Gourmet Live Blog
Monthly Archives: April 2011
Image of the Day: Sesame-Infused Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Food Horoscopes
The full-length feature version of Food Horoscopes by Cyrena Ly appears in the current issue of Gourmet Live. Download the free Gourmet Live app for this story and more.
Photo by Oliver Cleve/Getty Images
Don’t get me wrong, I love food-fixation—after all, I am a child of Internet food porn. From an early age I would salivate over streams of food blogs. Friends in different countries are always text messaging me their culinary creations. But reading these glorified advice columns day after day, darker feelings started to creep in on me. I started to feel bad about food—something that has always been constant, dependable, and reliable. Where love horoscopes give hope—assuaging the sting of an unreturned text, comforting me that it was just the astral configuration causing bad communication—food horoscopes give guilt.
Gourmet Live guest columnist Cyrena Ly takes us into the dubious world of food horoscopes. From romantic prospects to what should be on your morning menu, download the free Gourmet Live app to see if food horoscopes are a helpful service, or a total scam.
Posted in New on the Gourmet Live App
Kemp’s Kitchen: What Makes Rhubarb Red?
Ever wonder why rhubarb is red? And why it varies in color from pink to red to green? You might be surprised to learn that the very same elements that give rhubarb its varied hues are also giving you some major added health benefits. The color variations have everything to do with individual varieties and nothing to do with ripeness. The hothouse rhubarbs tend to be pinker, while the field-grown tends to range from green to a deep red.
The pinky-red color comes from a mix of certain healthful antioxidants and carotenoid pigments—two in particular may help reduce cataracts and macular degeneration in your eyes. To best absorb these carotenoids, you actually need dietary fat. So between the antioxidant and carotenoid benefits in rhubarb, combined with the dietary fat in cream, whipping up my Rhubarb Fool—an old Brit combo of sweetened rhubarb purée swirled with whipped cream—on Epicurious might actually be a quick-fix dessert that’s downright healthy. Oh, and did I add it’s super-simple to make and insanely delicious? You’ve got no good reason not to make it!
When shopping for rhubarb, look for firm, strong stalks free of blemishes. The leaves should not be attached, but if they are, discard them immediately. Consider them poisonous. Apparently, the late James Beard found that hard to believe. Beard’s longtime house steward and friend Clay Triplette told me that many years ago he was cutting up rhubarb for a dessert when Mr. Beard asked if he could taste a leaf. Triplette warned him that it was dangerous, but Mr. Beard was persistent and took a tiny bite. “Well”, continued Triplette, “Mr. Beard got sick to his stomach that night and had a very bad case of diarrhea, but he was okay the next day.” So head out to your local market in search of the ruby stalks, but make sure you leave the leaves alone!
Meet the Socialvores: The Culinary Chase
Every week we’ll be introducing you to a charter member of the Gourmet Live Socialvores, a handpicked group of food enthusiasts selected to join us on our culinary adventures. Get to know this week’s featured Socialvore (and get a sneak peek inside their fridge), then check out the full list of charter members.
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Name: Heather Chase
Name of blog: The Culinary Chase Location: Halifax, NS Canada Twitter: @culinarychase Year blog founded: 2006 What was the inspiration for the name of your blog?
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Why Gourmet Live Wasn’t So “Live” on Saturday
We said back is September that we would be transparent about our process, and so we want to update you about a technical issue we experienced yesterday. Some of you may have experienced crashing late friday and early Saturday due to work we were doing on the app, which resulted in a brief inability to access Gourmet Live. We apologize for this, especially during this special time of year. And as a result, we would like to offer the Egg-Stravaganza recipe collection for free through Tuesday, April 19. To take advantage of this offer, open the 04.06.11 Easter & Passover Double Issue, tap the “Holiday Double Issue” tile, and scroll to the end to earn your free Reward.
We identified the issue in a matter of hours and resolved it quickly, but if you experienced any crashing issues either Friday or Saturday, please delete the app and reinstall it on your iPad. We truly appreciate your loyalty and understanding as we work to make Gourmet Live the best it can be. As always, please continue to share with us your feedback, either through the comments field below, through Facebook and Twitter, or through email at gourmetlive@condenast.com.
Now in the Store: Easter Entertaining
Download the free Gourmet Live app for recipes, feature stories, special collections and more.
