Today's Favorite From 2016:
What Makes Italian American Cuisine So Special?: Nothing starts a list better than a festival, and this is one that celebrates one of America's most beloved cuisines
Some of our Food Favorites:
Snap peas are in your grocery store all year long, but I get so excited when I see the local ones pop up at the farmers market. They are so tender and perfect you can almost just snack on them by themselves. But this twist on a recipe from my book is a way to take that crisp, light flavor and turn into something even more flavorful.
There are few dishes as popular at restaurants as beef tartare. And yet despite being among the easiest to execute, most people stay away from it at home. Raw beef in a restaurant setting seems fine, but there is some kind of mental block to making it yourself. But is it really just as easy for home cooks?
Luckily we had the perfect person to answer this conundrum - Chris Starkus, the chef at Denver’s steakhouse Urban Farmer also operates Lost Creek Micro Farm , so he knows about sourcing from a multitude of perspectives. We got his breakdown of what to look for when purchasing meat for serving raw, the best cuts to buy and the perfect recipe to make it all come together. You might not get to be on a cattle ranch in Denver, but you can come pretty close.
Some of our Favorite Interviews:
I think we are all suckers for Rice Krispie treats and I have certainly been known the cook with cereal before (if you haven’t tried the Sweet Salty Crunchy Steak you are missing out). But Duff Goldman is taking it to a whole new level.
He has a new menu at the Kellog’s Cafe where he is making every part of a meal with cereal. From Corn Flakes Mac and Cheese to a Fruit Loops pastry cream he has dreamt up every way you can add cereal to a dish. The key reason to do it, for him, is all about the texture. There’s just something about the crunch of cereal that can add an element into a dish.
Favorite Drink Videos:
The problem with any cocktail or cookbook is always where to begin. With dozens of options in front of you it seems impossible to choose. But this is the beauty of the new book Be Your Own Bartender. It really starts with just the idea of ‘what should I drink tonight?’ and takes it from there. Through questions and flowcharts it will get you where you need to go. Do I want something light or heavy? Is it cold outside? Am I drinking alone? This book has you covered.
The delightful authors are two of the best experts around- Carey Jones and John McCarthy. The cocktail-loving duo know how to approach cocktails from both the geekiest cocktail side and the simplest consumer perspective. It’s a book for anyone who loves to drink and hates making decisions.
We got them both over to make an easy but perfectly balanced winter treat- the Gin Gingerly!
Favorite Travel Videos:
This time of year I start to get antsy for spring. February is over and it should be warm.- except it never actually is.
But the good news is that we can enjoy all the incredibly warming recipes of winter for a little longer. Luckily, we have just the recipe, from a book I am particularly excited about: Katie Parla’s Food of the Italian South. If you aren’t familiar with Katie’s work then you just aren’t reading enough about Italy. The Rome-based journalist has written some of the best food and travel guides for the region. Her first book, Tasting Rome, is an engrossing love letter to the food of one of the world’s greatest food cities. And now her upcoming book explores the cuisine of Italy’s Southern regions.
I am so excited for this book (since my love of Italy is basically unsurpassed) and loved having Katie in the kitchen to showcase one of the book’s recipes. She shared her Polpette Casce e Ovo - essentially bread ‘meatballs’. They are doughy delights and perfect for staying inside and eating to your heart’s content.
TODAY'S ALTERNATE CHOICE:
How to Reheat Pasta Like Michael White: If you want more Italian-American cuisine, learn how to be like one of the country's finest chefs
Last year's Favorites:
5 Questions for Jacques Pepin
Inside Streits Matzo Factory
