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Live Demos by a great line up of Chefs.

9 Apr

All day foodie heaven.  Here is the complete line up, if you live nearby please stop out and see us.  I will be doing some book signing as well.  For those that may not have purchased a mothers day gift…..come get a book and I will personalize it for you.

If you love great cooking you are going to love this festival.

Scottsdale Culinary Festival
Chef Demonstrations

Saturday, April 13, 2013
1:00pm: Robin Miller, Food Network:
Orzo Casserole with Seared Eggplant

3:00pm: Brian Malarkey, ABC’s The Taste, Searsucker Scottsdale:
Shrimp “Spicy” + Bacon Grits

5:00pm: Jose Garces, Iron Chef, Distrito:
Pulpo al Carbón – Grilled Spanish Octopus,
Jalapeño Purée, Potato Confit, Caper Béarnaise

Sunday, April 14, 2013
12:30 pm: Jason Wyrick, Vegan Culinary Experience:
Tortas Two Ways

2:30 pm: Payton Curry, the Guerilla Gourmet:
Farmers market salad with Hayden Flour Mills Wheatberries, McClendon Farms Spring Veggies
and Black Mesa Ranch Goat Cheese

4:00 pm: Shelley Sikora- Holman, Sweet Basil Gourmet, Skinny Bread:
Fast Fougasse (see Picture…Mmmmmm)Image

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BACON and CHOCOLATE!!!!

2 Apr

BACON and CHOCOLATE!!!!

Love Chocolate? Love Bacon?
Why not eat them together? I first experienced this culinary trend at a Pigs and Pinot Festival in Healdsburg, California. Even though it sounds a little quirky, which it is, the salty, sweet and smoky combination is delicious!

Here is a fun recipe you can try at home.

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April is Pea Month!

31 Mar

April is Pea Month!

Spring means fresh, sweet and versatile peas.
You won’t be forced to eat these peas!

When buying fresh peas, here is what to look for:

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30 Mar

Great Mother’s Day gift!
Sat, April 13, Skinny Bread book signing at sweet Basil Gourmet 1-5
Sun, April 14, at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival 3-5
For more info and directions, www.sweetbasilgourmet.com; scottsdalefest.org

Great Mother's Day gifts! Sat, April 13, Skinny Bread book signing at sweet Basil Gourmet 1-5 Sun, April 14, at the Scottsdale Culinary Festival 3-5 For more info and directions, www.sweetbasilgourmet.com; scottsdalefest.org

I will be out and about looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can.

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Happy Easter!

27 Mar

Did you know where the Easter colored egg tradition came from?

The custom of the Easter egg originated amongst the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion. The Christian Church officially adopted the custom, regarding the eggs as a symbol of the resurrection.

One last thing. Why ham at Easter? I guess the simplest explanation would be, since early Christians did not eat meat during Lent, Easter marked the release of those obligations. Ham is a easily cured meat, that would last throughout the winter months, making it the perfect choice.

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Cinnamon-Streusel (Comfort Food) Coffeecake

24 Mar

Cinnamon-Streusel (Comfort Food) Coffeecake

Soft and moist, nicely cinnamon-y, this is the quintessential breakfast coffeecake. This golden cake is tender and moist, with a middle layer of dark cinnamon filling and a crumbly streusel topping.

I modified the original recipe from King Arthur Flour, and it turned out incredibly delicious. We had it for dessert, with a scoop of whipped cream!

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Jasmine Rice

3 Mar

Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice originated in Thailand, is a long grain rice with an aromatic nutty flavor.

When preparing this type of rice, which is less sticky then others, try adding a lemon peel before the rice has finished cooking, it transforms it to a light bright taste. I made it that way last night, and it was deliciously nutty with perfect texture.

Other popular ways of preparing this rice are:

Intensify the flavor of Jasmine rice, by cooking it in Jasmine tea, instead of plain water. This intensifies the sweet rice flavor of Jasmine rice.

Substitute a combination of chicken broth and white wine for the water.

Cook with Shiitake mushrooms for an earthy smoky flavor.

Cooked Jasmine rice remains soft when chilled, making it an excellent choice for salads or rice puddings.

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Tip of the iceberg…lettuce 3 of 3

28 Feb

Tip of the iceberg...lettuce 3 of 3

Continue the celebration of a classic American food. The crunch that has survived trends and centuries.

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BACON!!!

24 Feb

BACON!!!

Everyone loves bacon! There is a festival in Michigan, on June 1st, that is everything and all things bacon. I heard about it and although it is thousands of miles away, I wanted to participate in a small way. So since June is still so far away, here is a recipe to hold all you bacon-festers over for a while. I will try to put out a good bacon recipe once or twice more to help get @BaconfestMi going strong.

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HEART AND SOLE

13 Feb

HEART AND SOLE

Several years ago, I had a television cooking show called “Home Plates”, on a local station in Phoenix. The show was filmed at home in my kitchen and survived several seasons, until I had to call it quits since I was still active in our restaurants during the same time.
I loved creating recipes that were themed around the show itself. February was especially fun becomes of the whole romantic Valentine’s Day theme. So here I would like to share with you a recipe from the “Hearts and Sole” episode. We had more requests for this dish than we could have ever hoped for, so this recipe also appeared in my Tomatoes and Mozzarella cookbook. It’s easy to assemble and can be made in any season, as long as you obtain the real, Dover Sole fish. Dover Sole, the premier white fish with a unique and delicate flavor is my all-time favorite!
Hearts and Sole
Serves 4

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