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Contemporary Terroir
Interesting People

Mitch Bechard, Glenfiddich's Brand Amabassador West, shares the very best. Thank you, thank you!

Lamberto Frescobaldi has been appointed the new President of Marchesi de' Frescobaldi, Tuscany's legendary 700-year old winemaking group. Bravo!

Food Arts just awarded their July/August 2013 Silver Spoon Award to Seattle Chef Tom Douglas for sterling performance. Bravo, bravo, bravo!

Patrick Norquet, the Product Designer Bringing Style to McDonald's French Division 

Sylvia Woods, 1926-2012. Harlem's Queen of Soul Food Who Taught a Whole Nation to Appreciate Its Complete Culinary Heritage

Marion Cunningham, 1922-2012. Inspired Advocate of American Home Cooking, James Beard Colleague, Author and Esteemed Grand Dame d'Escoffier

 La Mancha Wine Ambassador Gregorio Martin-Zarco shares a true Spanish treasure with the world.

Naeem Khan, Style Setting Designer of Michelle Obama's WHCD Dress

Terron Schaefer, Sak's Senior Vice President of Creative Marketing - Co-Creator of The Snowflake and the Bubble 

Pete Wells, the NEW Restaurant Critic for the venerated New York Times - Enjoy the Feast! Ah Bon Appetit!

Garry Trudeau Who Transferred the Faces and Feelings of the 1968 Harvard - Yale Game into the Insightful Doonesbury Commentary Cartoons

Chef Patron Massimo Riccioli of London's Famed Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar - Celebrity Perfect 

Carl Warner, Creator of Food Landscapes, a Culinary Terrain Extraordinary

Howard Schiffer, Founder of Vitamin Angels, Giving Healthly Future to Millions of Children

Françoise Branget, French National Assembly Deputy AND editor of La Cuisine de la République, Cuisinez avec vos députés! (or The Cuisine of the Republic: Cook With Your Deputies!)

Professor Hanshan Dong, Developer of the New Antibacterial Stainless Steel - No More Kitchen Germs!

Frieda Caplan, Founder of Frieda's - Innovative Vendor Who Introduced New & Rare Produce to U.S. Well Done Frieda!

Adam D. Tihany, International Famed Hotel & Restaurant Designer To Be New CIA Art Director - FANTASTIC CHOICE!

George Lang, Founder of New York's Trend-Setting Café des Artistes sadly Passed Away Tuesday, July 5, 2011. Rest in Peace.  A Great Gentleman. 

Chef Pasquale Vari of ITHQ - Canada

Nach Waxman, Owner of the Legendary Kitchen Arts & Letters Culinary Bookstore, NYC

Chef Roberto Santibanez, Noted Master of the True Mexican Cuisine - Both Historic and Modern 

Jeremy Goring, the Fourth Goring to Direct the Legendary Goring Hotel, London

Elena Arzak, Master Chef of Arzak, Basque Restaurant in Spain

Yula Zubritsky, Photographer to the Culinary Greats including Chef Anne-Sophie Pic

Adam Rapoport, New Editor in Chief of Bon Appetit

Christine Muhlke, New Executive Editor of Bon Appetit, which recently relocated to New York City

Darren McGrady, Private Chef to the Beloved Princess Diana 

Master French Chef Paul Locuse, Esteemed Founder of the Bocuse d'Or Culinary Championship

Graydon Carter, Editor Extraordinaire and Host of the Most Elite of Post Oscar Parties, The Vanity Fair Gala

Cheryl Cecchetto, Event Designer for Oscar Governor's Ball 2011

Antonio Galloni, the New California Wine Reviewer at Wine Advocate

Tim Walker, Moet & Chandon's New Photographer Extraordinaire

John R. Hanny, White House Food Writer 

Nancy Verde Barr, Friend and Colleague of Julia Child

David Tanis, Co-Chef of Chez Panisse and Paris

Colman AndrewsAuthor of Ferran

Special Finds

Thanks to the IceBag, your Champagne will now always be chilled. Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!

Canada's Crystal Head Vodka, 2011 Double Gold Winner at San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Though Halloween Perfect It's So Much More Than a Pretty Bottle: Fastastic Taste 

Post It Paper Watchbands - How to Remember Anything in Unforgettable Style

     
Kai Young Coconut Shochu - Stunning New Rice 'Vodka' from Vietnam, the Full Flavor of a Coconut in a Bottle!

