Gerry Furth-Sides

What’s to Like About Martha Stewart in Person?

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Making sure everything is going right even the 4th city tour stop

(Gerry Furth-Sides) As major fans of teacher/entrepreneur/celebrity, Martha Stewart, we braved downtown LA holiday traffic and parking to attend the event.  What’s to like about seeing Martha in person?  Everything.  Martha’s forte seems to be sharing her life, products and information on a stage with an audience.   She is naturally exuberant, the ultimate disarming entrepreneur, informative (after all, this is her mission), the perfect educator sharing inter-active “teaching moments” in her demo), generous to her assistant, witty and above all looked twice as beautiful as on her best TV day and half the age.  We all got to ask questions and only a few stood up with gushing adoration, which the crowd didn’t seem to mind at all.

Martha delighted in laughing about her “particular” taste, and how she could not get the egg provider to change the color of eggs from Dr. Seuss  green to blue to match her color palette

In one simple demo she managed to cover new information in a fascinating, inspiring way how to make dog food, her favorite cookies in the world (Answer:  “my sugar cookies with frosting on them, which require some time to make.”  Her assistant got a huge laugh when he mentioned to the audience it was her favorite because there was brandy in them).  And, she smiled, “I love a good boiled egg, too.”

She covered how to use the new style pressure cookers (be careful not to overcook or the food does look a little grey), with her new book (mentioning as many of the other 82 books in answer to audience questions) and a little lesson on the origins of the food zester.  Anyone who missed anything can catch up on her many blogs.

Of course we asked about the influence of ethnic food on the American culinary scene and how much it has changed in one generation.  Already in the food demo she noted that she was using Asian fish sauce, as though this was a novelty, but one that home cooks would find practical to have on their shelves.  Martha also noted how ethnic food products have  permeated the food markets in only one generation.  “Can you imagine no cilantro in a market shelves or any Japanese restaurant in New York when I went to college there?” she asked rhetorically.  And,” she chuckled as if sharing an inside joke with the audience,” that wasn’t so long ago was it?” (And Martha has been a regular at Nobu since it opened almost that long ago).

Martha kitchen tools, books and even her new line of clothing were touted during the demo. We all loved it.

Martha the entrepreneur, former model, accepting a fashion compliment, pointing out her vest is on QVC

Martha explained how she made dog food for her four pets.  “I never open a can,” as I mentioned smiled Martha.  And I buy fish that is four dollars a pound or less to start with at home. And after cooking it with other ingredients grind it up.   Her attentive assistant and Culinary Director, Chef Thomas Joseph added, “and when we film an expensive beef roast on the cooking show, $22 a pound, the staff gets to eat leftovers and the rest is ground up for the dogs .  So that evens out.”.   Martha didn’t skip a beat.  ” I always have a bag in the freezer and one in the fridge ready to go.”

Marth’s  determination for perfection that has influenced the way Americans cook and present food, and that influenced a generation to cook, was on show.  You could feel the crowd laugh inwardly when Martha talked about “herbs”, using the “h” sound.  She may have people working for her, but you could tell that her watchful eye was everywhere and directing it all.

The Martha determination for perfection was there, too.    Martha’s Culinary Director Thomas Joseph is a James Beard winner in his own right.

The Martha Stewart Experience included wines curated by Martha featured in demos and tastings, and a gift shop.

It was so good to catch up with our friend Chef Antonia Lafaso of Scopa in Venice with an introduction by way of samples to her new Doma restaurant  in DTLA.

 

Restaurants and a demo included Los Angeles’ legendary Susan Feniger of Border Grill.

For more details on the event, please see (//localfoodeater.com/tag/martha-stewart-wine-food-experience/)

Give (or Take!) These Five Best on-line Paleo Gifts

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Santa please feed me with these top-five online paleo favorites.  each surprising inexpensive.  Every one of these favorites are raised sustainably,  humanely and with dedication, as reviewed on their websites.
(1) Piedmontese Beef is a tale the finer things. Let me take you there.  It is my favorite gift to beef lovers, sold at wholesale prices with free delivery.    It is a story of dark, densely textured meat, buttery as Kobe or Wagu and more textured. It is more flavorful than Black Angus although less sweet and less fatty.  Lower in fat beef is also lower in calories, higher in protein and contains a higher percentage of the good Omega 3 Fatty Acid.Used nose to tail, the meat has the most wonderful hearty flavor and tooth to it because of its muscle mass.
The cattle both in Italy and the USA, gives a nod fleetingly to cousins, the Chianina in the Piedmont area.  The story about how five of these prized animals were allowed into the United States decades ago (by way of Canada) and there are now about 34 ranches.  The story and where to order is  is on the website //www.piedmontese.com

The famous “Tomahawk cut” – Clint Eastwood’s favorite

The Piedmontese breed migrated to the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, where it was first discovered among the region’s robust history of fine wines and rich cuisines over 100 years ago.
Prized for its noticeably heavy musculature, the Piedmontese breed’s unique genetic composition means that these cattle naturally develop a significantly greater muscle mass compared to conventional cattle. At the same time, muscle fibers remain tender without the need for excess marbling. The result is consistently superior beef that is both lean and tender.