Celebrate spring with our brand new Easter Entertaining menu now available in the Gourmet Live Store. You’ll find classic and creative ways to spruce up your holiday table while taking advantage of the season’s freshest produce.
From a simple starter of Parmesan Pistachio Crisps to a show-stopping Pork Loin Roast with Fennel Garlic Rub, enjoy endless flavor with minimum fuss this Easter Sunday. And what better way to usher in spring than with a slice of Rhubarb-Mascarpone Mousse Cake with a side of fresh berries.
Download the free Gourmet Live app then head to the Library to access the Store for our Easter Entertaining menu and more.
Posted in New on the Gourmet Live App
Tagged easter, Easter dinner, Easter recipes, the store
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Weekly Roundup: Ballgame Bites
- Baked Falafel with Lemon Tahini Sauce by Can You Stay For Dinner? is an easy wrap loaded with bright, Mediterranean flavors and fresh veggies (pictured above).
- Oven-Fried Onion Rings from Pink Parsley are dipped in a buttermilk batter and covered in a crispy mix of saltines and kettle-cooked chips.
- A hint of saltiness balances rich vanilla-scented caramel in Sea Salt and Caramel Popcorn from A Meandering Mango. Add a handful of peanuts for your own version of Cracker Jacks.
- Put out a bowl of Soft Pretzel Bites from What’s Gaby Cooking — these bite-sized pillows with a golden-brown crust and chewy center will be out by the fifth inning.
- Sweet Potato Fries with Cinnamon Yogurt Dip from Food Doodles are jazzed up with a dash of pumpkin spice and served alongside a creamy sweet dipping sauce.
- Swig down Beer Battered Fish Tacos from Domesticated Diva with an icy cold beer while you kick back in front of your big-screen.
- Savor thick hickory smoked bacon with French ice cream and maple syrup in Maple Bacon Sundae recipe from Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade Way.
Posted in From the Food Blogs
Tagged baseball, baseball foods, snacks, stadium, weekly roundup
2 Comments
Ask Serena: Posh Pot Pie
The full-length feature version of Posh Pot Pie by Serena Bass appears in the current issue of Gourmet Live. Download the free Gourmet Live app for this story and more.
Photo by Sam Stowell/Getty Images
I had dinner in Manhattan the other night in a beautiful restaurant. It had a chic and witty look, with huge green glass chandeliers, uneven wooden floorboards, a large communal table, and twinkling views. The lighting was flattering and the hum not unbearable. My dining companion ordered the chicken pot pie and, going by my country friend’s instructions, there should have been nothing to object to in this albino-sauced pie with its thin sheet of dark pastry stretched like a drum skin over the dish’s fine white ceramic rim and undoubtedly glued into place with a slosh of beaten egg. But this lackluster pie with its aerial pastry and pale sauce, brought to the table at a tense 450 degrees (“Do NOT touch the dish!”) was just wrong.
Gourmet Live‘s entertaining guru Serena Bass is back, and this time she’s arming you with a modern day take on classic Chicken Pot Pie. Download the free Gourmet Live app for the recipe, and don’t forget to post your entertaining-related questions for Serena in the comments field below then stayed tuned for her stylish solutions.
Now in the Store: A Passover Feast
Download the free Gourmet Live app for recipes, feature stories, special collections and more.
Set the table for your Seder with a brand new Passover Feast menu now available in the Gourmet Live Store. You’ll find countless reasons to celebrate the spring holiday season with recipes that include quick-fix Haroseth, Spring Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls, Pot Roast in Rich Gravy and a classic Asparagus Green Onion Sauté. And what better way to top off the day than with a trio of Passover desserts featuring Matzoh Almond Brittle, Coconut Macaroons and Chocolate Toasted Almond Torte.
Download the free Gourmet Live app then head to the Library to access the Store for our Passover Feast collection and more.
Great Grandma
The full-length feature version of Great Grandma by Emily Fiffer appears in the current issue of Gourmet Live. Download the free Gourmet Live app for this story and more.
