Wonderful Spinach

 I am on a spinach kick these days-coming up with as many ways I can think of to make sure I get a daily dose.

Not only does spinach pack a punch of vitamins and minerals, it is also concentrated in health-promoting phytonutrients such as carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) and flavonoids to provide you with powerful antioxidant protection. It has more calcium in it than iron (which was surprising!).

Nutritionists believe that raw spinach is a much more beneficial way to absorb these essential nutrients, but lightly cooking or steaming it is not the end of the world!

I can't recall where or how I found this recipe for Wilted Spinach Salad with Hazelnuts, but it makes a lovely winter salad and very easy to prepare as well as addicting! I think it may be from an old Gourmet magazine......

Wilted Spinach and Hazelnut Salad

2 handful of baby spinach, washed (per person)
1/4  cup hazelnuts
1-2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced or chopped fine (you decide)
2 tablespoons olive oil
drizzle of good balsamic
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the hazelnuts and toast in a skillet with the olive oil. Add the garlic being careful not to burn.

Pour over spinach in a salad bowl, toss with the balsamic and season with salt and pepper.

EXTRA CREDIT: add a few spoonfuls of soft goat cheese for some real magic!

Thanksgiving Checklist

Thanksgiving: Recipes for a Holiday Meal by Lou Pappas

 Back when I had the store, Thanksgiving was my favorite holiday. It was always less stressful than Christmas and it involved dispensing cooking tips and tricks and often times, some beautiful equipment!

There were many customers who were hosting their very first Thanksgiving meal, there were those who were well-seasoned at the art of this holiday and of course, many who were in the middle.

It didn't matter whether it was their first or their twentieth time, there was still that excitement, anxiety and anticipation of hosting this kick off to the beginning of the winter holiday season. Our job was to calm their nerves by suggesting, supplying and delivering the knowledge and tools they would need to make the day a success!

To make this an easy process, I developed what I called the Thanksgiving Checklist- similar to a grocery list only for the kitchen tools and equipment you might need or will need to make that bird and the meal a knockout. Many cooks surprisingly will have a lot already on the list, so it's a matter of a fill in. If you are just starting out, beg and borrow is the way to go- especially if it's family! They can lend you the platters and the serving pieces, or the roasting pan- don't get discouraged! It's a work in progress so anything you do buy, you will use year after year if you choose carefully.

So, without further adieu in order of "necessary" to "man it would be awesome to have that....", is my list:

Roasting Pan

Roasting Rack

Thermometer ( instant read or leave-in type and oven)
Cheescloth
Baster
Sieve (for straining the gravy)
Fat Separator
Chef Knife
Paring Knife

Peeler

Box Grater
Mandoline
Turkey Lifter
Carving Knife and Fork
Cutting Board for carving
Gravy Boat
Timer ( esp a triple timer-great multi-tasker!)
Measuring Cups (wet and dry)
Measuring Spoons
Sifter
Mixing Bowls
Pie dishes
Pastry Brushes
Rolling Pin
Apple corer/slicer
Twine
Turkey Lacers
Food Mill (comes in handy for applesauce etc)
Potato Masher
Whisk
Platter (the essential to serve the bird on- I like vintage)
Potato Ricer (makes execellent mashed potatoes with great texture!)
Serving Bowls
Wine Glasses
Blender
Food Processor
Stand Mixer
Whip Cream Maker

I am sure I will be adding to this as the week goes on- there may be some things I completely left out! The links are just suggestions and by all means, please shop around for best price etc! I happen to love using vintage serveware and glasses, but you can mix it up however you like! Table linens will be necessary- a tablecloth makes for an elegant presentation, and of course you will need napkins- please try to use cloth- it's one time of year that you must ditch the paper (if you use those that is).


 

Cutting Boards 101

There are so many choices when it comes to cutting boards! Back in the day, the only choice was wood which I still believe is always the best choice when it comes to chopping veggies.

So let's break it down so it's not too complicated: it's my practice to have at least 3 cutting boards but I must confess that my cutting board obsession is like shoe obsession to some!- I have many and I keep collecting more!

Let's start with wood. It's definitely the choice of chefs and if you watch any cooking shows, you will also see a lot of boards from John Boos. Here is the one I use just about everyday. Now, there are "edge grain" and an "end grain" boards. Edge grain boards are constructed of long pieces of wood laid side by side, and end grain boards are more of a checkerboard with smaller pieces of wood glued together. If you are curious about this process check here for more details. The edge grain boards (see pic below) look nice, but in time, will show your knife cuts more prominently-still a great board so don't worry- I have been known to sand mine down and give them a new surface.

End grain boards (see pic above) are pricier because of the the extra labor involved in construction, but this results in a gentler effect on your knives- the wood cut this way is a bit softer. Either way you go, look for boards that are NSF safe (NSF certification ensures that the products designed for you to use at home meet the same public health standards as those used in hotels, restaurants, schools, hospitals, anywhere in the food service industry), like the John Boos boards and J.K. Adams to name a few.  Both of these companies are here in the USA, Illinois and Vermont, respectively.

