Great Dad Day Gifts for Chef Dads

Father's Day is fast approaching and that makes it time to ask "What the best gift for a Chef Dad?"

Well have no fear - here are fifteen great gifts for that busy professional whose also a devoted dad who needs to be honored and appreciated on Father's Day (and all year long). 

Handpresso Portable Expresso Machine: An incredible new device that lets the lucky Dad make expresso anywhere at anytime at work or at play.

PolyScience's Smoking Gun: A great new kitchen tool that enables the Chef Dad to smoke meats as well as cheese and salad greens inside without the use of an outdoor grill.  Way to go Super Dad!

Ceiva Digital Picture Frame: This is the perfect oh-so modern updated version of the framed family picture that every loving Dad has on his desk - but with a great twist. Thanks to digital technology the loving Dad can now easily transfer pictures from his iphone or computer to this frame. The images can be viewed in a still or slideshow format.      

Taylor Digital Measuring Cup & Scale: European or Stateside measurements? Weight or ounces? Measuring cup or scale? Now the Chef Dad can easily have both with the very useful Taylor combination cup-scale. Any recipe can now easily be used AND enjoyed! 

Vacu Vin Instant Marinator: This is an ideal time and flavor saver for the Chef Dad whose days involve long hours. Simply put the meat and marinade in the container and remove the air with the attachable vacuum pump. The resulting effect is one that opens the meat's pores deeper, quicker and so enables the marinate to enter faster and deeper. The flavor (and ease) is something Dad will enjoy all year long.  

Niki Segnit's The Flavor Theasurus: Subtitled "A Compendium of Pairings, Recipes and Ideas for the Creative Cook", this remarkable book is a great idea-generator for the Chef Dad who enjoys the new and the creative. It's a must-have for any Chef Dad's library.

Joseph Joseph Index Chopping Boards: As they say, safe is better then sorry. And that's as true at home as in the professional kitchen. Joseph Joseph (yes, that is the real design firm's name) has crafted the solution to the problem of cross-contamination while preparing food - just use the correct index cutting board. What a great idea AND gift! 

The Big Green Egg: Nothing cooks like the Big Green Egg. Originally imported from Japan, it now sports a space age finish and wealth of amazing accessories that will enable the Chef Dad to do just about any form of cooking outside. And the flavor - unmatchable. (P.S. - be sure to check out the public Egg cookouts in your area.  They're 'egg-citing' events for the whole family! 

Berti Knives with Individualized Magnetized Insieme Wooden Blocks: Technology is great, but let's not forget the value (and resulting skill) that tradition honors. Berti Knives, crafted by Italian masters for over a hundred years, are a perfect example of why the best often comes with a legacy of craft and tradition. These are elegant knives, beloved by many major chefs. and each has an individual wooden holder that easily snaps to the next holder's magnetized side. Now that's a great design that works!    

Teroforma Whiskey Rocks: Many a Chef Dad enjoys a glass of premiere whiskey or scotch on the rocks at the end of a long day. But as the beverage chills, the ice melts and that expensive whiskey is slow but surely getting deluted. Now there's an answer - whiskey rocks!  Just chill, add and enjoy - now that's a great idea (and gift)!   

Aeropress Coffee Maker: A traditional cup of joe can be a mess to make what with a hot pot, messy coffee grounds and lots of leftover wasted brew. But have no fear, science (or rather a thoughtful scientist) has an answer: the easy to use Aeropress Cofee Maker. Simply measure the small amount of coffee neede for a single cup, add water and press the plunger down. The result is a cup of gourmet coffee that any Chef Dad will cheer. 

Cuisipro Ice Cream Scoop & Stack Scoop: There are those Chef Dads who love a dessert but were not, well, ever cut out to be a pastry chef. Yet they love a sweet at the end of the day (or evening). Ice cream's a perfect solution but why not make it more than a melting mess in a bowl. With Cuisipro's Scoop and Stack, it's easy to cut picture-perfect circles. Just drizzle with syrup and life's great no matter the hour or the day.      

Bamboo Bowls from MOMA: Tableware has become a statement of style these days as evidenced by the fact that many museum gift shops sell it as a kitchen collectable. Some of the loveliest bowls are those available from the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City. Their bowls are stunning, support sustainablity and make an unforgettable Dad's Day Gift.  

