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March 2008
What foods turn you off?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Recently I wrote about foods that make me weak in the knees and it was great seeing what you can’t resist. “What food turns you on?” But for every turn on, there’s usually a turn off.
I know as a food writer I am suppose to be an adventurous eater, willing to try every morsel offered without question. While there is no doubt my palate has expanded exponentially since I started cooking professionally, I have to confess, there are some things I still haven’t warmed up to…namely, organ meats.
This came to a head during a visit to the Colonnade with my in-laws from New Jersey last week. We wanted to give them a true Atlanta experience, which to us means good old fashioned fried chicken with all the sides. Instead, my father-in-law, after much debate, decided on chicken livers (the debate was over that or calf’s liver). Trust me, there was enough liver on that plate to supply a caterer with pate for a year.
There’s no doubt, everyone has their own hot button. My friend, Lisa, is a great cook. Whenever we head over to her house it’s always an unexpected and yummy treat. But as experimental as Lisa is, she just can’t stand sun-dried tomatoes in any form.
What makes you turn and run? Is there a food that sends shivers down your spine, and not in a good way?
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What foods turn you on?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When you cook for a living, like I do, you’re bombarded with recipes. I’m always thumbing through cookbooks and food magazines to get inspiration for stories I am working on or ideas for future articles.
The recipes all sound so yummy, but after awhile, they kind of run together. Almost all of the magazines go back on the shelves unused, but with lots of corners folded down or sticky notes attached for future reference. While I take plenty of mental notes, there’s got to be something special that motivates me to get in the kitchen and make it NOW.
Most of us have a weakness for a certain ingredient, that makes us sit up and take notice, whether it’s choosing a recipe or ordering from a menu. For me, I’ll admit it; I am sucker for ginger, especially crystallized ginger. Sounds weird I know, but it’s one of the few things that will get me off my butt and into the kitchen pronto.
Just this morning I was thumbing thorough a recent Martha Stewart “Everyday Food” and there it was… Lemon-Ginger Bundt Cake. While the last thing I need right now is a cake, I just couldn’t resist…citrus is my # 2 fave.
What taps into your culinary cravings? For my kids it’s heat. They’ve tried every buffalo wing within a 10-mile radius of our home. Is there something that triggers the “I’ve got to have it” button, whether you’re cooking at home or dining out?
RELATED blog: What food turns you off?
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Do your kids get a hot breakfast before school?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I was talking to a friend with who told me she still cooks a full breakfast for her three children before school every morning. My jaw practically hit the ground thinking about her cooking eggs or pancakes EVERY DAY.
I don’t know about you, but for my kids a hot breakfast means a bagel from the toaster oven.
I wholeheartedly agree that breakfast is an important meal and make sure my kids get something not too sugary in their stomachs to start their day off. Choices usually include bagels or toast, a healthy cereal, fruit or yogurt and orange juice.
I can’t imagine them being awake enough to actually care what they put in their mouths at 7am. I can’t imagine me being awake enough to actually cook something for them at that hour. It’s enough of a rush to get everyone out the door, run the various carpools to schools and for Rich and me to then get off to work without adding a single pan to wash.
What is your morning ritual like? Can you get it together to put an actually hot meal together to start the day?
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Are you living up to your resolutions?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s inevitable after a holiday weekend involving lots of eating, that many of us gained a pound or two that we’d rather not have. Whenever I think about dieting, I inevitably think about unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions. I can’t even count how many times I have started the year vowing, “just 5 pounds…”
During a yoga class this weekend, my teacher kept referencing the official arrival of spring and hopes for “renewal” (well, it is yoga after all). I began to think again of New Year’s resolutions. So I thought I would check in and see how I was faring.
This year I decided to take a more global approach to “self-improvement” by “going green” when it came to all things food related. I even wrote an article about it, (10 easy ways to go green in the kitchen ), so it’s all in black and white, making me even more accountable. YIKES!!!
I went over my list of things to improve on and found I was batting about .500. I’ve replaced bottled water with my reusable water bottle, even finding one I really love (CamelBak). I finally am remembering to take my canvas bags into the supermarket on a regular basis too (instead of leaving them in the trunk of the car). I am cooking more and trying to eat incorporate more vegetarian meals. Not bad.
I have to confess, regular trips to the local farmer’s market haven’t panned out as hoped for… and I still grab the bag of broccoli florets instead of cutting up my own. So, still room for improvement, but definitely on my way.
What about you? Have you managed to “stay the course” or at least make progress?
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Is holiday cooking a thing of the past?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At Evening Edge, our goal, quite simply, is to help you figure out what’s for dinner. Whether you’re looking for a quick home-cooked meal, a restaurant reservation or a take-out suggestion, we try to provide easy alternatives for you.
A colleague and I were having a “discussion” (sounds so much nicer than a disagreement, doesn’t it) on which Easter recipes to offer. Since the focus of the website is fast and easy, he suggested ham steaks or lamb chops. Even though I tried to be open-minded, it was obvious that we were not seeing eye to eye. My first thought was “Dude, it’s Easter.” Surely this is one time to make a little extra effort, basically, coating a ham with mustard and brown sugar and sticking it in the oven for an hour. After all, it’s not like you’re gonna serve turkey burgers on Thanksgiving just because it’s faster.