 One should have a fairly good size board for general chopping of vegetables. A good size is at least a 12x18. This will give you enough surface area so that you have ample room to chop. Never try to cut vegetables with too small a knife or too small a board! It's just not going to work! And the cardinal rule for cleaning-listen up! DO NOT PUT IN THE DISHWASHER. EVER!! Do not soak in water either! You can use water to clean a wood board, but you must not soak it-it can split, crack and fall apart. Always oil your board at least every 4-6 weeks to keep it from drying out. You can buy mineral oil at the drugstore or a kitchen shop and it's all you need to keep your board in great shape for many years.

The next board you will want to have will be for all your raw meats, poultry and fish. I like to use a polypropylene type-this is a type of plastic with anti-bacterial properties and you can run it safely through the dishwasher. Quality ones won't split and crack and will last for many years. Another great board that came on the market just a few years back and is everywhere now is the Epicurean cutting board ( photo below). This is what I use for my raw meat prep. Made of Richlite, a lightweight yet durable wood-fiber composite that won’t dull knives, it's also dishwasher safe and like the polypropylene boards is also anti-bacterial. And they come in many sizes so you can get a few. I especially like to have a couple of these boards on hand- for the meats yes, but also for my fruit cutting- nothing worse than cutting an apple on a board that an onion was cut on! Need I say more.

Another board I can't live without is a carving board. If you are a carnivore, you are going to want to invest in one of these. This one is from J.K. Adams and it has an indent for the meat and a well to catch all those tasty juices.

I can always find a need for any board even if I am not using it to chop on! It's nice to serve cheese on some of the prettier boards, like the bamboo boards that are out there. This one below if from Totally Bamboo.

I hope this helps when you are going through the cutting board section of your local kitchen store. Remember, you invested in some quality knives and they need to be partnered with quality cutting boards!

The Knife: A Cook's Best Tool

Even though I have been preparing and cooking food since I was in my teens, it rarely crossed my mind to take a knife skills class. Guess I was feeling pretty confident with so many years of using and selling knives in my store. But then I thought what if I were to teach someone else? Maybe I need the tried and true techniques that professional chefs use- I'd feel better passing on this info to others in my new health coaching practice, hone my skill and a gain a new perspective.

So this past weekend I attended a knife skills class at The Chopping Block and walked away with more knowledge, more confidence and a better understanding of just how important it is to know your knives! I took 4 pages of notes so you know it had to be good!

It was no surprise to me what the most important knives are for any home cook to have- so I was right on par with the instructor.  There are so many on the market but it boils down to basically this: German vs. Japanese. Germany has been the home to knife companies for centuries- many of these companies, Wusthof-Trident, Henkels and the like, were forging swords and daggers long before any of us were on the planet. These knives tend to be of the fully "forged" variety and are made up of multiple metals they call high carbon stainless- which basically takes the sharpness of carbon and the hardness of stainless steel and rolls it into one. They tend to be heavy which is good, and well balanced.

The Japanese knives, on the other hand, are made of softer metals are often thinner and this results in  thinner slices of your food as well. These include Shun and Global to name a few.  Like Chef Michele, I think a combination of German and Japanese is the best way to go-  knife sets are not always a good choice as they often have knives included that you really don't need. So shop around and hand pick your knives. Oh- and spend the money! You will be making a lifetime investment and will be able to hand them down to several more generations if you take good care of them.

Drum roll please! Pictured above are the knives I use almost on a daily basis. From left to right:

A.  Paring Knife- this is for slicing lemons, limes, etc and for peeling apples and small fruits. I have a 3.5" parer from Wusthof.

B.  Chef's Knife- this is for chopping, slicing, mincing and cutting- an all-purpose knife. I like the 8" from Shun because it's just big enough to handle winter squashes and watermelons and it's a beautiful knife too! You could also do a 10" but I find those to be too large for everyday cooking. If you are small to average in stature, you really don't need the 10". A chef's knife gives you that "rocking motion" which is the most efficient way to cut.

C. Slicing Knife- here is where I differ from the chef instructor's choice. She showed us a flexible fillet knife as essential, and while I think that is a good choice for filleting fish and cutting up chicken, I am a carnivore and there's nothing like a good slicer to carve you meat with. I have had this knife for a very long time- it's actually an 8"Sabatier (French) and it does the trick! I do however want to get a flexible fillet knife now!

D. Bread Knife- if you are a fan of crusty bread, this is indispensable! A good serrated knife will last years and years without needing sharpening, and will cut through any kind of bread. I have one by Shun, but Wusthof makes a very good one too.