Piedmontese Beef Wellington (photo courtesy Of Piedmontese Beef)

(2) Greensbury salmon  is the best of the best of the most popular and about the healthiest fish in the world. Greensbury delivers the healthiest as fresh as it can possibly be.  I know.  I cooked salmon on Tv for over two decades.  Sockeye salmon turns out to  spectacular and foolproof, sautéed, grilled, or baked with a bit of oil in a very hot skillet, seasoned with salt and pepper.  We used flavorless, grapeseed oil for its high smoking point.

Salmon

Greensbury’s Wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon is sourced from a fishery in Bristol Bay fishery, harvested sustainably and  known to be the healthiest. Granbury fillets are boneless, skin on, and full of flavor.  All of Greensbury’s seafood is sourced from oceans and fisheries that are certified sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or rated either “Green” or “Yellow” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch.

Alaskan sockeye salmon 

An extra perk is that Salmon is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet.   The tasty, versatile and popular fatty fish is loaded with nutrients and preventative ingredients as proven by research.//www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-benefits-of-salmon

Sockeye salmon

(3) Greensbury Market Beef  (founded in 2007) (//www.greensbury.com) prepared simply in a skillet or broiled is so delicious and beautiful that we had to include it.  The beef has the wonderously “clean” taste” of grass-fed animals humanely raised in a pasture, and fed easily digestible grass.  For the full story and recipes, please see our post on it:

Greensbury beef

Greensbury Beef

(4)  Brothers, Justin and Nick Mares, co-founders of Kettle & Fire (www.kettleandFire.com) , have updated to cutting-edge this  latest darling of the Paleo world, prized for its powerful health and wellness characteristics.   They  produce the first and only shelf-stable bone broth made with 100% organic and grass-fed bones ($8 a box).  So the broth became more intensely  nutritious, as well as delicious. Just one cup of bone broth three times a week is enough to improve skin, joint and gut health and fewer aches, pains and digestive issues.

Basically, simple to prepare, and still cheap in the way that short rib was at one time, it is still a pain to make, from obtaining the bones at the butcher shop to cooking over a hot stove.  Classic bone broth is prepared by slow simmering the bones of chicken, beef, or fish for a minimum of 12 hours.

So this makes  Kettle & Fire’s handy, wax-lined container of broth a heaven-sent pantry gift, remaining fresh for two years, unopened and stored at room temperature! Once open, it can be stored in the fridge for 7 to 10 days. The packaging process allows this remarkable storage even though there are no preservatives, hormones or additional sodium in the broth.

The liquid broth is absolutely delicious on its own  –   rich, refined, light and yet substantial.  That’s because Kettle & Fire adds vegetables and seasoning into the mix.  This simmer also extracts amino acids, collagen, and minerals from the bones into the broth for a nutritious soup also high in protein.

Recipes and more information are available in our post.  //localfoodeater.com/best-new-bone-broth-updates-ancient-paleo-magic/

(5)  Smoke master, Kevin Mason and his sons at  Honey Smoked Fish //www.honeysmokedfish.com,  offer this lightly hot-smoked salmon, considered a prized delicacy because it involves the curing of a  fine piece of fillet, plus the smoking. And do not confuse it with lox.  Smoked salmon is cured or brined, then smoked. Lox is cured, but not smoking.
Today the Masons offer several versions including,  Original Honey Smoked Salmon, their best seller and features a blend of all natural herbs and spices with a light hickory smoke. Lemon, Cajun, Cracked Pepper and Chipotle Lime — all of which would be frowned upon by purists, are also popular.

Honey Smoked Salmon

A very mild, savory flavor can be detected on the front end, followed by a delightful faint touch of lemon.  Light with substance, not the least bit salty, the texture that makes the fish fall apart in your mouth in a wonderful way.

Honey Smoked Salmon Pizza

Meet the New Wine Darling at 25th “Spain’s Great Match”

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Worthy of the Gran Hotel itself,  the 25th “Spain’s Great Match” headlined Albarinõ, the new “darling of the wine world” to set the high tone for Spain’s finest, most memorable wines.  Chef Jose Andres’ incomparable Spanish bites and the sheer volume of wine offerings made the all-day event feel full enough for two.

We loved the glacier clear, ribbony mineralogy of the Albariño.

The morning began at long seminar tables already  set with Albariño, the new “darling” of the wine world (in a similar way ancient Georgian wine, became last year’s “new” darling).    The wine is not new.  It has already earned recognition as Spain’s most notable white wine.    Albariño is identified with five subzones in the Rías Baixas wine region, which spans the western Galician coastline in northwest Spain, north of Portugal.  At its heart,  Val Do Salnés is the wine making capital of the region.  The region has absolutely no connection except for the name to the eastern European area, Galicia.

Rías Baixas is fascinating for its strong resemblance to the emerald green fields of Ireland (also breathtakingly shown in the Gran Hotel because it was filmed in the region), complete with mist and rainfall, here balanced out by over 2000 hours of abundant sunshine during Albariño’s critical growing and ripening season.  The wines as a result contain excellent natural acidity and balance along, with its characteristic aromatic profile influenced by hard granite mother rock.

