Tips
Simple Tip: Seed Jalapeños in the Plastic Bag
Whenever I use jalapeños, or any other spicy chile for that matter, I always employ the same simple technique for seeding that ensures my hands and eyes won't burn. Here's how I do it:
Simple Tip: Use Olive Oil to Reduce Garlic's Stickiness
Have you ever noticed how sticky garlic is? When you're peeling it, it sticks to your fingers, and when mincing, it sticks to the cutting board and knife. For years I've been annoyed by it, but recently I discovered an easy way to reduce garlic's stickiness.
Simple Tip: Mellow Capers and Anchovies in Milk
I've always loved incorporating the piquant flavors of anchovies and capers into pasta sauces or fish dishes. But, as they are often brined or salt-packed, both can have an acerbic quality — so a little bit goes a long way.
I learned how to reduce the harshness while watching Manresa chef David Kinch prepare beef and oyster tartare at this year's Chefs' Holidays.
Simple Tip: Use a Standing Mixer to Shred Meat
I knew little about the process of making duck confit and rillette — that is, until I watched chef Matt Bolton make the two at this year's Chefs' Holidays. It was a revelation to realize how something as simple as preserving meat in its own fat could produce such tender results.
Another groundbreaking concept?
Sage Mushroom Advice From Chef Matt Bolton
Last week, I took a trip to Yosemite National Park for the kickoff session of The Ahwahnee's annual Chefs' Holidays. The event ended with a big blowout dinner, but I walked away with tons of tips. Chef Matt Bolton, who runs the kitchen at Pacific's Edge restaurant in Carmel's Highlands Inn, showed the audience how to confit a duck leg to make pâté-like rillette.
Scallop Smarts From Marinus Chef Cal Stamenov
The 25th annual Chefs' Holidays — a monthlong culinary event at The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite — started off with a bang when chef Cal Stamenov whetted a watchful audience's pre-lunch appetite by demonstrating how to make caramelized diver scallops and crème brûlée crepes.
Chef Cal, who is the culinary director at the posh Carmel Valley spot Bernardus Lodge and the executive chef at its Marinus restaurant, wowed the crowd with a stunning scallop presentation (which, incidentally, stole the show at the event's later gala dinner). He assured us that scallops are just as easy to prepare at home, as long as you keep a few important things in mind.
Manresa's David Kinch Wants You to Season Properly
This week, I attended the first session of the 25th annual Chefs' Holidays, a monthlong culinary event that takes place at The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite, CA, each Winter. The celebrity chef-studded affair, which included kitchen tours, cooking lessons, and a blowout gala dinner, proved to be as educational as it was recreational.
One of the highlights was a cooking demonstration led by headliner David Kinch.
How to Make Panini Without a Panini Maker
Just because you don't have a panini maker doesn't mean you can't enjoy pressed sandwiches. I make them all the time with two frying pans and a couple of cans of food. Here's what you do:
Simple Tip: When Chilling Wine, Add Salt and Water
The next time you need a bottle of bubbly to be cold quickly do what I do: add salt and water to the ice bucket. Simply layer ice with a couple tablespoons of salt and pour in water. The wine will chill in about 15 minutes — more rapidly than it would in the freezer.
Simple Tip: Add Cinnamon When Brewing Coffee
Whether or not you're hosting a leisurely brunch this Christmas morning, there's nothing quite like waking up to a freshly brewed pot of coffee to enjoy while opening your holiday gifts.
When making your coffee today — or any day, for that matter — take a tip I learned from an old boss. Rather than adding cinnamon to your cup of coffee, add it into the filter with your coffee grounds before you turn on your machine.
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