I already knew the importance of keeping your knives sharp, so this was great to relearn how, why and when to sharpen them. I learned the difference between a sharping steel and a honing steel, which I will share with you here.

Honing, can be done daily and it just "re-aligns" your knife's edge and doesn't remove any material, whereas, a sharpening steel will actually put a new edge on your knife. Most sharpening steels these days have tiny diamonds imbedded in the steel and these being harder than the metal in your knife, act to sharpen the blade- you don't need to do this but once every few weeks especially if you are honing everyday. If you have sharpening fear like a lot of folks do, there are sharpeners on the market that make it so easy. Pictured below is the Chef'sChoice® Diamond Hone® 2-Stage Sharpener #450. I love this one especially when I am in a hurry but actually have been using my honing steel (on the far right in photo) since taking the class- it really does make a difference!! More accidents happen in the kitchen when you use dull knives! The steel in the center is a diamond steel and this I use every month or so. Both steels are from Wusthof but there are many others on the market as well so shop around.

Bonus Section! 


You can always have more knives than just your core group of course! It's just that so many peeps have asked me over the years what are the most important, the most crucial.

I happen to be a big fan of the Santuko knife. And just about every knife company makes one now. Santuko means "three virtues"and has Japanese historical significance. They are best known for their sharp edges but the most significant feature is the "granton edge" release pattern (scalloped) on the blades that are designed to aid in the release of food after slicing.They also make for creating very thin slices.  They range from 5-7" and sometimes even smaller. I use the Wusthof 7" and highly recommend it. It's easy to sharpen and works like a charm. I did try Global's Santuko at the class and really liked it too.

Pictured below on the left is my favorite little slicer. I actually won this in a sales contest many years ago when I was working at Williams-Sonoma. It's a Wusthof (the logo has long rubbed off) 4.5 inch utility knife and it is great for small jobs. I think they still sell this one.

The knife in the center is a cheese knife that I use a lot for soft cheeses like brie. It's serrated and the cut out areas keep the cheese from squishing down as you cut. Love that. And speaking of serrated, I actually lost my small serrated Tomato Knife. This is another must have if you eat a lot of tomatoes and can double as a great sausage slicing knife- it gets through the tough sausage casings easily.

Well, there you have it. A not so brief knife lesson. Next up I will talk about cutting boards because the surface you cut on is equally as important! You want to maintain your knives by using the correct cutting surface. Stay tuned!

Aromapot Love

I stumbled upon these gorgeously simple pots on a web-surfing expedition over the weekend and instantly fell in love!

When form and function come together it's a happy marriage- and these aromapots designed by Dottings in Austria for a company named Riess are both.

These babies are made of enameled steel- basically iron and silicate glass are fused together at a very high temperature creating a non-porous surface. They are even ready for induction cooktops.
The shape of the Aromapots makes them stackable, therefore saving space. The lids, when inverted, can serve as a bowl, plate or even a trivet for table side service! What a work horse design! But be careful though- if you drop them, their lovely enamel can crack.

 Now all I need to do is find them for sale in the States! I have been searching but to no avail! Perhaps some smart kitchen retailer will bring these in and share them with the rest of us??

dishwasher safe too! bonus!

all photos via truehomeware.com

Easiest Gluten Free Pizza Ever!

fresh fig, caramelized onion pizza with raw murcato goat cheese, greens and balsamic glaze

I have the simplest most delicious quick pizza you will ever make- it's more of a flatbread or cracker if you will but let's not get technical! No need for that here. So go get your oven very hot at 425°.

Simply take a tortilla, (I used rice flour tortillas from Whole Foods hence the gluten-free), brush with a little good quality extra virgin olive oil, top with the figs, caramelized onions (which you can make ahead of time) and cheese. You can also use regular flour tortillas- up to you.

Bake for 10-12 minutes and remove from the oven to cool a minute. Add fresh greens and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and presto! Easy.

Here is another version:

cherry tomato and pesto pizza with raw sharp goat cheddar cheese

In this version I used the same method but spread pesto on the tortilla first, topped with the fresh tomatoes and cheese then baked it for 10-12 minutes.

There are so many things you can top these with- and what a great weeknight meal with a salad and a glass of wine. Yum!

The High Line

Back from my adventures in NYC and I have to say the highlight was the High Line.

The High Line was built in the 1930's to transport freight trains and their cargo above the busy streets on the West Side of New York. It closed down in 1980 and was basically just an eyesore for many years. The city didn't quite know what to do with it.

Friends of the High Line was formed in 1999, a community-based non-profit group, and they saved  the historic structure that was then under threat of demolition. Friends of the High Line worked in partnership with the City of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated public park.


 It's over 3 years since it first went public and it was such a thrill to finally walk above the street and take in all the amazing sights. Below are more of my snapshots. This is a must see sight if you are in NYC and need something special to highlight your day- this place will amaze you......a true urban oasis.