i8tonite

Month: December 2014

  • 2014: My Year in Food

    2014: My Year in Food

    With another year ending, I get a little reflective over 2014 and of my eating. Mulling it over in my head, I chronicled my year with food, cooking and eating as spurring me forward.  I still marvel at my ever changing tastebuds. Now that I’m firmly planted in middle age with no way of going back, I know it it’s my tongue that is leading me forward.

    Growing up I never even comprehended that I would physically get to be in the places that I’ve been nor did I ever think that I would eat and roast cauliflower once a week or make bread every other.  It was Shasta grape soda and the rare Filipino Chicken Adobe stewed up by my father. As an enlisted Navy man, these were rare occasions since he mostly was at sea.  With my Southern-bred and Caucasian mother, it was a can opener and a can of Campbell’s “franks and beans” since she wasn’t a big homesteader. If cooking was in the maternal cards, it was a meatloaf made with ketchup, stale bread, onion soup mix, topped by shrink-wrapped Kraft cheese slices.  (Is that even cheese?)

    photo (110)

    Looking into 2015, my world is rife with new opportunities of eating differently and experiencing more flavors. It’s less about surviving and more about living.  Nick and I are planning an early spring trip to Mukwanago, Wisconsin, where he’s from.. Nick has told me about growing up with his siblings and ice fishing in the winter, the mighty Green Bay Packer fans and town fairs where everything is fried. Twinkies. Onion Rings. French fries. Pretzels. Oreos. All coated in batter and cooked in oil. (Yes, please.) Served with beer. (I started running again just to keep up with eating.)

    We’ve also discussed going to Miami where Nick lived for over 20 years. With Cuba opening up, Miami is going to be a glorious hotbed of traditional Caribbean infusion; even more so, I suspect, than

    Miamibefore.   (I’ve been to Miami once. I ate at Versailles, walked Lincoln Road but stayed at the Four Seasons which isn’t in the Cuban area nor near South Beach.)

    For work, there are, as always regular trips to New York City and San Francisco. Last year, I felt so grateful for working with the much admired San Francisco culinary couple Lori Baker and Jeff Banker, of the closed Baker & Banker. They, as chefs, epitomized what I truly love and admire in a great restaurant. Extraordinary yet simple recipes that were made with love of cooking. Lori Baker’s bread and housemade butter alone where enough of a reason to go to San Francisco and plunk down eight bucks. Banker’s signature dish of Potato Latkes with House Cured Salmon was celestial; a charming yet slightly innovative take on the American deli plate.

    Early in 2014, Nick and I traveled to Palm Springs where I ran into the lovely and masterful chef, Scooter Kanfer. She reigned supreme in Los Angeles with her restaurant, The House, and was one of the much lauded chefs turning out beautiful replications of American favorites like “Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes”, “Macaroni & Cheese” and “Shortbread Animal Cookies with Milk”.  She’s cooking up some of her staples and other fare at Café Tropicale.  If you haven’t been there in recent months or years, it’s time to go. Scooter is one of the best chefs Southern California has produced.

    The local LA restaurants that I still continue to patronize are Il Fico on Robertson and Beverly Boulevard’s Cook’s County. The latter is spearheaded by another husband and wife team, Daniel Mattern and Roxana Jullapat. They remind me of the So-Cal version of Baker & Banker. Unfortunately, the couple, as reported by the LA Times, are moving on from Cook’s County and hopefully, their love of cooking will transpire in another venue. At Il Fico, Chef Giuseppe Gentile, a native of Puglia Italy, re-creates exemplary pastas, pizzas and other regional dishes native to his homeland.  The restaurant itself reminds me of a local Pugliese trattoria. My favorite place to eat is at the bar facing the rows of beautiful at the wine bottles and their Italian labels.

    I guess the key thing though is that I’ve continued to cook and work which is all I really want to do. I worked a lot. I cooked a lot. Regarding cooking though, three things predominated in my digestion: Chicken, baking and sugar. That’s because Nick casually strolled into my world and he LOVES sugar and roasted chicken. It doesn’t make a difference where the sugar comes from as long as it comes in the form of baked goods. Cheesecake. Chocolate chip cookies. Peanut butter cookies. Skillet cookies. Apple, blueberry or banana crème pies. German Chocolate Cake. If it’s concoction that goes into an oven, filled with custard or topped with frosting…Nick will eat it. Let’s be clear, do not confuse candy, which can be used in pies, cakes and cookies, to be preferable. Nope. M & M’s in the cookie dough is far more delicious than eating the morsels out of a bag.