These vineyards offer up a highly approachable wine with a mix of floral, oceanic and citrus aromas.  On the palate, a good Albariño “is racy” but not sharp, with a sense of minerality derived from the granite bedrock common to the Rías Baixas region.  Albariño also has the tastes of lees (spent yeast), buttercup, peach, nectarine, melon, citrus and even a touch of salty brine, influenced by nearby Atlantic Ocean.

Clean, classic tasting Albariño pairs with all of the elegant España classics, elevating the food flavors with its silvery, layers of mineralogy while remaining low in acidity:  Ibirico ham, potatoes and cheeses, rather than seafood or fish because of the creamy rather than buttery quality of the wine.

Our enthusiastic guide, Michael Meagher, could not emphasize more that Albariño is uniquely grown predominantly on old-school overhead pergolas, regaling us with us tales of “looking up not down” on his trip there.  Another wonderful characteristic he told us was how the winemakers always collaborate with each other, again unlike winemakers in other areas of the world.

Planting Albariño at the exact right height and exposure ensures even ripening

Compared to other white wines, Albariño tends to taste lighter in body. While many Albariño wines are known to age for 5–7 years, this wine is usually best consumed within a year or two after the vintage to maintain its trademark acidity and bold, fruity aromas.

Careful harvesting are handpicked in small plastic 40-pound crates, then aged in precise temperature oak barrels.

For most information about food products, and the wine, please see:

//localfoodeater.com/best-spanish-artisanal-la-espanola-meats/

“25th Great Match of Spain” Meets It’s Match at SLS

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Bigger-than-life, Chef Jose Andres’ reflection is evident everywhere at his SLS hotel.  So this important year it was even more fitting that the  Barcelona born, Nobel peace prize nominee hosted the 25th “Spain’s Great Match”.  The event encompasses the finest, most memorable wines, served with ceremony under pinlights in the darkened elegant rooms here.  The  Chef’s incomparable Spanish bites made in the kitchens of The Bazaar Restaurant even made the all-day event feel full enough for two.  All the better because the wines from Spain are particularly “cuisine compatible,” and cordial to every palate.

Chef Jose Andres in a quiet moment. See his rambunctious, talented side in the TV clip below! (photo courtesy Jose Andres)

The SLS hotel interior designers enlarged all things visual with oversized mirrors, spaces and furniture you want to take home with you (except that it literally weighed a ton).   It was indeed worthy of the Spanish Gran Hotel itself, both the one famously serialized in Cantaloa or the actual Santander landmark convenient for winery tour accessibility.

The wine seminars overlooked the airy patio with seating ceiling and oversized furniture and mirrors

Seamlessly organized by the Trade Commission of Spain, the event in which American importers and distributors of wines present the latest vintages of the Spanish wines in their portfolio  is designed for everyone from wine novices to connoisseur, from sommelier students and industry professionals.   This year indigenous Spanish grape varietals included Albariño, Garnacha, Godell, Palomin fino, Gempranillo, Vergejo, Viura and Xarel-lo from the country’s top regions.   A convenient map is provided to locate over 150 Spanish wines that were poured alongside tapas and food pairings, arriving from the lush green and rugged mountains of the north to the castle-flecked Meseta and azure Mediterranean coast.

Quesos Corcuera & Montesinos by Gourmet Imports

Fermin Ibérico

Spain’s wine heritage is at least three thousand years old. Wines from vines grown along the sunny Mediterranean coast and the cooler Atlantic coast were traded and consumed by the Romans. It was the arrival of teetotaler Islamic Moors in 711 AD that put an end to Spanish wine commerce until the Moors’ final defeat in 1492 when wine returned with a vengeance the newly freed Iberian Peninsula freed from Islamic rule.

Award-winning author of “The Wine Region of Rioja”, Ana Fabiano, led the seminar, “Rioja 101″(www. riojawine.com),  updating information on Spain’s best known winemaking region. “Vintners have been taking risks in this area since the ’80’s, according to Fabiano, after the 1976 DOC Zones were put into place.  The tasting demonstrated the layered flavor differences in the Bodegas Murrieta Reserva 2013; the Bodegas Viña Pomal Reerva 2013; the Bodegas Torres Ibéricos Reserva 2012 and the Bodegas montecillo Reserva 2011.  //www.riojawine.com

The international fame for such a small (210 square miles) region is telling  Located in north Central Spain, along the Ebro River, it produces medium-bodied elegant whites that are fruity when young, velvety as they age.    See below for details.  These elevated wines are also surprisingly affordable.

The term reserva was also fully experienced.  Royal Reserves and Gran Reserves of Rioja indicate at least five years of aging, with a minimum of two years in oak. In addition, gran reserva wines are typically made in only outstanding vintages. White wines terms are similar but shorter periods with a minimum of six months in oak.  A “reserva” has been aged at least three years, with one or more of those in barrel.