Mandarian Hotel Group Now Offers Diners the Newest Cyber Currency - Worldwide E-Gift Cards

Qkies Cookies Makes QR Codes So Sweet

Air France Brings Art Aloft with New Menu Covers

Moet's Ice Imperial Champagne, a New Summer Favorite at Cannes Film Fetival Designed to Serve on Ice! 


P8tch, Customized Cloth URL patches - Perfect for Website ID Link on a Chef's Knife Roll

Dexter's New Knife Shape, the DuoGlide - An Innovative Design that More Than Makes the Cut & Then Some!

Spring Cupcakes, Perfect for Easter and Beyond, Thanks to Jelly Beans

Chocolates as Stunning as Rare Jewels from Promise Me Chocolate: Great for Mardi Gras or Elegant Weddings

Microplane's Fantastic New Hard Cheese Mill Exclusively from Williams-Sonoma

Be Enchanted by Red Italian Rosa Regale Sparkling Wine, Perfect with Chocolate for a Rose Themed Wedding

Moet & Chandon, the Official Champagne of the Oscars

Hu2 Design,  Art Stickers for the Kitchen 

Dry Fly Vodka of Washington State

New Portability with the Collapsible X-Grill by Picnic Basket

Before there was Champagne, there was Saint-Hilaire, the original sparkling wine

Chilean Winers to Remind Us All of True Courage

Monk's Head or Tete de Moine Cheese Slicer by Boska

The Amazing Smoking Gun by Poly Science

Maytag - Great Blue Cheese

Bookshelf

Ukutya Kwasekhaya - Tastes from Nelson Mandela's Kitchen is more than a just a book of recipes. Each dish tells one part of the 20 year journey the Mandela Family's cook traveled on South Africa's path to freedom.

Like Water for Choclate uses Magical Realism to capture the transformative qualities of everyday food and drink into something more. Also consider reading (and enjoying) Joanne Harris' amazing Chocolat.

Seven Fires by Argentine Grill Master Francis Mallmann is a must have book as all things Latin are set to become a major culinary trend.

Food Landscapes by Carl Warner, London's Amazing Commercial Food Photographer (and yes, there is a 2012 Image Calendar for your wall - Happy New Year!)

Trading Up by Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske, a Must Read for All Who Market Luxury

Las Cocinas del Camino de Santiago de Compostela Captures the Essence of this Great Spanish Journey of Discovery

La Cuisine de la République, Cuisinez avec vos députés! (The Cuisine of the Republic: Cook With Your Deputies!) by Françoise Branget

Toast by English Food Writer Nigel Slater

Dinner at Buckingham Palace by Charles Oliver, Royal Household Servant

Tihany Design by Adam D. Tihany and Paul Goldberger - Truly Inspiring!

Hollywood Cocktails by Tobias & Ben Reed

The Art of the Chocolatier by Master Chef Ewald Notter, National Pastry Team Champion

The Stork Club Bar Book by bon vivant and culinary critic Lucius Beebe

Les Gouttes de Dieu, French Edition

Great Places
Thursday
Aug112011

With Kitchen Pride, London Carries On

During dark times, humor always helps. And no one, but no one, does 'dry humor' better than the Brits.  So it's hats off to the best sign seen recently in London. 

Echoing the World War II designed "Keep Calm and Carry On" signs, it directly honors the brave staff at Ledbury's and several other restaurants (including one owned by Chef Jamie Oliver), who heroically defended their guests and kitchens against looters with rolling pins and frying pans in hand.  Bravo, bravo, bravo ladies and gentlemen!

So smile and keep wishing the best for dear London.  She's a grand city and her restaurants are, not only some of the best in the world, but also possibly among the most courageous. 

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Wednesday
Aug102011

Golden Rolling Pin Awarded to Ledbury Restaurant for Guest Defense during London 2011 Riots 

Your Culinary World is proud to award a Golden Rolling Pin to Australia's Chef Brett Graham and his staff for their valiant defense of their guests and kitchen during the sadly still occurring London Riots.

Diners were enjoying dinner at The Ledbury in the affluent west London suburb of Notting Hill when 50 to 60 rioters smashed their way into the restaurant with machetes, knives and cricket bats. They demanded that the stunned diners hand over their wallets, cellphones and wedding rings.

As soon as the staff realized what was happening, they charged the looters with rolling pins and any other lethal-looking culinary tool they could find in the kitchen.  

Yelling and screaming they drove the robbers, all 50 plus, from their restaurant back into the street.