    This of course spurred me on to making even more cookies than I ever have. I’ve always been one to whip up a batch of chocolate chip dough, wrap it up in foil and parchment to freeze for the occasional guest. Now, I make about two to four dozen cookies in a month, freezing them so Nick and I have them on hand to eat before bedtime.

    There is also the revelatory “No Knead Bread” that I discovered (always behind the 8-ball…that’s me) which has allowed the baking of my own bread. Sandwiches. Croutons. You name it…I make from this easy bread baking recipe. It comes from theIMG_20140823_150336 (2) Sullivan Street Bakery recipe but was adapted by the cooking enthusiast and New York Times writer Mark Bittman. Now, I’ m perpetually making my own loaves about every two weeks.  When I lived in New York City during my twenties, I made puff pastry which I labored over for days before a cocktail party which was honoring a Francophile. I was making Cheese Straws, which in my youthful head, I thought were the sophistication of sophistication.  They seemed innocuous enough to attempt yet become laborious appetizers and with that…I was done with baking. Of course, this was before the internet, computers and smartphones and now I can find recipes for baking that are really easy like “No Knead Bread”. (We call it the “Ice Age”.)

    Mojo ChickenLastly, the chicken, mostly thighs, which Nick and I have roasted, baked, skinned, fried, boiled, dredged and whatever else you can do to the plucked bird. Mostly, we roast chicken thighs with the skin side up, drizzled with olive oil, squirts of lemon, chopped rosemary and garlic and salt and pepper. Cooked for about 35 to 35 minutes, making a crunchy skin and succulent meat fortifies us for the evening, when served with a salad. The leftovers we nibble on for lunch.

    In 2015, I see more of the same. More work with really great people like Jim Burba and Bob Hayes, who hopefully will have a stage production in New York City,  the opening of San Pedro’s 26,000 square foot, craft brewery, Brouwerij West, and really great food.

    At the end of 2014, I don’t think I have been more content in my life. Sure, I have my anxiety attacks…who doesn’t but I feel at peace…and cooking has really been an important personal action in maintaining that balance.

    It could all fall to pieces….but as long as I have a place to cook and eat, I think it will be okay. Happy 2015!!!

  • My 2015 Media Observations

    The year is ending and a new one begins. (Duh!) And, I love beginnings; albeit, change is scary. However, I’m looking at change, however scary, as a beginning, a continuous movement. Essentially, stagnant water begets mosquitoes and algae, but a moving stream is pure, life-affirming and drinkable. The stream continues to evolve the landscape but the still water evaporates.

    A century ago, change didn’t happen as quickly and surefooted as it does today. Our culture is popping out “Pop-Rock candy” media sensations faster than Superman flew. Before you know it, in a year, they will be doing museum retrospectives on Katy Perry’s hair color change.

    Regardless, nothing that I’m discussing is really new. It’s just become more prevalent to me in my line of work which is public relations. I see it every day, and I do mean every day, in the casual way consumers (and marketers, who are also consumers) walk, read and hold their devices, wear their clothes and buy their food.

    Therefore, what is going to be big in media (not just digital, print or broadcast…but all media) as we close another year? Well, let me tell you… in no particular order:

    • Website and blog video content. I’ve said this before and I will say it again, it’s the rise of the internet media star. Forget film actors, TV and music stars! With streaming video on your SmartTV, Google TV, Roku, YouTube, anyone and I mean anyone can become a multi-hyphenate if you will…just like J.Lo. She is the consummate actress-dancer-designer-judge-choreographer-songwriter-New Yorker-Latina-author-bootyshaker-mother, except you will become a media company. Unlike Lopez, who depended upon other media outlets to showcase her work, you showcase yours and others. You spread the wealth. You become a newsmagazine where you cook with a Jacques Pepin, design with Tim Gunn, expose your booty ala Kim Kardashian on the way to the Met Gala….and you will do this on your video which has been uploaded to your blog or website, creating a network with your content. (Much simpler than Oprah’s OWN). This will be promoted to other outlets by your publicist/social media strategist/ Director of Communications. So, yes, public relations is not obsolete….and I will keep my job as long as someone wants to be a brand or “it” girl/boy of the moment.
    • Using the best social media platforms for you: Let’s face the fact that social media is not going to go away. It’s reality TV except on a phone. (Reality TV won’t be going away either, it will only get bigger…see above.) You need to use them. Twitter and Instagram are a must. Facebook is coming in third but then, it does own Instagram so by extension, Facebook is the dominate force. Vine is there with 6 second videos; commercials really. Pinterest allows you to create a design board, showcasing your personality and building a brand. LinkedIn (B2B). StumbleUpon. (Media). Ello. (Personality). Each one will be different than the other and you can find your audience using Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and two others. Me? I use LinkedIn and Google +. The latter is the one that has international reach and is a search engine. It will become bigger than Facebook.

