Reformating!

Hello friends!

Over the next month or so I am reformating this blog to try and cover more aspects than just amazing food. I have just completed my 200hr Yoga Teacher Certificaiton which is also why I haven't posted in the past few months. 200hrs in three months with three jobs to juggle I decided to take a break from the blog, but this break has given me many ideas to revamp this blog. I would like to use this writing space to keep writing about food while incorporate more hollistic living alternatives, including: ideas, yoga, food, local farms, resturant reviews, books that have changed my life, and just more and more information. Hopefully I will be able to keep up with this more often than not and keep you all in the loop with where this journey goes. Thank you all for being wonderful readers and stay tuned for new posts starting in January 2012!

Sincerely, The Rogue Chef

Baklava

No this post is not about the decadent Greek dessert, but it was the last thing I ate so drool on.  I have never really had a sweet tooth. I would always prefer salt to sweet any day. Yes, I can singlehandedly demolish a bag of chips in ____ minutes flat. I try to make them last at least two days now. Usually sweets are too sweet for me…cliché, but true. Fudge, ice cream, candy, candy bars, cakes, icing, whipped cream, lollipops, cookies, all these things are especially easy for me to pass on, or have one bite and be perfectly content, even though I always search for something salty after.  The sweet things in my diet are usually just fresh fruit. I love to make desserts, but usually when I make them I only have one bite, one piece, or one fresh cookie, then I give them away or make all the visitors of the house eat them. As always though, there is an exception to the rule when it comes to my sweet tooth. When it comes to the land of sweets and desserts, my favorites are fresh fruit cobblers and pies. Any kind really; blackberry, blueberry, peach, apricot, strawberry rhubarb, pears, absolutely tasty! This past weekend I exchanged a jar of freshly pickled beets from the garden in the yard, for a bag of fresh handpicked peaches. And of course I made, a fresh Peach Cobbler. I found an awesome and simple recipe from a cookbook I found in someone’s basement called San Francisco a la Carte Cookbook.   The cobbler was gone in one evening. Seven people got a piece, and I bought ice cream for everyone else to enjoy with the cobbler. (I do not eat ice cream.)   Last week, a friend brought by a handpicked gallon size bag of blackberries that I promptly made into a cobbler. That was gone in about twelve hours solely eaten by the tutor and myself (I think I ate a lot more though). Recently I have begun to appreciate more sweets, but still in very small quantities. The piece of Baklava I just ate was at my work, and I thought I would try it now that my appreciation for sweet is growing. I really enjoy the texture of Baklava, because I really enjoy pastries. I have almost always preferred the savory varieties, but a twice-baked almond croissant will send me places that I-would-die-for-chocolate eaters frequent.
The dangers of non-homemade desserts come from the highly processed sugars and preservatives added to your favorite desserts. It is harder for your body to break down those super processed sugars, as opposed to sugar in its raw form. I know plenty of people who say, “I just can’t resist” when it comes to desserts. If you have a sweet tooth, chances are it is hard for you to muster the will power to not have a serving, or two. But, as an exercise, try eating only the sweets you make yourself. Chances are you will eat less because you have to go through the process of making the dessert. And, making a batch of cookies is much better if you share them, I promise. Oh, and I just finished making and had a piece of  another, yes a second Peach Cobbler.

Don’t bring me chocolate unless is it 86% cacao.
Don’t make me a cake, bake me a croissant instead.
Don’t bring me fudge because a bag of chips will do. 
Bring me fresh fruit, and I will make it into a cobbler.
Guaranteed.