They then calmly served glasses of complimentary whisky and champagne to their shaken guests. What style! What composure! For this alone they deserve the Golden Rolling Pin Award.

But the story of their courage and professionalism doesn’t stop there.  When it was realized that the front door had been smashed, making the restaurant’s entrance onto the street unsecured, the staff first sheltered their guests in the restrooms and then the wine cellar, urging them each time to lock themselves safely inside.

Their decision was a wise one. The rioters did return, breaking and smashing everything in sight.

When it was all over, the restaurant’s guests emerged safe and sound to a scene of mob destruction few will ever forget. Yet none of those present could doubt that, first and foremost, the staff had thought only of them during the mayhem that wrecked the once elegant restaurant.

Amazed and thankful, the grateful guests offered to pay for the dinners never served as some small way of saying “thank you” for the staff’s brave efforts that evening. In a gracious response worthy of the great Alexis Soyer himself, the staff declined payment. 

Professionalism, as you known, requires that one never accept payment for a dinner unserved. That would not be honest. What a difference their attitude was to that of the looters outside.  They protected while those outside destroyed.

Bravo, bravo and so well, well done! How truly all those at The Ledbury deserve the Golden Rolling Pin Award for a night of remarkable bravery and professionalism!

One can only hope that one day compassion and hospitality will reign and that all of humanity will feast together at a "table of brotherhood" in mutual peace and understanding.

Post Note, August 26, 2011: Due to the threat of potential harm from the massive approaching Hurricane Irene to the hundreds of thousands expected to attend, the dedication of the Martin Luther King Memorial has been cancelled.

"It is with a heavy heart and enormous disappointment that we announce that, in the interest of public safety, we are forced to change our plans," Mr. Harry Johnson told a news conference today.

Instead, the historic event will be moved to September or October when the skies have cleared and any damage(hopefully minor) to roads and cell towers has been repaired. After years of effort to make the Memorial a reality, the decision to delay the dedication must have been a hard one, but the right one.  Safety always comes first – something every great hotel knows and practices daily.

Post Note, August 22, 2011: As the U.S. begins a week of celebration honoring the memory of Martin Luther King, many visitors to the new King Memorial are delighted that the installation promotes freedom as a universal human right, not merely a singular American occurrence.  Congratulations to the Martin Luther King Memorial designers for their personal courage and global perception.

Post Note, August 12, 2011: Many of Washington DC's leading hotels are working hard to make rooms (and tickets) available for the upcoming August 28th dedication of the Martin Luther King Memorial. If you were not present when King made his famous "I have a dream" speech, here is another choice to be present when history is made. 

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Thursday
Aug042011

Discover Three Great New Food Films

International film festival directors now realize what movie lovers have known since the film Ratatouille made culinary fads of millions – thoughtfully made movies about the essence of cooking can deeply touch the hearts of viewers.

At this year’s Berlinale (Berlin) Film Festival an entire division was created to screen films solely about chefs, cuisine, ingredients and all matters culinary.

Though first shown from February 13th through the 18th, these remarkable films are now moving into distribution worldwide. Here are three of the films shown that are well worth seeing (and discussing) with staff:

  Jiro Dreams of Sushi

This stunning film documents the art of the legendary sushi master Jiro Ono. David Gelb follows this 85 year old culinary star of Tokyo to his famed Sukiyabashi Jiro Restaurant, located in humble subway station. But size (and sometimes even location), does not a restaurant make. Jiro’s esteemed restaurant seats only ten yet it holds three Michelin stars. That’s enough to make any culinary professional want to see this movie.

Further expanding the plot is the stress and struggle experienced by his son Yoshikazu as the younger chef ponders his ability to continue his father’s quest for absolute culinary perfection.  

El Camino del Vino

If you are weary of staged ‘reality’ shows culinary or otherwise, you cannot help but be moved by this true life story of Charlie Arturaola, the world famous sommelier. Filmed in a mock documentary style, director Nicolas Carreras traces Arturaola’s struggle to reclaim not only his fading sense of taste but also his personal heritage.

For all those who have dedicated their lives to the profession they love, the film poses the fearful question: “What if suddenly you could no longer do what you Love?” The film suggests one response. Each member of the viewing audience will have to decide if their answer would be the same or different – in short, it’s a film that makes one think and re-think the purpose and value of our professional efforts.

