Celebrate Spring At White House Egg Roll with Bo and then Italian Easter Bread and Egg Art

Easter Sunday will soon be upon us and that means that come the Monday after, the White House will host the 134th (and oh so much fun) Easter Egg Roll. Invitations to the event can be obtained only via lottery luck and any resulting adult, fortunate enough to attend, must be accompanied by a child in order to gain final admission.

But best of all, the 2012 event will be co-host by Bo, the beloved First Family’s pet dog. In fact he will even be honored with his portrait on this year’s commemorative wooden Easter egg.

And though these memorable eggs have their original origin in the humble wooden darning egg, used by countless women for centuries from Boston to Moscow, just consider the skill and beauty of the current exhibition by Oksana Mas, made entirely from painted wooden eggs. 

Her amazing work, using thousands of traditional Ukrainian painted wooden eggs known as “krashenki”, has been shown in Stockholm, Barcelona and Venice.  Each egg is individual painted by a different artist and then crafted together by Mas to create a collective icon of meaning. The effect, whether seen close up or at a distance, is simply unforgettable.

Equally unforgettable is Italy’s “Pastelli di Pasqua” or egg-wrapped Easter Bread.  Similar to Mas' egg icon, chefs around the world will gather their individual ingredients together, and create a larger experience to share with others. 

 

Whether offered to guests as a full wreath or as individual smaller savory wreaths, this bread captures, like the egg icons, the essence of the season, spirit of Spring, hope and meaningful change.

This bread, like the season, is sweet and the colored cooked fresh eggs have the perfect holiday appearance and flavor. Consider celebrating Spring this year with friends and guests – all within the circle of friendship, fun and fine bread. Bo would so approve as would the First Family! Enjoy!

Post Note, April13, 2012: Each year there is a holiday idea that simply wins the hearts of all who see it.  This year's winner is Cheesecake Easter Eggs - a true delight! Each chocolate egg shell is filled with cheesecake while the 'yolk' center curd is a creative blend of fruit jams and purees (see recipe below for center accent).

And though Easter may have passed, this attractive (and very tasty) presentation is well worth trying as well as saving until the Easter Bunny comes hopping back around next year.

'Yolk' Fruit Curd - 1 tbsp passionfruit puree, 1 tbsp apricot jam, 1 tbsp unsalted butter.

 Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012

How the Science of Avalanches Will Help Save Ice Cream Thanks to Nestle

Well,  it’s Spring and everything is melting, especially this year’s very heavy snows in Europe and the United States. The resulting massive pile-ups of snow are certainly keeping the scientists at Switzerland’s famed Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research very busy. 

Currently they are researching the size of ice crystals and the air bubbles present in snow as it relates to avalanches. The alert scientists at Nestlé’s research center caught wind of the Institutes findings and saw a parallel in ice cream.

Working together and using the world's one and only x-ray tomography machine, the joint team discovered that the ice crystals in ice cream start fusing together if frozen for a prolong period. The result is a complete change in texture and that oh-no gloss that so many chefs hate. In short, the ice cream is now far more “ice” than “cream” and ready for the garbage.

And when this occurs in snow, it makes for a thunderous and very deadly avalanche. So the scientists are now hard at work to see now the deteriorating of both ice cream and snow banks can be controlled.

Until they publish their findings in a scientific journal such as Soft Matter, well, we’ll all just have to just continue to check the expiration date on our ice cream and hope that science carries us forward to a future where the ice cream not only tastes great but never melts. Please hurry - soon it will be summer!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012

Post Note, March 27, 2012: For those of a scientific bent, here is Nestle's reasearch results published in Soft Matters. Enjoy!

Joint British American Menu Greets Guests at White House Official Dinner

Inspiring style was in full force at the White House as President Obama and the First Lady entertained British Prime Minister and his wife, David and Samantha Cameron, at an elaborate offical dinner.

And while many are evaluating the guest list (try George Clooney, Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth Lee McGovern among others) or the fashions worn (Georgina Chapman, Tom Binns, Chanel and Alessandra Rich)this morning, chefs everywhere want to know, first and foremost, what was served.

