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And Now For a Few More Words With Christopher Kimball

YumSugar — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:01:11 -0800

Yesterday we ran part one of our interview with Christopher Kimball - editor, TV personality, and all-around food superstar - and today we've got part two. In this section Kimball compares gourmet cooking to gourmet sex. If you want to know exactly what that means, you'll just have to keep reading.

YumSugar: When you cook for yourself, do you follow recipes, or do you just make things up as you go?
Christopher Kimball: I have preached the value of a limited-recipe repertoire at home for years. Most folks should start with just 25 or so recipes until they can make them from memory and make them well. Then expand from there. So I have my repertoire and for those, I don't need a recipe. Plus, there are master recipes for roasting, braising, sautéing, stewing, etc., which - once one gets the hang of it - can be improvised. That being said, if I am making someone else's recipe, I always follow it religiously the first time. If it looks suspect or something seems out of whack, I just won't make it at all.

YS: I read an interview with you in which you said, "I think the gourmet cooking thing is over. That happened in the '70s." With our easy accessibility to fancier ingredients and exotic spices, do you think this is true still? If so, why?
CK: Gourmet cooking is for restaurants, not home cooks. This is hobby cooking and, for the most part, I am against it. It implies that everyday cooking is a chore and something to be avoided. I would rather focus on really good, everyday cooking - from-scratch oatmeal, a really good pancake, the perfectly-cooked skillet steak - then get all caught up in exotic ingredients and cuisines that most of us are not intimately familiar with. That doesn't mean that one shouldn't try new things once in a while for fun. But what would you think of someone who was promoting "gourmet sex" or "gourmet childrearing?" What's wrong with the day-to-day stuff? And isn't that more important anyway?

For the rest of the interview - learn all about his four freezers! - read more

YS: What advice would you give to an aspiring home chef?
CK: Stop trying to be a chef! Home cooks are not chefs; they are cooks plain and simple. Even Julia Child never liked being referred to as the French Chef. She was a cook. Keep it simple. Start with a small group of recipes. Get really good at them. Make food that means something to you and your family. Stick to the basics. Don't be ashamed of a good grilled-cheese sandwich or oven-fried chicken. Enjoy yourself!

YS: And finally, if we opened up your fridge, what would we find?
CK: Well, if you opened our freezers (we have four of them) you would find over 1,000 lbs. each of beef and pork from our own animals plus frozen corn from the summer and frozen apple cider from our orchard. There would be no junk food. (We do have the odd jar of marshmallow fluff since my 17-year-old, Caroline, loves to make Moon Pies - at least that is what she claims.) The closest we get is store-bought yogurt although we often make our own as well. You would find our own eggs, our bacon (my favorite food), low-fat milk as well as whole (my one nod to the low-fat craze), pickles, our own homemade jams, mayonnaise, lots of mustards, lots of cheese and butter, a jar of anchovies and capers, the odd package of herbs in the Winter (in Summer we pick them from the herb garden), the odd vegetable, buttermilk (always have that on hand for baking), peanut butter (my wife demands that we refrigerate open jars), at least one bottle of opened white wine, etc. We also have a full root cellar where we store our own maple syrup, honey, potatoes, beets, carrots, and apples. Now I am sounding like Alice Waters! Oy!

And Now For a Few Words With Christopher Kimball

YumSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 09:07:33 -0800

The folks behind America's Test Kitchen have just released a new book called America's Best Lost Recipes. It's a collection of heirloom recipes that could have easily gone missing forever if it wasn't for this collection.

Recently we had a chance to ask editor Christopher Kimball - the one with the bow tie - a few questions. He chatted about the new book, what goes on at the test kitchen, and why you should quit trying to be a chef, and start trying to be a great cook instead. Here's what he had to say:

YumSugar: What brought about the Lost Recipes collection?

Christopher Kimball: I am a huge fan of old cookbooks and old recipes but have wondered for years where all of these great old recipes went. But I wasn't interested in recipes that were purely historical or anthropological in nature - I wanted tried-and-true recipes that still resonated today. That is, one would really want to make and eat them. So, we started with a nationwide recipe contest for "lost" recipes and received 2,800 responses, selected 300 that seemed the most interesting, cooked them all, and finally whittled the list down to 121 recipes that were interesting, delicious, and also still, I hope, relevant for modern cooks.