 

The three Rioja regions: Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Oriental

Spanish cheeses alone stand up to Espana wines

Main dishes and desserts were served by The Bazaar.  The staff knew the background of all of the dishes.  We were thrilled that the Ibirico jamon prepared performance style, and bread we loved so much was flown in from Spain.  

A fresh tomato spread topped exquisite chewy/crisp crusty bread

The refined pastries pairing with Bodegas Montecillo Reserva 2011, “aged like an old Burgundy”

The charming staff  ready to explain every complex bite.

Spanish producers are known for aging their wines, either in barrels or after bottling, under strictly defined regulations, apparent on every numbered bottle.  This is also because of the popularity of the rioja wines and lots of fraud, Señora Fabiano reminded us.  In addition to the “gran reserves,” Rioja  “crianza” has been aged for at least two years, with at least one in oak barrels before release. White wines terms are similar but shorter periods with a minimum of six months in oak.

Always on the lookout for RIOJA wines, we recently opened this bottle of Tempranillo – excellenté!

The generous, community-minded Chef Jose Andres and SLS Hotel welcomed C-CAP (Careers in Culinary Arts Program) to the event). It was the perfect capper of the day.

from C-Cap (Careers in the Culinary Arts Program) dynamos Lisa and Gail man the book at Great Match of Spain

What is World Famous Sonoko Sukai’s Soba Noodle Class Like?

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(Gerry Furth-Sides)  We first took Sonoko Sakai of Common Grains at The StandardLA, DTLA,  where the class took over the main lobby and then the restaurant to honor her extraordinary Soba Noodles.   The workshop focused on ancient techniques in the art of creating the perfect buckwheat soba and its deliciously rich umami dashi broth.  For current information please see (//sonokosakai.com/)

We students were all promised to learn to make and shape these buckwheat noodles from scratch and make the sauces and hot broths using the essential ingredients in the Japanese pantry.  And we would be taking home three servings in order to recreate our “own soba masterpiece.”  And so we did.

Sonoko Sakai prepares the buckwheat soba dough with a student

Sonoko Sakai shows a student how to prepare the dough.

“You will learn how to use dried bonito flakes, konbu seaweed, dried shitake mushrooms, and koji fermented seasonings like miso. The soba noodles will be made with a blend of Japanese milled soba grade buckwheat flour and 20% wheat flour.”

We had no idea the world-renowned authority our teacher was, but one look at her deft handling of the dough, and how she worked the roller convinced us instantly of her expertise.

There is an “art” to every step of noodle making, especially rolling the dough evenly

Sonoko brings her special Japanese cutting tool

Cutting the dough evenly is just as important and takes years of practice

Out “take-home” box

Menu for Our Meal

  • Soba chips with sea salt
  • Hand made fresh soba noodles
  • Farmers Market Soba Salad
  • Hot soba with chicken, shitake mushrooms, scallions, ginger, citrus rind
  • Quick koji turnip and apricot pickles with konbu seaweed and lemon
2016-01-31 18.07.24

Soba chips with sea salt

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Quick koji turnip and apricot pickles with konbu seaweed and lemon

We had no idea what a celebrity chef Sonoko Sakai turned out to be in the culinary world (see below).

The cosmopolitan lady was born in New York, and raised in many places – Tokyo, Kamakura, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Mexico City. Sonoko is a food writer, author, Japanese cooking teacher, and noodle maker based in Los Angeles. She has also been working on a project to revive heirloom grains in the Southern California region with a seed grant from Anson Mills. All these activities fall under her project – Common Grains, which aims to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for food and culture. Within this mission, Sonoko advocates a sustainable and healthy lifestyle with grains and vegetables at the heart of a meal.

Sonoko’s first cookbook, The Poetical Pursuit of Food: Japanese Recipes for American Cooks was published by Clarkson Potter (1986).  Her newest cookbook RICECRAFT (2016) was published by Chronicle Books.

Sonoko has contributed articles to the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Saveur, and Zester Daily. She has made appearances on both local and national television cooking programs. She has taught cooking classes all over the world.

“Oh, My Papa:” Digging Up Tommy Tang’s Cultural Roots in China

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(Gerry Furth-Side) Traveling with Chef TommyTang to film the travel sections of his fourth TV cooking series, Tommy Tang’s Modern Thai Cuisine, aired on PBS nationally, turned out to be a major culinary hunt for the remembered “great noodles” of his youth. This was only a part of the larger quest to document the culinary legacy of his ancient maternal and paternal heritage through the Dai people of southwest Yunnan province, southeast China, northern Thailand (Chang Rei), plus the Cantonese population in the southern China, respectively.

On Tommy’s trip, the connections that were the most impressive were not about the food, but about the food conversations.

We began and ended our journey for the “most authentic ancient noodle” in Guangzhou (Canton) but it was hard to concentrate on the noble noodle we had hunted down on that initial visit to a well-researched out restaurant on the third floor of an massive old office building,

This was because the kitchen, as such, was virtually unrecognizable in the dim light. It was almost impossible to look anywhere but the boards crisscrossing the concrete floor so you could keep your balance and not land on the water underneath, and possibly the remains of what was leftover on diners’ plates from that evening. This was so “genuine” a place that the last letter of an entire new alphabet would be required to designate their level of cleanliness.