 Toast

Based on the autobiography of the same name by the English culinary writer Nigel Slater, this film is a coming-of-age story about a family in conflict where food becomes an expression of love and also a struggle for control. With a star rich cast that includes Helena Bonham Carter, Freddie Highmore and Ken Stott, the film counter balances the richness of food with a starvation of true affection often present in the homes of early 1960’s.

The script captures in heart-breaking clarity the struggle to be creative in an environment too narrow to reach a sense of authentic self. Anyone within the industry who has had to make the choice between the fate they were born to and the vocation that fascinates them, will understand this film and value its courage. 

Post Note, November 2, 2011: The first ever Napa Valley Film Festival will be held for five days starting November 9th, featuring 75 films including Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Food, wine AND films - what an event! Be there if you can. 

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Wednesday
Aug032011

How to Divorce in Style

Divorce is a sad reality in modern life - one marked by legal closure, yet often one with a lingering emotional need to re-direct and re-focus one’s life.  

The Casa Velas Boutique Hotel in Puerto Vallarta creatively addresses this growing trend in their new “Divorce Package” that invites the new divorcee and five supportive friends to celebrate and commiserate in the Hotel’s elegant Presidential Suite. 

While there, the former bride or groom can host a “Farewell Party” to say goodbye to the marriage by placing his' or her's old wedding rings in a miniature coffin.  

Later he or she can shift their focus to the future and meet with a skilled local jeweler, who can shape the rings into a new design better suited for happier days ahead. 

Also included in the package is a memorable spa treatment (ah – that feels so good), a customized shopping tour and finally, a VIP night on the town.

With transportation to and from the airport to this adult only Resort, the package is a steal starting at $350 per person per night now through December 22 (and that includes all taxes and gratuities!).   

No one wants to experience a divorce but if going one’s separate way is a emotional must, why not do it in style?

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Monday
Aug012011

London Olympic Games Go Best with Broker's Gin

In less than a year, the 30th Summer Olympic Games will open in London. As the pomp and ceremony begins on July 27, 2012 with the Parade of Nations and the Opening Ceremony, London will no doubt be compared to the last Olympiad held in China in 2008.

No one present there or watching worldwide can ever forget the stunning opening ceremony staged by Zhag Yimou, director of such legendary films as Hero and Curse of the Golden Flower.

Following the theme of “One World One Dream”, Zhag Yimou created a visual tableau that truly left millions of viewers breathless at the sweep of history and the display of beauty presented.

Yet have no fear because London is planning quite a show as well. Danny Boyle has been chosen as the artistic director for London’s opening ceremony. As the Academy Award winning director of Slumdog Millionaire, one can be assured of his sensitivity to an inclusive world view.

Because traditionally the heritage of the host country is highlighted at each Olympic Game’s first gathering, Boyle can draw on centuries of English history.  One can only wonder if the Arthurian knights, Lord Nelson or the Tower’s venerated guards will appear in his event design.

But one image sure to appear will be the famed English bowler hat. First crafted in 1849 by the London hat makers Thomas and William Bowler (yes, that’s where the name originated) as a stiff protective hat for country gamekeepers, it was soon adopted by Londoners as a symbol for the composed style that has made London’s financiers (are you listening America?) famous around the world.

And now if hotel guests want some of that flare but aren’t necessarily hat wearers, they can celebrate with a new gin that is getting very popular as excitement over London's Games increases: Broker's Gin.

Distilled in small handmade batches, each bottle of this dry English gin is crafted in a 200 year old Birmingham distillery from an equally old recipe.

In order to follow this classic recipe, ingredients are sourced from around the world including juniper berries (but of course) from Bulgaria and Macedonia, orris roots from Italy, nutmeg from India, cassia bark from China, liquorice from Sri Lanka, coriander seeds from Bulgaria, orange and lemon peels from Spain and angelica root from Belgium and France.

Truly this is a beverage whose ingredients are almost as international as the Olympics and yet it’s the perfect gin to capture all the fun and excitement of the upcoming London Games. It’s so perfect the bottle is topped with an English bowler hat and you just can’t get any more English than that.

So enjoy the fun to come (Broker’s recipe for The Londoner Cocktail is listed below) and let us all hope that as the date for the game comes up, we find a world at peace and in harmony - at least for a few days. Cheers!  

The Londoner Cocktail 

  • 2 oz Broker's Gin
  • 1 oz Pink Grapefruit Juice
  • ½ oz Crème de Mure
  • 2  Lime Wedges

 Squeeze the lime wedges into a shaker and add the other ingredients. Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake vigorously until the shaker is freezing. Strain into a chilled martini glass.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011