    • Niche personalities will become even bigger brand ambassadors than actor/actresses. First, they are cheaper. Secondly, they already are experts in their field with followers that are in the millions. Look at the comely surfer Anastasia Ashley who, with a 1.4 million followers has just announced a lingerie deal, modeling skivvies to the masses. She looks good in a bathing suit. Why not in panties? (What’s the difference? You wear one on the sand and the other in a bedroom?) If you want to become a brand, stay in the news, and stay relevant, then hire an experienced publicist. Even if they just focus on your tweets, and FB postings, you need them. You need to be creative, build a business, a following and someone needs to do it for you. Restaurateur, cookbook author, log cabin kitchen builder, no matter how much you idealize Jon Favreau’s “Chef”, it really doesn’t work like that. As much as I believe that a 12 year-old can “tweet” with the best of them, he can’t. He’s too interested in girls (or boys), music, film or…let’s admit it, himself, to build your brand identity. Hire a professional. One that you trust and keep them in the loop. They are only as good as you are and your own business.
    • Marketing becomes even more relevant in niche media. Since, everyone if going to be a brand ambassador including the CEO of house-paint, it’s incredibly important to spread the word. Let’s pretend you are doing a “web-isode” promoting your cooking, and Cuisinart wants to give you a gift of silverware, a new line they’ve developed for tabletop, for you to use to your 100 YouTube fans. They just want you to eat with them…on your net show…and you do. Marketing 101. It’s become quite prevalent among the music marketers set. The marketing suits say, “Let’s pair Beyonce to Shakira, and then Rihanna to Shakira.” Beyonce and Rihanna become well-known to the Latin radio stations. In turn, Beyonce with Ri-Ri share pop and soul fan-base to Shakira, who is known in the English-speaking world, just hasn’t had a hit like Rihanna and Queen Bey. It’s the same premise. Cuisinart is trying to expand outside of the kitchen appliance world but they need to do that through people who will use it.

    • Magazines using video in their content for tablets. I know that I’m behind the proverbial “8-ball” on this but as a subscriber to digital Vogue (yes, I read women’s fashion magazines), can I say, “Brilliant.” The first time I saw the Anna Wintour’s “73 Questions”, which by the way, has more views than Reese Witherspoon’s, was on my digital subscription of said magazine. The interesting thing about the use of video (see number one) is that it doesn’t cannibalize the print edition but enhances the tablet-version of the read. Blake Lively’s “73 Questions” was very promo-oriented as it showcased her lifestyle website and penchant for icing cupcakes. (Not very good.) Amy Adam’s has a treacly personality to begin with so a bevy of youthful ballerinas didn’t help but who knew that she was a dancer? Magazines needed to up the game plan and find new subscribers and readers. Using videos in the digital format is ingenious with using a quick paced, non-edit video. (You can watch them on YouTube without the subscription.) My favorite, besides Anna Wintour, is this month’s Sienna Miller who is very British and cheeky especially while eating a brownie. She was an actress portraying an actress, which said more about her than the “73 Questions” did about the others.

    These are my observations. You can disagree. Here’s to a very bright and happy 2015 for everyone.

  • Editors’ Picks of the Year: Notable Reads on WordPress.com

    Editors’ Picks of the Year: Notable Reads on WordPress.com

    Mighty powerful writing going on. This is the reason there are blogs. Can’t get your book or poetry published? Who said that?

  • The International or “Auntie Mame” of the Cookie World

    Making holiday cookies is really not that complicated to understand or do. It might seem difficult because there might be a food processor or a stove but making cookies, a small nugget of sugary goodness, is so simple. So divinely simple…and fun. Simply simple.

    I’ve been invited annually to a cookie exchange party for the past three years. The party, now in its fourth year, was the first time that I was able to go. To make up for the past three years, I made three different kinds of cookies because I couldn’t figure out which to bring. (Ultimately, I only brought two.)  I discovered one of the recipes from Real Simple Magazine which has quickly become one of my favorite publications when it comes to food. (I could do without the makeup tips though.)