So if Tommy said we were on the right track, we were on the right track. The noodles we dined on before the kitchen tour were delicious and, in Tommy’s estimation, quite authentic.

Next stop, Yunnan province, shielded by its breathtaking, if unruly, mountain terrain from outsiders and always considered distinct from the rest of China.   Peacefully multi-ethnic, and historically complex, it is also the largest provider of “all the tea in China.”

Capital of all of this fertile territory is Kunming. You get an idea of the contentment and pride of the 2 million residents by the fact they named the town “City of Eternal Spring,” despite 40 degree temperatures during its rainy winter season.

Historically Kunming is famous for its key positioning on the caravan roads to Burma and Europe; Marco Polo stopped there during his 13th century visit to China. He found that the inhabitants enjoying a sophisticated currency but still eating their meat raw, by the way.

The once remote area was formerly considered such a wild outpost by Bejing that political undesirables were exiled there during the Cultural Revolution –until the government realized those exiles preferred not to return to the east. Nevertheless, Red Guards still managed to destroy all but a handful of temples, the old university and a Minorities Institute and theme park, where we saw replicated homes and cultural dances of each province of China, including those of the ancient Thais.

Tommy’s favorite was the Muslin quarter because the cuisine served there is spicier than most southern Chinese food. Endless rows of tiny, offbeat restaurants open day and night in this area truly frequented only by locals offer historic dishes filled with unusual and vibrantly flavored spice combinations, and the fresh produce that is available year-round.

There Tommy found laomien, or Muslin pulled noodles, usually served in soup as one of the best treasures of the quest for noodles. Locals prefer the Muslim mutton stews are the most popular in winter, documented by the sidewalks full of wind-dried beef and mutton carcasses alongside stalls piled high with pita bread and raisins, and huge woks full of roasting coffee beans.

My favorite?  The famous pet market, which I was relieved to see addressed itself to the feeding and care of pets rather the selling of them to eat.

Go on a Historic World Adventure with Anthony Lambert’s “Lost Railway Journeys” Book

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) For anyone who has dined on a train or followed alongside a train rattling through the Colorado canyons by car in the dead of night as I have, or anyone who loves history for that matter, Anthony Lambert’s dense, detail-packed book, painstakingly researched and passionately written Lost Railway Journeys from Around the World  is a must-have book.  It actually told the story of how those Colorado train tracks that later held glass-domed dining cars, were built to travel through the Rockies.

As beautiful a coffee table book as it may be, it is so so much more.   The 200 rare and unusual photographs from private collections (many previously unpublished) alone set the book apart.  They evoke the romance and drama of these journeys, and this lost world of dining cars, station porters and international rail travel.  What better way is there to inspire curiosity about a culture?

Lost Railway Journeys from Around the World also becomes a wonderful resource to go behind the scenes of beloved film and book train dining car scenes from the mysteries on the Orient Express and  Shanghai Express (Marlene Dietrich made more famous) to the legendary scenes in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and Paul Thoreaux’s book on China, Riding the Iron Rooster when passengers carried their entire day’s meals on board outside the dining car.  Most recently, the early 1900’s rickety little country train that began and ended the long Gran Hotel series — with our hero plucking two oranges form a vendor’s basket and, of course, a passenger carrying a live rooster on the train.

Northern India train journey, part of Gandhi’s legendary route.

Anarbagh Restaurant, Westlake, showcases India’s famous train station

From great cathedral-like railways stations of the steam age to obscure lines built through spectacular landscapes, Lambert celebrates lost railway heritage and lines that can no longer be traveled.  Organized by continent, all of these routes have stories to tell and the lost journeys are captured in the old postcards and posters that accompany photographs drawn from collections and archives across the world.

Lost Railway Journeys from Around the World  features 32 journeys featured in the book, although all of the lines are now long gone. They disappeared for all sorts of reasons – outcompeted, mechanically incapable or having never run at all- which only adds to the book’s allure.

At the same time ,  the history and dramatic photographs of these routes more than show why trains at one time represented the cutting edge of travel technology.  Across the world, Lambert resurrects a bygone world of steam engines, narrow-gauge tracks, and custom monorails that carried cows 10 miles to the seaside.  These trains passed through spectacular landscapes and required feats of engineering.

There are trains built to transport gold and trains built to transport pilgrims.  Lambert tells of the Bostan-Fort Sandeman line in colonial India, for instance, built during World War I to carry chrome ore from a mine in Hindubagh to a British munitions factory. It went through Zhob Valley (now in Pakistan), where the locals would be able to board, and was “one of the few narrow-gauge railways in the world with sleeping cars.” It took 19 hours to travel the line’s 175 miles, at an average speed of just 9 miles per hour. Passenger service continued until 1985.

