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.
As any wise parent (and every chef) knows, running a home or professional kitchen is not a simple singular job.
Whether one is the lady of the house or master of the kitchen, the tasks at hand often include being an administrator, a cuisine creator, an advisor and much, much more (something every good spouse and GM should remember).
One way to tackle all these varied tasks is by adding the best, the most innovative of the new technology at hand. Here’s our choice for some great geek gifts that will surely lighten the load:
Designed by Damjan Stankovic, this initial single electrical wall plug pulls out to offer additional outlets. Perfect, innovative - who wouldn’t like this addition to their kitchen.
There are times when the day is long that nothing but an espresso will do. But sadly often there is not that wonder of Italian cuisine, the espresso machine, at hand. Now the weary chef and the creative home cook can satisfy their craving no matter where they go with the handpresso - finally (and thank you)!
If you've ever cut onions, washed your hands and then could still smell onions on your hands, you nmight eed to add a stainless steel 'soap' bar to your kitchen sink. Unlike regular soap, the Ran Away Bar utilizes a oxido-reduction, which is a natural property of steel, to remove strong odors in minutes. Hurray!
A simply must-have for the tech chef who courageously brings their not inexpensive iPad into the kitchen world of spills and thrills. The busy chef just has to put their iPad into the protective sleeve cover, seal and all will be right in the kitchen without regard to messy hands or spilled liquids. Ideally!
Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012
This year’s event was a memorable gathering that offered a menu of outstanding cuisine, belief in the future and insightful humor.
The very busy chefs in the Washington Hilton’s kitchens delighted the over 3,000 guests attending with the following menu:
Salad
Black Lentil Terrine with Lump Crabmeat Tango Green and Red Artisan Greens Red and Yellow Tear Drop Tomatoes Dill Vinaigrette
Entrée Texas Rubbed Petite Filet with a Calvados Demi paired with Duo of Jumbo Shrimp seasoned with Red Curry Roasted Haricot Verts, Baby Pepper, Patty Pan Squash Tasso Mache Choux Risotto
Dessert The Galaxy -- Rich Chocolate Truffle Mousse layered with Chocolate Genoise and Almond Macaroon and a Ganache Truffle Center with chocolate glaze garnished with fresh raspberries
Michelle Obama, the nation’s elegant first lady, worn a floral gown by the Indian born American designer Naeem Khan. As always she charmed and put at ease all that she met.
But the true stars of the evening were Barack Obama and political humor. For those who questioned the appropriateness of laughter in an era that faces global unrest and fearful unemployment worldwide, it is important that since 1920, when thefirst dinner was hosted, humor has always been an invaluable tool to de-stress and remember through the laughter what is truly important.
Should Obama be re-elected, his second term will be his lastas dictated by the American constitution. As a result, the President sought through humor to ask his audience to reach to the future.
After the dinner on Monday morning, the Democratic campaign team released their first major video ad listing, yes, the accomplishments of the President’s first four years but also setting a “FORWARD” theme for the next four years.
“Forward” is a wise choice as change and innovation requires motion as any member of the hospitality industry knows. That forward motion must include everyone, not just a few - be they single departments or selected social groups. No hotel or restaurant is successful only in part and neither is any nation.
Together is better and that’s no joke!
Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012
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.
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 puddingwith IdahoHuckleberry Sauce and Newtown Pippin apples
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
In a strange twist of fate, this year’s holiday model of the White House crafted from gingerbread and white chocolate, echoes the reality of the U.S. President Obama. As of today, the President is there alone in the beautifully decorated White House (except for the family dog Bo) waiting for conservative members of the House of Representative to address the much desired payroll tax cut.
Perhaps the beauty of this year’s amazing gingerbread White House, created by the Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses with the thoughtful guidance of First Lady Michelle Obama, will offer him some additional holiday cheer.
Working from the original architectural drawing for the White House, Chef Yosses has created yet another stunning holiday masterpiece – this time weighing over 400 pounds!
Gingerbread house construction bgean in late September when sheets of gingerbread were baked using the traditional gingerbread recipe long used by the White House kitchen (see recipe below). This allowed ample time for the gingerbread sheets to harden before they were cut into wall and floor panels ready for assembling.
With Assistant Pastry Chef Susie Morrisonacting as a supervising construction contractor in the famed China Room, where the various presidential china collections are displayed, the model began to take form. When finally completed this year’s culinary wonder was displayed on a marble-topped console table in the State Dining Room.
At the suggestion of First Lady Michelle Obama, the 2011 replica included chocolate models of the White House culinary garden complete with beehives and sheltered vegetables rows.
Their thoughtful display was a wonderful way to say yet once again that healthy eating should be something all American shoould focus on each and enjoy every day.
Made with ample royal icing, his addition to the scene surely brought a smile to the over 85,000 pre-Christmas Day White House visitors. Now that’s a full house any hotel would envy!
Yet come Christmas Day, it’s currently unclear if the President of the United States will be joining his wife and daughters in Hawaii as he waits in Washington DC for the conservative Republicans of the House to address the nation’s urgent needs.
Perhaps those hesitant members of the House should remember what every great chef knows by heart and something so clearly declared to Scrooge by the ghost of his deceased business partner in Charles Dickens' memorable morality story, A Christmas Carol:
We in the hospitality industry craft, not with laws and legistation, but in sugar and with cuisine and service, but these are only a means of expression.
The true meaning of our profession hinges on the quality of our choices, the depth of values that we choose to express though our everyday actions. That said, may we all, like the newly enlightened Scrooge, keep that spirit of compassion within our hearts all year long as we serve and create!
Happy Holidays!
White House Holiday Gingerbread Cookies with Royal Icing
Ingredients for the Cookies
8 oz (2 sticks) butter, soft 2 cups dark brown sugar 2 eggs, large 1 cup molasses 7 cups All Purpose flour ¼ tsp ginger ground ¼ tsp cinnamon, ground 1 tsp baking soda ¼ tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt Lemon zest from 1 lemon Orange zest from 1 orange
Method 1. Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer for a minimum 5 minutes. 2. Add eggs one by one, then molasses. 3. Put mixer on slow, sift spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda with flour then add these dry ingredients in three increments and scrape bowl each time. 4. Add zests and mix until incorporated, but do not over mix. 5. Remove dough from bowl and place on plastic wrap and spread to 1" thickness over wrap and cover with another sheet of plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. 6. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out a small piece on a floured surface. This dough is very wet, so add flour when necessary to prevent sticking and turn over often. 7. Roll out to 1/8 to ¼ inch thickness for cookies. Cut out Gingerbread shapes. 8. Bake for 12 minutes at 350°F for cookies; 25 minutes or more for ornaments or gingerbread houses. 9. Decorate with Royal Icing
Royal Icing
Ingredients 2 cups Confectioner's sugar, sifted 1 egg white 1 tsp lemon juice
Method Mix with paddle attachment on electric blender (or by hand) for 5 minutes. If icing is too thick, add more lemon juice or a little egg white to desired consistency.
Post Note, 12/23/2011: Perhaps the conservative Republicans of the U.S. House of Representatives have heard the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future as they have finallyagreed to pass the expension of the payroll tax cut.
With additional dollars to spend millions of people will enjoy the Holidays much more in warmer homes and many welcoming restaurants. And so perhaps now we can all return to the true meaning of these final winter days, expressed so well in the closing words of Dickens' belovedA Christmas Carol.
Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011
Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 2:40PM 