YS: What was the most unexpected thing to come out of this collection?
CK: Oh, all of those cooking techniques that I had never heard of before. Baking a pound cake in an oven that is cold when you put the pan in. Or, making a chocolate cake with no eggs, milk, or butter. Or, and this was our winning recipe, putting peeled peaches around a pie plate, placing an upside down ramekin in the middle, drizzling a caramel sauce over them, topping with pie pastry, baking, and then, when baked, turning the whole thing upside down and all the juices have been sucked up into the ramekin. Now there is a magic trick for you!

To read the rest of part one of our interview with Chris, read more

YS: How would you explain Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen to our readers who are just learning about it?
CK: That's easy. We are a 3,000-square-foot test kitchen just outside of Boston that employees 35 full-time test cooks (almost 100 people total). Recipes are researched, a few sample versions are made and tasted, we construct our own recipe, and then we make it over and over again until we like it - like it a lot. In some cases, we have made a recipe over 100 times (our Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake comes to mind). We made over 1,000 pounds of fudge and never published the recipe in Cook's because it was not foolproof.

We publish two magazines - Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country - and we film the public television show, America's Test Kitchen, on the premises. We are also launching a new show on public television next summer based on Cook's Country magazine. It was filmed in Vermont in a house that was renovated specifically for Cook's Country.

YS: Could you explain more about your testing procedure? What does it take for you to publish a recipe?

CK: Each round of tests involves a blind tasting so we do not know which recipe is which. Each round focuses on one set of variables - cake flour versus all-purpose for example. Once we get that right, we move on to the next set of issues. Once a recipe is perfected, it is sent out to a former editor in San Francisco who makes it for her friends and gives us a fresh perspective. Then it is sent to 5,000 subscribers. About 150 to 200 of them will make it in the first week, and we use those ratings to continue revising the recipe. We need 80 percent of those surveyed to want to make the recipe again. If the ratio falls much below that, we go back to the drawing board. The whole process can take up to two months. Of course, not every recipe goes through this level of scrutiny. Here, I am talking about the recipes
that we publish in Cook's Illustrated.

YS: Who gets the final say on whether or not something is "finished"?
CK: A group of us review the reader surveys and taste the food to determine whether it is done or not. This includes our test kitchen director, our editorial director, two or three other editors, and then myself on a more cursory level near the end of the process.

Tomorrow Chris answers our questions about gourmet cooking, the difference between home chefs and home cooks, and we also learn about his FOUR freezers. Be sure to check back!

52 Weeks of Baking: The Best Drop Biscuits

YumSugar — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:17:44 -0800

I've been out of town for a while and haven't had much time for baking. That's why this week's baking needed to be something wonderfully simple. However, I also wanted it to be Thanksgiving friendly. Luckily, while flipping through the pages of the most recent issue of Cook's Illustrated, I came across this recipe for the "Best" Drop Biscuits. They looked simple, sounded great, and best of all, they could be done in under thirty minutes. The ingredient list is also wonderfully sparse, consisting of just baking staples.

After a few easy steps and a brief encounter with the smoke alarm - the oven is at a toasty 475°F, anything stuck to the bottom of it is probably going to burn a little - I was chowing down on some perfect biscuits. I'm not sure they're the best drop biscuits, but they are pretty darn close. To get the recipe, read more

If buttermilk biscuits are too boring for you, try adding other flavors such as Parmesan cheese, pepper, scallions, mustard seed, etc.

Best Drop Biscuits
From Cook's Illustrated, Nov/Dec 2007

Makes 10-12.