The train dining car intro in North by Northwest (courtesy TCM.com)

The Living MOSO Air-Cleaner Bag Gift That Recycles into the Garden

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) MOSO bags turned out to be in reality as  inventive, natural and  effective as their introductory description.  The bamboo is from  China.  If you’re going to buy a product via China, this would be it. Aside from the fact that ethnic foods often are extra fragrant from their rich spices plus classic base of onions and  garlic, we live in a Ray Kappe-Carl Maston architect studio with a tiny funnel-like “vent” over my stove.   So I am excited after using the bag for a month.   And once the all- natural Moso Bag is completely used (two years) it can be opened and spread throughout the garden to promote plant growth.  All products are available online at www.mosonatural.com

The air-deodorizing packets from Moso Natural. Moso are  eco-friendly, all-natural bamboo charcoal bags –an ideal alternative to traditional air fresheners which typically include harmful chemicals and artificial fragrances. Guaranteed to keep any space fresh for up to two years, Moso Natural bags are such an elegant, neutral design of refined burlap, most available in natural or charcoal or green that they fit into any decor.  

This very simple and effective solution provides odor-less results within hours of opening the plastic wrapper and placement.  All the bags are non-toxic and chemical/fragrance free, fragrance free.   As remarkable as this may be, the idea that they can be rejuvenated in sunlight once a month for an hour is astonishing.   This is how Moso Bags are reusable for up to 2 years.  Once the 100% sustainable Moso Bag is completely used, it can be opened and spread throughout the garden to promote plant growth!

The Moso Natural 600 gr Bags cover 300 square feet for large spaces. MSRP $22.95.   Smaller Moso Natural 500 gr Bags are just right for kitchens, as well as other large  bedrooms or living rooms  at MSRP $19.95.  Moso Natural 200 gr Bags  fit into the car, MSRP $9.

Moso600gr.JPG

 

 

The small Moso Bag that fits into the refrigerator beautifully.  It  removes odors of all kind, including the aftereffects of a power outage, spoiled produce, leftovers or foods with distinctive smells such as fish or cheese. Also absorbs moisture to prevent mold, mildew and bacteria from forming.  Longer lasting and more powerful than baking soda – which is good for a couple of months in a box that started to droop and fold.   Sealed inside a beautifully stitched linen bag which can be placed on any surface. For space saving convenience, a suction cup is included.The Moso Bag also keeps your produce fresh by absorbing ethylene gas, a naturally occurring gas from fruits and vegetables that causes them to ripen quickly.

Two Mini Moso Natural 50gr Bags (MSRP $9.95 work conveniently for small spaces such as shoes, gloves or gym bags.

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The Moso Bag was developed deliberately and systematically as  an effective and convenient natural air purifier highly functional air purifier, completely safe for people and the environment.

The first international search for a healthy material option led to Moso bamboo charcoal in China, where they call it “black diamond.” Eco-friendly, sustainable, affordable, and so safe,  in parts of Asia people use it not only to purify their air but for water purification and they ingest it to help detoxify the body.  Research and testing proved that bamboo charcoal works incredibly well to remove odors, bacteria, harmful pollutants and allergens from the air. On top of that, it is a natural dehumidifier, helping to prevent mold, mildew and excess moisture.

The Moso Bag was introduced to the American market in August 2010 with considerable success. Since then, additional products have been created to accompany them, such as mini-bags for sports equipment totes.

 

 

Fry Chicken Like a Pro at The Gourmandise School

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(Gerry Furth-Sides)  Without staging at a fried chicken cafe, Gourmandise Cooking School teaches how to cook this southern regional dish in a commercial kitchen with all the comforts of a restaurant dining room, starting with a class of wine in hand and cheese and cracker plate nearby.  It is a BYOB with students ready to share.

Professional tips for the Fried Chicken Class (which we consider regional southern dishes) covered technique for cutting the chicken, preparing it for an extra crunch, and frying.   In addition to cooking the chicken with a professional contemporary, tested recipe, there were also tips for “finishing” the fried chicken once it was cooked, and for ways to serve it. We used updated, safe and helpful equipment, a lot of which is sold at the school at good prices.

Much of the equipment is sold right at the school.

(1) Cut the chicken at the joints, and use a whole chicken whenever possible.  Use the back for soup stock.  Instructor Saang explained that the chicken not broken at the joint at Fried Chicken cafes, such as Gus’ Fried Chicken, are machine cut.

Laotian Saeng Douangdara how to cut the chicken

(2) Dip each piece twice in the flour, before and after the egg mixture for extra crunch.  Spices are right in the flour mixture, and you can experiment with variations of your own choosing (I always used seasoned bread crumbs).  You can also use Japanese panko flour for an extra ethnic-based crunch.

(3) Make sure your frying liquid is hot enough at 320 degrees.  And use a liquid that has a high smoking point, such as grape seed oil.  We learned to use this remarkable induction stove.  And although we thought our own good kitchen knives were sharp enough, one cut at Gourmandise School made us realize otherwise. 

(4) Cook the chicken throughly, which should register on a thermometer at 165 degrees — at the bone we remembered afterward.  John Pitlado suggested finishing the chicken off for ten minutes in a 200-degree oven after it is done.  We found that we had to crisp and warm the chicken for twice this time.