    The magazine recipe for Cornmeal, Fig and Thyme was delicious but the Mexican Wedding Cookies is truly one of my favorite for the holidays and everyday. Apparently it has many names around the globe such as Russian Tea Cakes, Italian Wedding Cakes, “biscochitos”  (Mexico), “polvornes” in Spain, Swedish teacakes (to be confused with the Russian), Moldy Mice, Pecan Sandies, Danish Almond Cookies, Finnish Butter Strips, Napoleon Hats, Melting Moments, Butter balls and…the hipster version, “Yeti Balls”. (Oh, the Iceman cometh…). All are made with the same method (flour, sugar, vanilla and butter) but with different shapes such as crescent, balls or strips…sometimes they use different nuts such as hazelnuts (filberts) or pecans in different European areas.

     You can research why it’s called the Mexican Wedding Cookie/Cake, Russian Doll Goes to Mall…whatever, but I’m calling it the “Auntie Mame”. Not only is it sugary and sweet like the Lucille Ball musical version (“We Need A Little Christmas“) of Mame, but it’s well-traveled and glamourous as if Rosalind Russell dusted it with white. It’s also smart, sort of like the casting of Angela Lansbury in the Broadway musical.

     

    And as I said, it’s simple. Really, really simple…and very holiday-like.

    Let’s make these puppies: “Auntie Mame”

    1 cup (2 sticks) of softened (room temperature) unsalted butter

    3 cups sifted powdered sugar

    1/4 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    2 cups flour

    1 cup very finely chopped toasted nuts (Note: Toast nuts at a low temp of 325 for about 20 minutes or until fragrant on a cookie sheet. Then place in a food processor to a mince.)

    1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

    2. Combine the butter, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, salt and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy. Beat in the flour and nuts. Chill the dough 30 to 60 minutes.

    3. Shape the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter and try to make them them the same size. You want them to cook evenly.  Arrange them on parchment paper, squishing them down to flatten the bottoms so they don’t roll around, about an inch apart. Bake on the center rack of the oven until the cookies are set and seem to be a  golden. Roughly 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through cooking

    4. Transfer the cookies to a rack or a plate. Then using the sifter, immediately dust heavily with about a cup of the powdered sugar. Once they cool, place the remaining confectioners sugar into a bowl and roll the suckers coating them entirely. Sometimes, before serving, I like to sift some sugar on top to make it look pretty.

  • White Vegetables, White Christmas

    Sunday, my normal farmers market day, I bought some sunchokes. It was the first time that I had seen the cute, horseradishy-looking tubers this season and I was a little excited about cooking them. They’re kind of like a potato in the kitchen. Once you wash the residual dirt off them, there is no need to peel. You can just simply cut into slices, toss into some olive oil, spread onto a cookie sheet, and using dried or fresh rosemary, bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. Throw a little salt on them….and it reminds me of a baked potato.

    While I was strolling through my favorite LA farmers market (Melrose Farmers Market), I additionally saw some parsnips and turnips both of which I love and thought to myself, as I do often (thinking to myself that is…you really don’t want to know what goes on in my head), “Why not make a meal of roasted white vegetables?”. And, so I did.

    Parsnips have that lovely sweetness. Combine them with turnips which have a bit of peppery bite and throw in the artichoke flavor of the sunchokes; toss all of them with some fresh garlic gloves, still in their paper, salt and olive oil. Perfection.

    There isn’t only a nickel-and-dime experience in buying these particular edibles but its also an education in doing something different. It’s nice to change things up…. taking a different road to get to the same place. Roast a piece of fish next to them…voila. Simple.

    Let’s make this puppy:

    1. When shopping through the farmers markets, buy one or two parsnips, one or two turnips, and pound of sunchokes.

    2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

    3. Wash everything thoroughly. No need to peel the sunchokes which are knobby little tubers, looking somewhat like ginger or horseradish. However, the turnips and parsnips need to be removed of their skin. Cut the veggies into about the same thickness and shapes across the board for even roasting.

    4. Throw into a shallow roaster and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and rosemary. (Optional: Cutting up slab bacon and or pieces of pancetta tossed into the pan.)

    5. Serve up by themselves or with a dense, oily fish like salmon or maybe a roast. Lovely.