2 cups (10 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp table salt
1 cup cold buttermilk*
8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (about 5 minutes)
2 tbsp melted unsalted butter for brushing biscuits

*Note: If you don't have buttermilk, substitute with a mixture of 1 cup cold milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice that has stood for 10 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475F.
In a large bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt.
In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk and 8 tbsp melted butter, stirring until butter forms small clumps. It looks like it is a mistake, but you are actually looking for those clumps.
Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from the sides of bowl.
Using a greased 1/4 cup dry measure, scoop level amount of batter and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, spacing biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, about 12-14 minutes.
Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tbsp melted butter.
Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

View 21 Photos ›

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Soup's On: Cheddar Cheese Soup With Croutons

partysugar — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:45:35 -0700

Although I know it's not the most healthy dish around, cheddar cheese soup is one of my favorite comfort foods. Creamy melted cheese dotted with crisp, crunchy croutons - could a meal be any more simply delicious? Besides the massive amount of cheese grating, this soup doesn't take a lot of time to make and is best eaten right away. I treated myself to a big bowl for a decadent dinner after a long Monday, but this soup would pair nicely with a green salad or make an excellent first course to a dinner party menu. The flavor of the soup depends on the quality of the cheese, so if you can, splurge on a good sharp cheddar. A glass of wine definitely complements this soup, as does an icy cold beer.

To see how I made it, read more

Cheddar Cheese Soup
From Cook's Illustrated magazine

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup minced onion
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 1/2 cups half and half
3 tablespoons dry Sherry
1 bay leaf
pinch cayenne or chili powder
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
12 ounces (about 3 cups) cheddar cheese, grated*
salt and pepper
Croutons for serving, recipe follows

In a large soup pot over medium high heat, melt the butter until it foams.
Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft about 5 minutes.
Add the carrot, celery, and garlic and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir for 2 minutes.
Carefully whisk in the chicken broth and half and half. Add the bay leaf and salt and pepper.
Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat and add the sherry, thyme, cayenne or chili powder. Working in batches, quickly whisk in the cheese, stirring until melted and than adding another handful.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with the croutons.

Serves 6.

*I used a Wisconsin orange sharp cheddar cheese and a Irish white cheddar. These cheeses combined beautifully, creating a soup that had a flavorful and divine depth.

Croutons
From Inger Bareilles

7 slices thick white bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice the bread into small cubes, about half-an-inch by half-an-inch.
In a large bowl toss the bread cubes with the butter, oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat all of the bread pieces.
Spread out on a baking sheet covered with foil.
Bake in the oven, checking often for 20-25 minutes.
Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Serve in a bowl alongside the cheddar cheese soup.

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Does Water Really Clean Your Fruits and Vegetables?

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:18:33 -0700

When it comes to washing veggies, most of us rely on good ol' water. Others use vinegar or soap, but are these techniques more effective? The folks at Cook's Illustrated magazine wanted to know and decided to put it all to the test.

In their test, they washed fruit with one of the following solutions:

Antibacterial soap (not recommended as food safety experts think soap isn't something you should eat)
One part vinegar and three parts water
Scrubbing with a brush
Plain water

Once they had washed their fruit, they then took a sterile cotton swab and rubbed it on the outside of the fruit. The grime collected on the swabs was then placed into Petri dishes and sat at 80F for several days.

Want to know what their results were? Find out, just read more

The best result was a solution of water and vinegar, which ended up removing 98 percent of the bacteria. Second was the scrub brush, which removed a tiny bit more than just water alone.

To achieve this level of cleanliness at home, spray the fruit with enough to coat the surface and then rinse it under the tap. Cook's Illustrated's editor Jack Bishop had this to say about it:

"The cold water will wash the residual flavor from the vinegar, and finishes the cleaning process. So it's a 30-second, 50-cent investment."

What do you think? Will you use a vinegar solution to clean your fruits and veg?

Source: NPR
Image Source

How Many Kitchen Tips? Try 834!

YumSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 08:01:18 -0700

The folks at Cook's Illustrated really know their way around a kitchen. Not only do they have great recipes and fantastic ideas, but they've got an assortment of kitchen tips too. In fact they've got 834 of them and lucky for us they've put them in their book 834 Kitchen Quick Tips. The tips are laid out alphabetically and cover everything from almond paste (how to soften) to zucchini (how to seed). The hints inside (like spraying your knife with nonstick cooking spray before chopping sticky dried fruit) are quite clever and a book like this will be a great reference in your kitchen. I personally found the tips fun to read, and think it's going to become the gift I give at housewarmings!