SodaStream Soda Maker: Want a soda at the end of the day but suddenly find that you're out? No Chef Dad will ever have that problem if he has a Soda Stream.  Just add water to the bottle, charge the liquid, remove and then add a favorite soda syrup (or leave plain). The flavor's outstanding and resulting beverage costs only pennies to make. Fantastic bargain all year long and there're no endless supply of empty soda bottles for the busy Chef Dad to drag out to the recycling bend! Hurray for easier days!

Fire Wire Flexible Grilling Skewers: Cooking on skewers is great fun but often a tiesome task if the rods are too long or stiff to comfortably fit on the grill or in the pan. Fire Wire solves this problem for any Chef Dad who enjoys this cooking method. Just load the flexible wires with meats and vegetables then loop and bend to easily fit the cooking surface. This a gift that will get appreciate all year long - just as every Chef Dad should be!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Chef Jose Andres Is Chief Culinary Advisor for the New National Food Exhibit What’s Cooking Uncle Sam?

If you are in Washington DC staring today through January 3, 2012, don’t miss the amazing new exhibit on American food history drawn from the files of the U.S. National Archives: What's Cooking Uncle Sam?.

The National Archives? Isn’t that the dusty department charged by Congress to collect and curate all those totally uninteresting governmental paper?  Well, that’s what Chef Jose Andres, chief culinary advisor to the Exhibition, thought until he began to explore the wealth of culinary documents preserved at the historic Archives.

Tucked into the folders at the National Archives, decade after decade, is a treasury of material that traces the history of food in America and the government’s involvement in setting food safety standards, wartime rationing, experimental farming, recipe development and much, much more.

Have no fear – you won’t be bored. Instead you will encounter the almost forgotten Frank Meyer, America’s foreign plant explorer, who traveled from the vast grasslands of Manchuria to the tiger-patrolled mountains of Siberia to bring hundreds of new plants to stateside farms.

Then there’s the largely unknown story of the Margarine War of 1886 when American dairy farmers rebelled against the importation of the horrible “oily imposter” from Europe. There are even photos of the margarine ‘bootleggers’ who were arrested for trying to sell the hated 'false butter’.

Engaging displays chart the U.S. government’s efforts to promote potato consumption and the acceptance of frozen food, a radical new idea in the 1920s. But the fun doesn’t stop there – the wide ranging tastes of the White House’s leading occupant are explored from President Eisenhower’s favorite all-American deep dish apple pie to John F. Kennedy’s must-have chowder.

And least you desire to try the actual cuisine that the Exhibit documents, Chef Andres is creating the pop-up restaurant America Eats Tavern (opening July 4, 2011) nearby that will offer a sampler of the food (and professional passion) that created this unique and informative showing. Now that’s a true taste of history - American style!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Pasta y Gambas is Nadal’s Secret Recipe for Tennis Success at Wimbledon

Last weekend Rafa Nadal won set after set against Roger Federer at this year’s French Open.  Surely no one watching from center court at the esteemed Roland Garros sport complex could doubt that they were seeing a master play the game.

The question now being asked by many is how far can Nadal go? Will history rank him as the greatest tennis player ever? At 25, he has age on his side. But if he is to surpass Federer’s standing record of 16 Grand Slam Titles (Nadal has 10 Grand Slams to date), he will need nearly endless energy and stamina to enter the record books. But take heart Nadal fans... 

Now we know the secret recipe for Nadal’s number one energy source and all-time favorite meal before his strength draining afternoon championship matches: Pasta y Gambas (Pasta and Shrimp) - just be sure to use only Spanish paprika and olive oil, Nadal cautions.  They are, according to this tennis legend, the ingredients that make this dish a winner with top players - on and off the court:

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Menu for Merkel White House Dinner Highlights Regional Cuisine with Style and Flair

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel at a not to soon be forgotten White House State Dinner. As just the fourth such grand event and the first during the Obama Administration to honor a female head of state, Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Master Pastry Chef William Yosses have been working hard to craft a memorable menu for a now legendary night of Washington entertaining.

The center focus of their menu was a celebration of the first harvest of an American spring. Many of the selected vegetables and herbs were gathered fresh from the White House south lawn Kitchen Garden.  This remarkable garden was established under the direction of Mrs. Obama in 2009 to highlight healthy food choices.

Prior to the event, a special tasting was staged by Chefs Comerford and Yosses for some very special guests. At the invitation of Mrs. Obama a very lucky group of young women, all interested in a career in diplomacy, were able to preview the coming evening’s place settings and décor in the State Dining Room.

One final treat was a serving of Chef Yosses’ gala apple strudel dessert to each delighted young ladies.