Photo by Emily Fiffer
Elaine Rose Fiffer is a hardy 86—but you wouldn’t know it. Vivacious, outspoken, and as curious as if she were born yesterday, she’s a marvel of a matriarch. She’s got encyclopedic knowledge, despite not owning a computer, has more friends than I do, and notoriously serves meals that consist of a minimum of 15 side dishes. “What can I say?” she’ll say, smiling, “We’re pickers.” When you grow up around a lady of this stature, you’d better know how lucky you are. I do. Which is why I stealthily schemed a project that required spending hours in her presence.
Gourmet Live guest columnist Emily Fiffer shares her journey in the kitchen with her bubbe, 86-year-old Elaine Rose Fiffer. From tracking down recipe boxes to baking up words of wisdom, enjoy one woman’s journey to preserve her family’s legacy through food.
For the full story and more, download the free Gourmet Live app.
Image of the Day: Peanut and Cracker Jack Ice Cream
The History of … Easter & Chocolate Bunnies
Photo by Southern Stock / Getty Images
The arrival of chocolate bunnies in stores is a budding sign of Easter fast approaching, bringing with it picnics, candy-colored eggs, and the first days of spring. But when did these edible treats first hop onto our candy counters? Read on for a brief history.
In pre-Christian pagan times, spring was celebrated by giving thanks to the ancient goddess of fertility Eostre—from which “Easter” derived its name. Since the rabbit was recognized as a symbol of fertility and new life, it became associated with the rituals of Easter springtime. Continue reading
Pic-a-Dish: Luke’s Lobster
Check out the debut of Gourmet Live‘s Pic-a-Dish segment on NBC’s NY Nonstop Foodies! We asked you to send us pics on Facebook and Twitter of your favorite tri-state area restaurant dishes, and then we hit the streets to track down your favorite culinary hotspots.
This week we made a stop at Luke’s Lobster on the Upper West Side, thanks to a great pic sent in by our Facebook fan Kerry. And now we’re ready to find the next great dish! Send us your pics by posting them on our Facebook wall, or by Tweeting them to us, and then stay tuned, because you never know if we may pick your dish!
Posted in New on the Gourmet Live App
Tagged Luke's Lobster, NY Nonstop, NYC Foodies, Pic a Dish
1 Comment
Kemp’s Kitchen: Don’t Wash the Chicken!
The full-length feature version of Don’t Wash the Chicken! by Kemp Minifie appears in the current issue of Gourmet Live. Download the free Gourmet Live app for this story and more.
Photo by Eric Bean/Getty Images
From food safety and fresh stocks to giblets and grocery store tips, Gourmet Live‘s Kemp Minifie shares her top 10 tips for perfect poultry.
This will come as a shock to all of you who automatically rinse your poultry just before cooking. It certainly was for me. So what’s the big deal? Cross contamination! It’s the big bugaboo for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), a division of the USDA. Rinsing your chicken is an ideal way to spew nasty pathogens all over your sink and the surrounding area. Consider even your dish rack, including the freshly washed utensils in it, contaminated if you give your chick a quick bath. Rinsing never did get rid of food-borne pathogens anyway, so why waste your time? The trick is to get your poultry onto the baking pan with the minimum amount of human contact, then wipe down your counters with hot soapy water. Better yet, follow the cleaning with a sanitizing solution of 1 tablespoon plain, old-fashioned liquid bleach in 1 gallon of water.
Download the free Gourmet Live app for nine more tips about shopping for, preserving and cooking one of the nation’s most popular proteins.
Posted in Kemp's Kitchen
Tagged chicken, food safety, Kemp's Kitchen, poultry, washing chicken
1 Comment
L’Chaim!
The full-length feature version of L’Chaim! by Alice Feiring appears in the current issue of Gourmet Live. Download the free Gourmet Live app for this story and more.
Photo by Getty Images
Wine has always had a sacramental place in Judaism. There is no holiday that commences or ends without a wine ritual. Blessings—called Kiddush—are made over a goblet on a Friday night. From birth to wedding, occasions are marked with the gift of fermentation. While the reasons for kosher wine laws are hotly debated, the laws themselves are simple. Firstly, since wine is a food, no unkosher additives may be added—no gelatin or blood (the latter is rare in winemaking, but has been used as a fining method in the past.) Trickier is the handling of the wine: From grape pressing right through to bottling, the juice must be touched only by Sabbath-observing Jews. There used to be plenty in the wine business before 1938, but World War II took care of that.