How To Be A Success In The Kitchen

partysugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 01:18:51 -0700

Twenty seven years ago on May 31 Christopher Kimball, a prominent figure in the culinary world, founded Cook's Magazine. In 1993, he relaunched the magazine as Cook's Illustrated, the only non-glossy food magazine of its kind - all of the images are illustrations rather than photographed pictures. Kimball is the author of many cookbooks including The Cook's Bible and host of the television show "America's Test Kitchen". Here are his tips to being a success in the kitchen:

1. Read the recipe carefully. Read before you start so that you are adequately prepared.

2. Be prepared: Pull all the ingredients/tools you need BEFORE you start cooking, so that you know you have everything you need.

3. Follow the directions: Be sure to prepare the food as instructed in the ingredient list. Food that is uniformly and properly cut will not only cool at the same rate, but will also be more visually appealing.

To read the rest of his tips, read more

4. Pre-heat your oven. Most ovens need at least 15 minutes to preheat fully. So plan accordingly. If you don't pre-heat your oven properly, your food will spend more time in the oven and, therefore, your food may be dry and overcooked.

5. Keep substitutions to a minimum. There are certain substitutions that are acceptable but, in general, try to use the ingredients called for in the recipe.

6. Monitor the dish as it cooks. The cooking times in our recipes are meant as guidelines only. It is important to follow the visual clues provided in the recipe because there are always variations in ingredients and equipment.

Now that you've seen Cook's Illustrated tips for culinary mastery, why not share your recipe for success in the kitchen: what do you do to ensure a successful dish?

Source: CBS The Early Show

Yummy Links: From Pumpkin Seeds to Carbonara

partysugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:15:35 -0700

Ten ways to spice up pumpkin seeds.- Chow
Kale and bacon make one delicious combination. - The Epi Log
Josh Ozersky questions the patriotism of the humble hamburger. - Vanity Fair
Fabio Viviani's latest gig? Pizza delivery man. - Grub Street NY
Cook's Illustrated's editor, Christopher Kimball, is ready to wage war on the blogosphere. - Eat Me Daily
The Bocuse d'Or USA is now searching for its next national team. - Eater
Jazz up classic pasta carbonara with peas and ricotta. - Serious Eats

Must Read: Simply Mexican

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:15:36 -0700

To many of this country's home cooks, Mexican food is a genre reserved for dining out and perhaps the occasional Americanized taco night. But one nutritionist, Lourdes Castro, wants to change that with her new book, Simply Mexican ($16.47). Castro, who is neither a trained chef nor Mexican herself, aims to teach readers how to enjoy the authentic flavors of Mexico using techniques such as roasting, grilling, and stewing. "Feel confident in knowing that these recipes have been developed with one eye on authenticity and the other on practicality," she writes. Find out if her statement proves to be true when you read more

Come Party With Me: Bedazzle Bonanza - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:31:06 -0700

Some people may think a bad economy is not a very good time to host a party; however, FabSugar and I disagree. Now, more than ever, is the perfect time to gather up a group of friends and host an affordable get-together. That's why were throwing a Bedazzling bonanza. We'll supply the sparkling snacks and rhinestones, and everyone invited will bring an item (t-shirt, canvas tote, belt, headband) to Bedazzle. A Sunday afternoon is ideal for this sort of crafty party because it's after lunch, so only small nibbles are necessary, and on a work night - meaning no one will have a desire to drink heavily. All week, I'll be sharing the details of our party with you. Use them to throw your own fabulously creative event.

If you don't have a Bedazzler, consider a painting party, a knitting soirée, or cooking class. Save money and time by sending the invites through email, Facebook, or evite. To learn how I made the invite seen here, read more.

Find an image that illustrates your creative outlet. For my invite, I searched "rhinestones" and came across this fun picture.
Drag and drop into Microsoft Word or Photoshop.

Insert a text box and write out the details of the event. I used the Baar Sophia in size 14-18 to write this message:

FabSugar and PartySugar
invite you to
Bedazzle Bonanza!

Join us for a creative and crafty afternoon with sparkling snacks and bubbly.

Sunday, April 5th, 2009
3:00 pm
FabSugar’s Pad, San Francisco

Rhinestones provided
Please bring something to bedazzle
RSVP: partysugar@sugarinc.com
If desired change the color of the background and font.
Check for grammar and spelling mistakes. Save as a jpeg and send!