Of course, I always like to think I’m right, but there have been one or two occasions when that hasn’t been the case (don’t tell). I began to wonder. Am I totally off base? Is holiday cooking still worth the added time or is that a thing of the past?
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Does anyone have “the boss” over for dinner anymore?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When writing about Chef Scott Peacock last week, I kept remembering his description of being a total TV junkie growing up. As a kid, sit-coms like The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy and the Brady Bunch provided his education and his inspiration for how to cook and entertain. It was the character’s panache that he adopted as his own, mimicking the fancy multi-course meals they served to company.
I loved those show and probably spent way too much time watching them too! I remember, in all these shows there was always an episode or two when the husband (of course, wives never worked back then) called to say he’s “bringing the boss home for dinner” unexpectedly. Inevitably, mayhem ensued, usually having to do with a dog eating the roast or a mishap involving lots of smoke.
I started wondering. No one I talk to ever has “The Boss” over for dinner these days. It used to be the standard ploy for the worker-bee to present their perfect family and perfect meal to impress their boss and advance their career.
Obviously most spouses aren’t at home ready to throw together a four-course dinner at a moments notice. But even with planning it seems like an obsolete ritual. I’m not sure what’s changed. Is everyone too busy? Are there are too many rules about “fraternizing”?
What do you think? Do you ever entertain your or your spouse’s supervisor? Would you want to? You can speak freely here, unlike Cheers (another favorite show of mine) no one knows you here!!
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Are you a coupon collector?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I always have the best intentions on Sundays. Morning coffee in hand, I snip away at the newspaper supermarket inserts, mentally counting how much money I am going to save. Unfortunately, when I run out to buy my groceries I inevitably forget the coupons at home. I cringe when I purchase the items I know I should be getting discounted, promising myself next time I’ll be prepared. Meanwhile, I have an overflowing envelope of cuttings at home, most of which have expired months ago.
In the past I had a portable little folder with coupons grouped by category and remember having double digit savings. I don’t know if I am just busier, if there are fewer items I buy on a regular basis or if I’m just less eager to try new products, but that well organized system is history. Now I limit my clipping to definite “keepers” like dog food, cereal and chicken broth.
Is coupon-cutting still as popular as it used to be? With prices going up, it seems like it should be. There are even new on-line services that promise to make my Sunday ritual obsolete. For Kroger shoppers, there’s a coupon web site shortcuts.com and similar services are projected to roll out in the upcoming months.
Do you think the time it takes to cut and organize coupons is worth the savings? Or, is the extra paper just added clutter? One thing that really annoys me is when you need to buy multiples of a product to qualify for the discount. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need 2 extra boxes of Cheerios taking up limited space in my cupboard.
What do you want to eat when you dine out?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I recently went to a symposium at Emory University called “Artists & Critics.” It was a panel discussion on “food & cuisine” and featured a food writer, a dining critic and Watershed Executive Chef, Scott Peacock. For anyone who has not experienced Peacock’s food, you are missing not only a wonderful dining experience, but a communion with authentic southern cuisine.
Peacock described growing up in a tiny town in Alabama, learning to cook by watching his mother and grandmother. He detailed his journey from home cook to chef at the Georgia Governor’s mansion. He categorized his early gastronomic aspirations as wanting to produce “fancy food,” inspired by old TV sitcoms and movies. It wasn’t until he met Edna Lewis, The “Grande Dame” of southern cooking, that he embraced his culinary roots.
Now, he says, the biggest praise he can garner is when someone says, “This tastes just like my Mama made it.” His most rewarding moments are hearing that he captured a diner’s memories of the simple meals they grew up eating.
This made me wonder. When going out to dine, what do you look for? Do you want to be transported to a familiar place or do you want to travel, culinarily speaking, to someplace you have never been before?
P.S. Don’t miss the Food & Drink section next Thursday to learn Scott’s secrets for perfectly baked biscuits for Easter.Yum.
Photo: Scott Peacock with his pimento cheese using his mother’s recipe at Watershed, 5/30/07. (Louie Favorite / AJC)
Are you a free spirit?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I recently taught a cooking class and was struck by two divergent approaches by the participants. I like to call them “the free spirit “ and “the perfectionist.”
The free spirit thinks that measuring spoons and recipes are great for decoration or inspiration, but that’s about it. The perfectionist follows the recipe closely, measuring ingredients and keeping a close watch on the timer.
While there is certainly no “right” or “wrong” way to cook, it is interesting to see how people’s personalities color their approaches to preparing food. I guess the free spirit attitude is gaining recognition. I recently saw a fun way to communicate to that type of cook on chow.com, a great web site that provides lots of tips and recipes. It now features a “recipe-free method” which although not quite recipe free, provides general guidelines for preparing dishes in a fun, illustrated method. Check out their recipe for garlicky spaghetti to see what I mean.
