt to taste, and reserve.
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For the potatoes: 2 cups oil 1/2 kg. potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
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Deep fry potatoes until crispy and brown. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
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To serve:
Drizzle a little brava sauce on a serving plate. Top with the potatoes and add a dollop of the mayonnaise. Place some toothpicks on the side of the dish for serving.
Welcome to my third column for mE, the Sunday magazine of Mumbai's Daily News and Analysis.
For this column, I have selected two fun books by one of my all time favorite authors, the very talented Diane Morgan. Not only is Diane a fabulous writer but she also teaches cooking at various schools around the US.
One of the most creative books that Diane has written is “Midnight Munchies” (Chronicle Books 2003). It is perfect for the time of year when your kids are feverishly preparing for finals, often studying late into the night. Because that is when it strikes --- that urge to munch! They look for sustenance, fuel that can help them make it through the long nights. This is where Diane Morgan steps in with the perfect solution when you are craving something sweet, salty, yet fun in the middle of the night. With chapters such as “ Broken Hearted Munchies” and “Mood Munchies” and recipes such as the “Drew Barrymore’s Pop-tart special” and the refreshing “Red Bull Smoothie,” ; this fun book promises to offer something for all varieties of munchers from the PMS afflicted to the brainiac cramming for the final term paper. There is also a recipe “spa party cucumber dip” that does double-duty as a fabulous facial mask! The second selection is also from Diane Morgan and is her delightful book on “Delicious Dips” (Chronicle Books, 2004). Diane takes a quick and easy approach to preparing the dips –most use simple easily available ingredients and can be prepared in a few minutes. They also set a casual, relaxing atmosphere for any party. Although Diane does give extensive suggestions on what to serve with the dips, I have found that most often the best thing to “dip” in a dip is your finger!
Pictures courtesy Chronicle Books -
Welcome to my second column for mE, the Sunday magazine of Mumbai's Daily News and Analysis.
This column features Party Appetizers with Tori Ritchie --
Tori’s recipes make you want to have a party! Tori Ritchie, who hosts shows on the American Food Network, serves up delicious recipes for fabulous finger foods to kick off any informal dinner or stylish celebration. This award winning cookbook author is was also the former food & wine critic at San Francisco
Recipes included -- Roasted eggplant dip, Spiked Olives and Texas caviar.
Photo Credit – Victoria Pearson, Chronicle Books. Recipes are adapted from “Party Appetizers –Small Bites, Big Flavors,” by Tori Ritchie published by Chronicle Books, October 2004
Download the full column here --- Download food.pdf
I am thrilled to announce that my column -- Glocal Meals - Cook Global, Eat Local debuted on August 7th 2005 in mE magazine. mE magazine comes out each Sunday with DNA (Daily News and Analysis), India's newest newspaper.
I hope you enjoy Glocal Meals that provide easy recipes with a global flavor for your Indian kitchen.
The focus of the first column is the delightful Leslie Revsin!
Recipes include --
Mango Chicken Salad
Melon Soup
Read the whole column here -- Download glocal_meals_first_one.pdf
