Posts for June 21st 2011

Guess Who

Guess Who?

Can you guess which culinary personality and cookbook author debuted her first novel today?
Can you guess which culinary personality and cookbook author debuted her first novel today?

recipes

Scream For It! Lemon-Buttermilk Sorbet

Even though it's a key component in everything from fried chicken to biscuits, buttermilk has never made the cut as a regular item in my larder.

Even though it's a key component in everything from fried chicken to biscuits, buttermilk has never made the cut as a regular item in my larder. I'll buy it when it's called for in specific recipes, but often wind up with a half-used carton in the refrigerator that sits until it's tossed out. When I had an almost full carton left over from making homemade ranch dressing, I was determined to put the rest of it to good use. A quick online search led me to a recipe for lemon-buttermilk ice cream.
I've never much cared for the sour, goopy taste of buttermilk, but in this sorbet, I absolutely love it. Buttermilk's thickness adds the right amount of heft; its milk content makes for a frozen dessert that's got the smoothness of sorbet, but the translucence of ice milk. Flecks of lemon zest guarantee a clean finish that also makes this sorbet ideal as a palate cleanser during or after meals. I've been eating it every night. Truth be told, my stash is starting to run low. It might be time to stock the icebox with more buttermilk. For the easy recipe, read ahead.

Tips

In Aspen, Ming Tsai Opens Up About Clams

We spotted Ming Tsai at a late-night party in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic Friday evening — so it wasn't a surprise to find the chef roughing it a little at his early-morning cooking demo the next day.

We spotted Ming Tsai at a late-night party in Aspen for the Food & Wine Classic Friday evening — so it wasn't a surprise to find the chef roughing it a little at his early-morning cooking demo the next day. Still, the Next Iron Chef contestant and Blue Ginger proprietor managed to bring his best when it came to wit and cooking skills.

Ming made a number of dishes from his new cookbook, Simply Ming One-Pot Meals, but my favorite was his demonstration of a dish called Clams, Pork, and Jicama, in which he offered up a number of helpful tips that I wasn't familiar with. Follow these bivalve suggestions next time you cook at home, and you'll be happy as a clam. To see them, keep reading.

recipes

Lemon-Buttermilk Sorbet

From Bon AppétitLemon-Buttermilk SorbetIngredients2 cups sugar 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel 4 cups buttermilk Directions Stir sugar, lemon juice, and peel in medium bowl.

From Bon Appétit

Lemon-Buttermilk Sorbet

Lemon Buttermilk Sorbet Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
4 cups buttermilk

Directions

  1. Stir sugar, lemon juice, and peel in medium bowl. Add buttermilk; stir until sugar dissolves. Chill until cold, about 4 hours.
  2. Process mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container with lid; freeze.

Makes about 7 cups.

Food News

After Baconalia, Denny's Lightens Up

Forget bacon flapjacks, bacon meat loaf, and maple bacon sundaes: Denny's has moved on to lighter pastures with Fit Fare, a new line of lower-calorie options.

Forget bacon flapjacks, bacon meat loaf, and maple bacon sundaes: Denny's has moved on to lighter pastures with Fit Fare, a new line of lower-calorie options. The items fall under four different classifications: "lean," with less than 15 grams of fat; "light," which comes in under 550 calories; "protein," for items with 20 grams of protein or more; and "fiber," with at least 8 grams of fiber.

The menu includes the Fit Slam, with scrambled egg whites, spinach, grape tomatoes, turkey bacon, fruit, and an english muffin; a chicken avocado sandwich and cranberry apple chicken salad for lunch; and tilapia ranchero for dinner. Some of these dishes — like the Fit Slam breakfast and the tilapia ranchero — actually sound healthy in a refreshing way. Could you see yourself heading to Denny's more, now that they've created a lighter menu?

Source

christopher lee

Course by Course: A Luxurious Dinner at the Aspen Classic

Although the 2011 Food & Wine Classic has come and gone, I'm still savoring all the delicious memories.

Although the 2011 Food & Wine Classic has come and gone, I'm still savoring all the delicious memories. One thing that stands out in my mind is the special dinner we attended on Friday evening at the recently opened rustic-chic Casa Tua in Aspen. The event was hosted by Fiji Water and featured the cuisine of chef Christopher Lee. Here's a look at the extravagant six-course meal.

Food News

Yummy Links: From Pizza to Watermelon

Wine

4 Places You Shouldn't Store Wine

When we sat down with Ray Isle at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, he not only talked value wines, he also shared tips for storing wine.

When we sat down with Ray Isle at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, he not only talked value wines, he also shared tips for storing wine. Ideally, wine should be kept in a temperature-controlled room or refrigerator, but an interior closet with a steady temperature of 65-68°F is perfectly fine. Unfortunately, according to Isle, many people don't know how to properly store wine and make the common mistake of keeping it in the wrong place. If you've got bottles that you want to enjoy at a later date, read on to learn where not to store your wine.

grilling

Hanger Steak: One Marinade to Rule Them All

With grilling season in full effect, you might be in need of an all-purpose marinade.

With grilling season in full effect, you might be in need of an all-purpose marinade. If that's the case, OnSugar blog Mad Physics has you covered with his delicious-sounding marinade.
The most epic marinade I have had: 3/2/1 balsamic vinegar/brown sugar/Worcestershire sauce, complements of Katie of the "A Hungry Bear" blog. Cooking consisted of 2 minutes on each side over hot grill followed by 15 minutes in a 170° oven. It came out a buttery soft rare to medium rare and was possibly the best beef I have ever prepared. Accompanied by grilled peppers and onions.

We can't wait to try this out ourselves! Want more Mad Physics? Subscribe to his blog and if you're interested in writing about food, you should start your own OnSugar blog.