How would you describe yourself in the kitchen? Do you wing it or prefer the comfort of following in someone’s tested footsteps.
Or, are you like me, somewhere in the middle?
Is cooking with your kids worth the effort?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I know getting our children involved in the dinner making process opens their minds to new foods, but sometimes it’s a struggle enough to get everything on the table without having to worry about someone underfoot.
If you’re like me, just before serving dinner my kitchen, strewn with knives and steaming pots, looks more like a hiding ground for weapons of mass destruction than a place that I would consider safe for younger kids. It’s hard enough for me to keep my concentration during those final moments of timing everything just right, without having to worry about tiny hands landing someplace they shouldn’t.
But, there’s no doubt that many kids are intrigued with the process and you don’t want to discourage that eagerness which as they age, can translate into much needed help.
What I have found works the best for me is to solicit their assistance before the true hubbub starts, having them make the salad or vinaigrette, deciding on side dishes, things like that.
What about you? Do your kids want a piece of the dinnertime action? Can you incorporate them seamlessly into the flow or is it more aggravation than it’s worth?
P.S. Don’t you wish they showed the same interest in emptying the dishwasher or setting the table as they do with cooking???
How do you reach for convenience?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Soup from a box? Who’d a thunk it! On the other hand, I guess once they started packaging upscale wines in a carton, other liquids were sure to follow.
It’s always a little exciting, as well as a little disconcerting, when a familiar product is given a new-fangled twist. Some packaging innovations make your eyes pop out in the supermarket aisle, while others barely register.
I have to admit, I’m a chicken broth in a box junkie. I seem to use more chicken broth than any other human, substituting it for water in rice and couscous and making quick soups by combining the broth with pureed roasted vegetables. But I confess, not once have I been tempted to try any of the other flavored boxed soups.
As preparing meals becomes more frantic I certainly have come to depend more on convenience items. I know I pay extra for them but what they save me in time balances out the cost. I find myself using salsa to top grilled fish or chicken, as well as adding it to tacos and chili for an added kick. Formerly a jarred pasta sauce snob, I’ve now embraced some of the new brands that taste as good as homemade (right now my faves are Rao’s Homemade at Publix and Dave’s Gourmet at Whole Foods).
There are also some unexpected treats scattered around the supermarket, especially in the refrigerated section, like hummus and caponata, a rich tomtato, eggplant and olive dip that is great on its own or warmed and served over pasta or polenta. Think hummus is just a spread for pita? Then try out this favorite 10 minute recipe of mine (for some odd reason my kids love mussels):
Mussels With Hummus Broth
4 servings
Serve with grilled slices of sourdough bread rubbed with garlic cloves and drizzled with olive oil.
1 tablespoon hot chili oil, or to taste
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup prepared hummus
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
In a stockpot or large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat, add the chili oil. Saute the garlic until aromatic and golden. Add the hummus and stir to combine. Whisk in the wine and water and bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes, or until they open. Discard any mussels that do not open. Ladle the mussels and broth into bowls. — Adapted from “Rocco’s 5 Minute Flavor” by Rocco DiSpirito (Scribner, $26.95)
BOXED SOUPS
Reviews: These soups will make you want seconds
Photos: Comparing the Soups
There are lots of ways to think “inside” or “outside” the box. Have you tried box soups? What are your favorite products that deliver lots of flavor in unusual ways?
THE PHOTO: Butternut and Bacon Pasta Sauce over Tortellini, cooked with soup from a box. Photos styled by Jeanne Besser / AJC. Photo by Chris Hunt/ AJC
Are you demanding when it comes to buying food?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I guess you could say I’m a “refund-aholic”. Some might describe it as being cheap. I prefer to think of it as getting what I pay for.
Whether it’s flavorless melon chunks from the produce department, store-brand chicken broth that tastes like dishwater or seafood that reeks of ammonia, if it’s inedible, I’m back at the store, politely asking for my money back.
I guess it stems from my days as a caterer. If I bought something in good faith that turned out to be substandard, it meant I couldn’t feed it to my clients, which meant I was in trouble both professionally and financially!
I am certainly willing to shell out extra cash for quality products. So if I’m cooking seafood or beef, I’ll go to Whole Foods or a specialty store, but I expect it to be worth it.
This weekend I was having friends over for dinner. It was chilly and drizzling, so I thought a beef stew cooked with aromatic seasonings and wine would warm us all up. I bought the meat at fancy store, prepped it as I have scores of other times and left it on the stove to simmer. Hours went by and although the liquid and seasonings had melded into a rich and succulent sauce, the meat was still as chewy as an old rubber tire. I had to serve it with “a side” of apologies. My husband was poised to pounce in case someone needed the Heimlich maneuver.
So now I’m wondering what to do. The meat wasn’t bad in the sense of being rancid, but it certainly didn’t do what that cut is supposed to do. I know at the least I’ll go talk to the butcher to see what he has to say.
So tell me, are you a “return-aholic” or a “return-aphobic.” Is even hearing that I ask for refunds embarrassing or mortifying to you?
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