~ Now here is the recipe for the Peach Cobbler ~

Peach Cobbler

3 cups sliced fresh peaches                         1 cup all-purpose flour, unsifted
½ cup sugar                                                  1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon mace (sub.nutmeg)                1 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter
¾ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, gently toss peach slices with sugar and mace and set aside. In the meantime, melt butter in an ovenproof rectangular baking dish. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and baking powder, stir in the milk. Pout this mixture into the baking dish on top of the butter, and then add the peaches. Bake for 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Let get back to the basics and simplicity

It is a balmy 65degrees, low humidity, and I am sitting on the back porch of a beautiful farm in Pennsylvania settled in the middle of nowhere sipping my morning coffee, honey and cream added. (The only thing polluting the scene would be gas and water trucks coming from the natural gas well drilling around here, going 20mph along the shale gravel roads.)
I have been absent from blogging because I have been drained of creating, and too busy in the taking-care-of-things mode. It is already July and I am realizing how quickly time flies when you remain busy. It is day 4 of my vacation, and I am finally slipping into the relaxed mode and realizing that it is more important to be here, in the present, then to be wondering about my past and future here on my mental vacation. Morning yoga with wind chimes in the background, I couldn’t ask for a better way to begin my day.
I have decided to change up the pace of this blog for a little bit. I am going to write, and not concern myself so much if everyone can follow the tangential writing style and just write. Recently with being so busy, and wanting summer simplicity, I have not been cooking, but eating mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, still cooking for the house and the children I take care of, but for myself, I have been craving simple foods. Cut up cucumber slices, maybe some salt and pepper on them. A handful of grapes, peeling a grapefruit like an orange and trying not to let any juices escape all over me, a banana here, almonds there, eating consistently throughout the day, but eating slowly trying to detect the slightest subtleties in each thing I eat.
Last night the friends that we are staying with took us out to a really excellent little restaurant in a neighboring town called Cast and Crew. The menu was gloriously laid out with six full pages of food split up into Acts. Act I–Appetizers, Act II-Salads, and so on and so forth with the Encore being Desserts. The amazing thing about this place is that it couldn’t hold more than 40 people, and there were only 2 chefs, a dishwasher, and 2 servers. And let me assure you there were more food choices on this menu than any restaurant I have been to before, and what a variety!  Italian classics, American staples, Greek flairs, dumplings, mousses, salads with all homemade dressings, the special butter spread that changes weekly, seafood, pork, beef, chicken, tenderloins, tips, pastas, wraps, cordon bleu, and Dare to Dine, letting the chef create on the top of his head for you. My tutor commented that the secret to their ability to serve all this food is prep work. Again I state: Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.  In that situation of having so much variety on a menu, the key really is preparation. That way the shift runs smoothly and you are not crazed having to cut things to order, and you have a few certain time buyers. Such as a salad comes with every entrée, and preparing a salad takes no time at all, buying you the chef at least 15mins for each dish ordered with salad. Also a lot of the entrees came with sautéed vegetables, potatoes, pasta, or bread, making those easy things to pile on the plate, already prepared en masse. Realizing these few things can create a successful kitchen with so much variety.
There was no mystery to the food I ate last night, I could taste the ingredients in the dish, and was not guessing about the burger-in-the-box so to speak.  Each dish looked different, even if it was the same dish, and I constantly noticed customers leaning towards others tables trying to guess what they ordered. Instead of the uniform fries, you could tell these fries were cut with care and by human hands. Chances are when you find food like this; it will probably be better for you. Cooked by humans, not a machine. My comments though would be these. The food, while exceptional, was very rich. A lot of that I know is because I have been eating very simplistically, but sometimes the sauces would have too much of the rich flavor almost drowning your taste buds in overload.  Too much bourbon, Dijon, orange, wine, maybe just eased back a smidge and it would have been perfectly balanced. (And yes I acknowledge this is solely my opinion and subjective perspective.) I really enjoyed what I ate, and everyone leaving took a box home with them because it was so good and a pleasant treat. I enjoy eating these meals every once in a while, being prepared by others, but still enjoy eating the simple foods that make up the majority of my day-to-day diet. I like the feeling of lightness that comes from a fresh foods emphasis.
That is enough for today. I wish you all a wonderful week, and now it is time to get back to my vacation. And one side note: the tutor made this amazing salsa before we left from the tomatoes in our garden! We are preserving already…it makes me very happy.
 

The Rogue Chef Returns!