The wonderful John Pitblado — remember him from Surfas?

(5) Salt the fried chicken after it is done and/or use fried chicken vinegar to bring out the contrasting flavor and textures of the chicken.  The cooling rack is much more professional – and practical than paper towels we always used.

 

Extra tip:  A  Menu to go along with the fried chicken

Fried Chicken with Hot Pepper Vinegar Sauce
Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Southern Style Cornbread with Honey Butter
Long Cooked Mixed Greens with Bacon
Classic Banana Pudding

One of the chiffonade techniques for the collard greens was to roll them up and then slice. You can also massage them with oil, like kale, to make them more tender

Students can also photograph and video the lesson!  Below are Jenn and Brett, who also shared their wine with the class.

With all the work involved to cook in this classic manner  — and we worked with measured ingredients thanks to the efficient sous chef, who also cleaned! –    I now understand all the cookbooks advertising “quick and easy” recipes to  cut the time from an entire day of shopping, prepping, cooking and serving.

A fun wine pairing class next door that includes dining and drinking while learning

Yes, yes. I “cooked on TV” for 22 years but I am of the sort that my mind is elsewhere.   For this I highly recommend Anne Willan’s COOK IT RIGHT, which tells you how to correct mistakes.

–and with a sous chef right at your side all the time!  Students are there to have a good time and to learn – the focus is in the instruct demonstrating and the students doing actual cooking at his/her own station, and at the prices ($85 to $150) this is serious stuff.

The Gourmandise Cooking School in Santa Monica Place is terrific for their clear instructions,  gentle reminders about rules and dates and a warm welcome for class 5138, SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN DINNER.  “We look forward to seeing you!” read the welcome, along with the rules to arrive on time in comfortable attire and closed-toed shoes and to bring BYOB and BYOC (Bring Your Own Container in the spirit of being “green”).  “No cell phones in class, please.”

“If you have any questions do not hesitate to call us at 310-656-8800” . They were not kidding.  They were friendly right up to the point where I saw the sign with my phone in hand still talking to them.   For more information on Gourmandise Cooking School, please see below and visit the website here.

Co-owner-Founder, Chef Clémence Gossett (courtesy of Gourmandise Cooking School)

Gourmandise originated with Chef Clémence Gossett, and her love for sweets.  Born out of a kitchen in Venice, CA. Gourmandise Desserts began offering home-made delectable sweet to co-worker fans at 20th Century Fox. The Gourmandise School grew out of a passion for teaching her favorite recipes, and she began teaching classes at Culver City’s Surfas Supply Store. Six years and many satellite kitchen classrooms later, Clémence joined with student to open The Gourmandise School in the newly remodeled Santa Monica Place shopping center in 2011. The school quickly became one of LA’s most respected cooking schools.

Chef Saeng Douangdara (photo courtesy Gourmandise Cooking School)

Five Out of the Box (Suitcase) Thanksgiving Ideas

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After 22 years on the road cooking with Mrs. Cubbison’s stuffing, I could make tables and chairs out of it.  See a favorite recipe at bottom.

Thanksgiving for me was usually well over by the second week in November during the 22 years I cooked on TV up and down the west coast on a 10-city holiday tour on behalf of Mrs. Cubbison and the California growers.   One of the all-time favorites, seeped in Southern Comfort, was developed from the beloved Chef Michael Roberts’ original, with memories of it being devoured by stagehands even after a week out on the road.

Mrs. Cubbison has a classic “HELP line and there is a new, cutting- edge website complete with videos at //www.rebel360.com. There is even a website with information on how to cook a frozen turkey.  There is even a website with information on how to cook a frozen turkey. //www.myrecipes.com/holidays-and-occasions/how-to-roast-frozen-turkey

(photo courtesy of rebel360.com) Video link below

(1) Prep way ahead. Cook the Turkey the Day Before

Master caterer Randy Fuhrman’s philosophy of “having fun while you’re entertaining” translates into being prepared and filling in as you go along.  “Shop for dry items well ahead, then  unpack and place the ingredients for each recipe in individual bags,” he advises.  Sounds simplistic but his method takes out the all-too-common running back to the store for misplaced or forgotten items.”  Next, “create a fresh item list (food, flowers, meat, etc.) to fill in your time line, “he directs, “and keep the list on the fridge where you can see the ‘ big picture’ – and keep up with what is being cooked.””

Pulling serving platters & serving utensils beforehand is not a new idea, but Randy’s insider’s trick is  labeling them on the bottom with the name of dish.  “This allows anyone to help you get food to the table without having to ask!”

Randy also recommends cooking the turkey a day before, using a timing chart. “Take out the turkey 30 minutes before its done.  Let it rest for 20 minutes, then slice the entire turkey and place it in a pan, drumsticks and all.  Cover the pan with a clean kitchen towel and gently pour sherry over it. Refrigerate the turkey.  On the big day, warm the pan in the oven at 300 degrees for the last half hour for a moist and tasty turkey, ready for your guests!”

Copley National Newspaper wrote an article on me, finding the idea of me having to thaw a frozen turkey out in a hotel bath tub amusing!