Gourmet Live guest columnist Alice Feiring journeys to the Santa Cruz Mountains to learn the ins and outs of kosher wine production from Benyamin Cantz, a successful producer who grows grapes on his own property organically. Set the table for your seder as Feiring shares her discoveries for kosher wines and get her picks for the best bottles at every price point.
For the full story and more, download the free Gourmet Live app.
Kemp’s Kitchen: The Top 5 Ways to Eat Ramps
The ramp season is about to explode onto farmer’s market tables and restaurant menus along big swaths of the Eastern area of the US. The whole plant is edible, from the scallion-like bulb to the skinny purple stems and tender wide green leaves, and it packs a wallop of flavor that’s more akin to garlic.
If you’ve never tried ramps, go on, be brave: Buy a bunch and discover what all the fuss is about. Here are five excellent ways to enjoy this unique spring taste of the mountains. Be sure to wash them well first, trim the roots, and slip off any loose membranes.
Ramp Lovin’ Eggs
Chop a handful of whole ramps (bulb and leaves) and cook them in butter before adding eggs and scrambling. A little cream cheese with the eggs is even better. Feast!
Now In the Store: Egg-Stravaganza
Download the free Gourmet Live app for recipes, feature stories, special collections and more.
Celebrate the start of spring with fresh takes on one of the season’s most versatile ingredients—eggs. Our Egg-Stravaganza recipe collection is now available in the Gourmet Live Store and features classic and creative ways to prepare this springtime staple.
From early morning elegance in our recipe for Eggs with Cream, Spinach and Country Ham to our show-stopping sweet finale with Trompe L’oeil “Egg,” scramble, bake and fry your way to endless flavor for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert.
Download the free Gourmet Live app then head to the Library to access the Store for our Egg-Stravaganza collection and more.
Desperate to Cook?
The full-length feature version of Desperate to Cook? by Victoria Recaño appears in the current issue of Gourmet Live. Download the free Gourmet Live app for this story and more.
Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria has gone from the world of acting to the world of cooking with the publication of her first cookbook, Eva’s Kitchen: Cooking with Love for Family and Friends. From traditional tortilla soup to unbeatable banana bread, the Texas belle and successful restaurateur is sharing all of her favorite recipes while giving us a glimpse into what it was like to preserve her family’s legacy through food.
It was a lapse of craziness, because it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Actually, I have always wanted to get all of my recipes out of my head and onto paper. In my family, when somebody gets married, we do a wedding cookbook. Everybody in the family submits one recipe. We give the bride one book of all these recipes, and we do that every time somebody gets married. I love that tradition of keeping old recipes alive and passing on the legacy of cooking.
Longoria dishes to Gourmet Live guest columnist Victoria Recaño about the most underrated ingredient, the dinner party of her dreams and her predictions for the next big trend in the culinary scene.
For the full story and more, download the free Gourmet Live app.
Weekly Roundup: A Burst of Citrus
- Chinese Orange Chicken from Local Kitchen features tender chunks of boneless chicken that are first fried in batter and then coated in a sweet and tangy citrus glaze (pictured above).
- Start your day off right with Raw Orange Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding from Rawmazing. A topping of homemade granola gives an added crunch.
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice moistens up Orange Berry Muffins from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen.
- The Ardent Epicure makes a colorful arrangement of fresh fruits in Brandy Dipped Citrus Salad with Fresh Fennel and Avocado.
- Raw Asparagus with Orange Zest and Pancetta from Daily Unadventures in Cooking features shaved pieces of raw asparagus in a dressing of white wine and orange juice, dotted with crispy pancetta.
- Roast Chicken with Orange and Meyer Lemon from Sharing Plate will fill your kitchen with the zesty aroma of orange and lemon butter.
- Oranges take the cake in Pineapple Orange Ginger Cake from eCurry. The zest is rubbed directly into the flour, while the pulpy flesh gives an intense, fruity flavor.
Meet the Socialvores: Delish Your Dish
Every week we’ll be introducing you to a charter member of the Gourmet Live Socialvores, a handpicked group of food enthusiasts selected to join us on our culinary adventures. Get to know this week’s featured Socialvore (and get a sneak peek inside their fridge), then check out the full list of charter members.
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Name: Janah Adickman
What was the inspiration for the name of your blog?
What is your all-time favorite recipe from your blog? |