While this all American dessert was being sampled inside the White House, the experienced executive ground staff was laying carpet in the Rose Garden (for as anyone knows in the industry, chairs for an outdoor event are NEVER set on bare ground as the legs will sink and the seating then becomes unstable).

Once the Garden was carpeted, the staff set up a mixture of long and round tables, each topped with snow white linens, glittering silverware and embossed menu programs, all under the direction of Rafanelli Events of Boston, New York City, Palm Beach and, of course, Washington DC. Rafanelli Events selected a modern interpretation of the German Bauhaus School of Design's concept that design should be inclusive as the central inspiration for the evening’s overall design theme.

As a result, the décor of the Garden was as vital as the design of the table centerpieces.

This same concept was reflected in the menu created by Chef Comerford. Every course was subtly accented with fresh herbs and vegetables from the White House Garden as well as heirloom regional American products.

The State Dinner Menu

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

-- FIRST COURSE --

White House Garden Chopped Salad accented Fine Herbs and a White House Honey Gastrique, made with Apple Cider Vinegar and garnished with Spiced Mammoth Georgian Pecans

-- SECOND COURSE -- 

Hawaiian Tuna Tartare with Rye Crisps, Pickled Young Carrots and Mustard Oil, Spring Pea Salad with Shaved Ham and Ginger Snaps

 -- THIRD COURSE --

Petite Filet and Maryland Blue Crab Ravioli with Wild West Viriginia Ramp Puree

 -- DESSERT COURSE --

Maryland Apple Strudel topped with Golden California Raisins, Vermont Topfen Farmer’s Cheese and Schlag Whipped Cream

Well Done Ladies and Gentlemen!

 Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

Obama Invites German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Step into History at Georgetown’s 1789 Restaurant

If one is a world leader, state visits are often a round of the to-be-expected activities ranging from reviewing the troops to sitting through long formal dinners.  German Chancellor Angela Merkel was treated to just such a rare break from tradition during her recent visit to Washington DC when prior to protocol's demands President Barack Obama hosted Merkel at Georgetown’s historic 1789 Restaurant.

Named for the year in which both Georgetown University was founded by the Roman Archbishop John Carroll and the District of Columbia was designated as the future capital of the country, each of the six dining rooms in the Federalist period townhouse are discretely decorated with period antiques and equestrian prints.

Yet while Obama and Merkel relaxed and talked for nearly two hours, it was not the historical décor alone that held their attention.  Certainly a large part of the evening’s charm was the cuisine created by Executive Chef Daniel Giusti and Pastry Chef Mallory Staley.

Chef Giusti was appointed the lead chef at 1789 in 2008 by the Clyde’s Restaurant Group that owns this esteemed property. Though one of the youngest top chefs in D.C., Giusti has been winning national awards with his fresh seasonal fare highlighting the cuisine of America’s many culinary regions.

His interest in all matters kitchen began t 15 years of age and went on to include training at the C.I.A., an internship with acclaimed Chef Charlie Palmer at New York’s Aureole, study in Italy and work as the Chef de Partie at the popular French Restaurant Guy Savoy in Las Vegas's Caesars Palace. With this background and after serving as executive Sous Chef under former 1789 Restaurant Chef Nathan Beauchamp, he was the perfect choice to lead this very popular restaurant into the twentieth­-first century with style and elegance.

Working beside Chef Giusti is another talented culinary professional, Executive Pastry Chef Mallory Staley. Born in historic Frederick, Maryland, Chef Mallory brings an extensive background to her current position including training at the French Culinary Institute, directing dessert creation at NYC Plaza Hotel’s Oak Room and the Hearth Restaurant. 

Soon additional honors from the James Beard Foundation would also be added to her resume. Charged with recreating the best of America’s traditional desserts with a contemporary twist, her new creations are now gleaming praise from diners as the perfect ending to a more than memorable meal at 1789.

Having enjoyed such a feast, it must have been hard for both Obama and Merkel to leave and return to the formal worlds of duty waiting for them at the White House and Blair House, the official residence of presidential guests.

But have no fear, beginning Tuesday, June 7^th at 9 AM the formal pageantry begins with a 19 gun salute and troop review on the White House lawn.  Later that night, the German Chancellor will be hosted at a formal White House State Dinner, complete with placards, toasts and tuxes.

The dinner there will, of course, be great and grand, but one can only be thankful that for a moment, at least, these two leaders could relax and enjoy all that make the 1789 Restaurant a national treasure not to be missed.   

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011