(d) Dine with gratitude this year at  Cafe Gratitude, at Nikki Reed & Whitney Cummings, hosts 14th Annual Donation-Only Community Thanksgiving Meal with 100% of proceeds benefiting a Safe Place for Youth and the California Fire Foundation.   Served with love on a first come, first serve basis on Thanksgiving from 11 am-3 Pm, Cafe Gratitude will be home for organic plant based Thanksgiving meals & for Angelenos to give thanks and give back to Los Angeles, featuring live music from Avasa and Matthew Love. The menu includes GT’s Living in Gratitude Kombucha, Red Lentil Holiday Loaf, Raw Stuffing, Smashed Potatoes, Mushroom Gravy, Rosemary Roasted Vegetables, Autumn Salad and Pumpkin Pie

A Gratitude Restaurant Thanksgiving meal (photo courtesy Cafe Gratitude)

Café Gratitude Larchmont, 639 North Larchmont Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90004.  Thanksgiving is an annual event for those in need to experience community and a stellar meal, in a joyful and nourishing experience. Come one, come all to eat, to feel at home or volunteer, sign up here.

A Gratitude Restaurant Thanksgiving plate (photo courtesy Cafe Gratitude)

(3) A Thanksgiving Buffet Style Brunch could be the focus meal of the day instead of dinner. And no one can prepare a more sumptuous buffet than the Four Seasons.  A Live Breakfast Station features all things eggs including a special Thanksgiving Benedict. The Farmers Market Station features such seasonal dishes as Roasted Butternut Squash.  Entire huge station tables are filled with Fresh Seafood or Sushi, Nigiri and Dim Sum. The full Carving Station features Whole Roasted Turkey, “Buffalo Style” Hot Turkey Wings, Cinnamon and Honey Glazed Ham, and steaming Roasted Prime Rib .  Entrées include specialty Braised Short Ribs, Cassoulet with Duck Confit, and a Carved Roasted Turkey with all trimmings.  The meal is finished off with an array of rich Artisan Cheese and cornucopia of sensational Desserts.

Colina Carving Table at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills

Holiday Pavilion by Culina  at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills,  Thanksgiving Buffet Style Brunch 300 South Doheny, Los Angeles, CA 90048; 310.860.4000.  For details and reservations, please see www.CulinaRestaurant.com

(4) Have the best Turkey burger in town as a holiday meal .  Slater’s annual favorite turkey patty piled high on a  brioche bun with dressing, turkey gravy, house-made cranberry sauce, and garlic & sage aioli on a honey wheat bun, comes with choice of sweet potato fries with sweet pumpkin sauce or french fries with bacon ketchup or house salad for $14.99.  Pair it with Pizza Port’s Chronic Amber Ale.  Available until December 31st, 2018.

Mrs. Cubbison was the real, historic Sophie Cubbison, one of the first graduates in nutrition who developed a healthy melba-toasted stuffing for farmhands on her family farm and turned it into a thriving business.  I loved it even though I created original recipes each year, prepped the dishes and carried it all (with the equipment).. in high heels.  I even took my own picture and had myself independently recorded to show the folks back home.  It was the people I loved and the idea of sharing food, and there were so many “funny” stories that it made a national article (see below).   We emphasized “planned overs” as well as original, usually ideas for the main table.

A recipe to Make You Feel Good Even After Cooking

“Bread and Butter Pudding with Drunken Figs”

(with thanks to the wonderful Chef Michael Roberts)

serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup California Dried Ffigs
  • 3/4 cup Southern Comfort blended whiskey
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butteeer, melted
  • 2 cups of Mrs. Cubbison’s Corn Bread Stuffin’
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 cup of whipping cream
  • 1/4 tsp. quality vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4  cup sugar

Drunken Figs:  Prepare at least 2 weeks prior to preparing the pudding.  Roughly dice the figs, place in a jar, and pour Southern Comfort over them.  Cover tightly and leave in a dark place.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, grease a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and set aside.

Toss stuffin’ with remaining butter in a mixing bowl and place in a small baking pan. Place in oven to brown lightly. Remove and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the milk, cream and vanilla in small saucepan.  Heat on high, removing mixture from heat when it starts to boil.  Let sit for 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl combine eggs, yolks, salt, and sugar and whisk until smooth.  Pour cream mixture over eggs and mix well.

Remove figs from the Southern Comfort and place in another mixing bowl.  Toss figs and stuffing mix together and let sit for a few minutes to let taste soak in.

In a mixing bowl combine eggs, yolks, salt, and sugar and whisk until smooth.  Pour cream mixture over eggs and mix well.

Remove figs from the Southern Comfort and place in another mixing bowl.  Toss figs and  mix together and place in buttered baking dish.  Pour cream and egg mixture over it.  Place baking dish in a boiling water bath (water should come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the dish), and place in preheated oven for 1 hour or until set.  When done, the pudding will have puffed and a knife inserted into the center will come out clean.  Remove from water bath and chill for 4 hours in the refrigerator before unmolding when served cold.  Serve pudding unmolded, hot or when pudding has unpuffed.

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