So here’s the creative menu developed by the White House’s talented Executive Chef Cris Comerford, who deftly blended the cuisine of these two countries together - nations that have long been allies and friends during the best and the worst of times:

First Course: Crisped halibut with potato crust, served on a bed of braised baby kale from the White House garden. Shaved Brussels sprouts, Applewood smoked bacon

Salad Course: Spring garden lettuces with shallot dressing and shaved radish, cucumbers and avocados

Main Course: Bison Wellington, pairing the pastry case created for the British soldier and statesman, the Duke of Wellington with American buffalo tenderloin from North Dakota, instead of beef. Red wine reduction, French beans, cipollini onion

Dessert: Steamed lemon pudding with Idaho Huckleberry Sauce and Newtown Pippin apples

Wine: American vineyards

And the setting couldn’t have been better – a beautiful spring evening in a tent under the sparkling stars on the White House's South Lawn. Well done and bravo!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012 

Discover Hollywood's Favorite Foods and Champagne Cocktail at the 2012 Governors Oscar Ball

Sunday, February 26^th is Oscar Night in Hollywood this year. And while the stars and artists of all things cinema will be watching the award ceremony at the L.A.’s Kodak Theater, chefs and event designers around the world will be analyzing the cuisine and décor at the offical post-gala Governors Ball.

Once again Cheryl Cecchetto will produce the must-be-at event with Wolfgang Puck overseeing the cuisine along with pastry chef Sherry Yard. This is the 18^th year that Chef Wolfgang has directed his Spago staff to cheer the winners and comfort the losers, all with his hallmark flare and creativity.

And this year is no different with some exciting changes in store. Unlike past evenings, this year’s event is no longer a formal sit-down dinner. Surprise-surprise. There will also be no buffet tables or long lines straining to grab a bite from crowded tables. Even bigger surprise.

Instead 550 pieces of customized furniture will be brought in to create a dazzling lounge, created with a welcoming open floor plan that will surely say ‘You can NOW relax and have some fun” to all with that sought after invitation card as all the food will be directly tray-offered to the lucky guests.

Yet soft suede, red roses, sparkling crystals and purple drapes still mark the event as one with classic Hollywood glamour.

And then there will be the food as only Tinsel Town can do it – 1450 pounds of Maine lobster for petit tacos for starters and finally dessert mouse served in golden hued eggs. Ah Hollywood!

But what’s a party without a cocktail – the Governors Ball has always had its very own signature one, thanks to the very elegant champagne of Moet & Chandon. So without further delay, card please – recipe card, that is…Enjoy!  

RED CARPET GLAMOUR COCKTAIL 

• Fill a chilled champagne flute ½ way with ice.
• Stir 1 ounce of fresh-squeezed sour mix (see below) and Hum Botanical Spirit with fresh ice.
• Strain into flute to fill ½ way.
• Top with Moët & Chandon Imperial.
• Garnish with a single rose petal.
• Continually refresh as needed with champagne.

Sour Mix: Combine 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water until sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup fresh lime juice and 1 cup fresh lemon juice and refrigerate.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012 

Republican Candidates Offering American Voters Quite a Menu of Choices

Currently Republican Party members in the United States are watching an interesting array of candidates all vying for their party’s 2012 nomination against the popular U.S. President Barack Obama.  

After 19 angry debates the field has narrowed to four still eager contestants – Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

And while their suggested policies for improving existing economic conditions ranging from voluntary self-deportation for non-citizens to a fantasy manned lunar space colony, perhaps their political points of view (and personalities) are most clearly reflected in their choice of favorite foods.

Ron Paul loves healthy organic soups and salads. Mitt Romney enjoys traditional New England baked beans while Rick Santorum likes a plain grilled cheese sandwich.  And Newt Gingrich, well, he loves ice cream with everything on it.

The above is not exactly a menu (or an array of candidates) that will likely delight insightful diners or thoughtful Republican Convention delegates as they contemplate the actual needs of the 21^st century.

It seems there are only two choices possible – ones that any experienced chef would recommend: (1) change the menu or (2) get ready for an empty dining room (and a massive electoral loss).

The results of the American presidential election is a matter that effects more than just the United States. As every chef who sources his or her products from around the world knows, we live within a very connected community on this small planet.

It is vital that the American people reach beyond a simplistic diet of phrases and political rhetoric to a larger cuisine of inclusive understanding and mutual respect.   

Without such a choice, well, we're all going to need a very big drink in the very near future to make it through the darkening evening of our very legitimate concerns.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012