Sorry I have been MIA the past little bit. I hosted a party over the weekend of the 11th and fed a full dinner to about 25 guests, and then friends were here last weekend, so needless to say, I have been very busy.  I made something every night, and spent most of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning preparing all the food. I am going to write about this party for the next couple posts at least. I will talk about the menu, planning, preparation, results, and what I learned during this process. First things first though, here are some of the pictures of all the plentiful food that was made available for gobbling up. I hope you all enjoy and look forward to my next posts over the rest of June and July!

Appetizers: Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Pimento Cheese Baguettes topped with Bacon. Notice a theme?

Pasta Salad, Red Skinned Potato Salad

The Fruit Spread, Fruit Tray assembled by the Tutor

Veggie Tray and Chips for various Dips

Col-slaw, my prize winning Zucchini and Squash from the Garden, and the Cheese/Olives/Pickle Tray

Three Hummus: Black Bean, Original, Roasted Red Pepper

4 Zucchini Loaves, 2 Cream Cheese Pound Cakes

Small Sampling of what went on the Grille

Surf-n-turf Kabobs!

New York Times Magazine ~ Whole Wheat Penne with Chard and Roasted New Potatoes

Heat the oven to 425; toss 1 pound diced new potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and very tender, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, chop 1 pound chard, keeping the stems and the leaves separate. Cook 1 chopped onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the chard stems and cook until they soften, a minute or 2, then add the leaves, cover, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Toss with whole wheat penne and the potatoes. Garnish: Grated Parmesan.

This recipe is from The New York Times Magazine. In each issue there is an ‘Eat’ section, dedicated to food and simple recipes. This issue was called, Pasta Primavera: The Remix. I really like how the page was laid out, and how simple it made the recipes look.

I tried to find a photo of the actual page, but here is the online version.  
Check it out! The Pasta Primavera Remix

I believe that one of the reasons people get intimated about opening cookbooks and trying recipes out, is all the information bombarding you. There are ingredients, and if you don’t have them you have to go to the store, there are cooking tips, ingredient lists, preparation, method, and suggestions. While I find all this information exciting, and I prefer road maps that are detailed, some others not as comfortable in the kitchen might find this method stressful and worrisome.
Lets look at this from a different point of view. Whatever cookbook you pick up is a professional chef telling you how to cook.  You do not need someone personally telling you what to do, or even making your food for you, because if you can read, you are set! And, if you are unsure of a term or cutting method, you have the Internet to look it up. All you have to do is remain patient and give yourself extra time to complete the task at hand.  

The way most cookbooks are formatted is by giving you step-by-step instructions. This method forces you to pay attention to step-by-step instructions, “What do I do now? This. Then, That.”   This format is like having someone in the kitchen with you telling you exactly what to do, for how long, and when. Structure creates peace of mind for learning a new task. It is not the only method of learning, but a proven one. Reading this recipe feels like a personal instruction lesson.

Try it out this week. Break out a knife and a skillet, and make this incredibly simple and tasty recipe. I used yellow potatoes, and decided to include roasted red, green and orange bell peppers, and fresh garlic to the finished product. I substituted the onions for a scallions, and also garnished with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and a touch of cayenne.
Enjoy the Photos! 

Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese

Scallions, Garlic, Swiss Chard and Stems

Roasted Yellow Potatoes, Roasted Bell Peppers

Sauteed Scallions, Garlic, and Chard

Everything mixed together

The Finished Product: Amazing.

500 Page Views! THANK YOU EVERYONE!

It has been a little over two months since I started this blog (62days) and I have just passed my 500 page view mark! 

Thank you all so much for all your support, and taking your own time to read what I've been blogging about. A special shout out to the International readers from Germany, UK, Australia, Chile, Albania, Spain, India, S. Korea, and New Zealand! And a personal thank you to the base of my readers and friends here in the USA!

It is such a joy to know that others are reading this blog, and it is such a motivator to see people come back and keep up with the page. It would be awesome see some interaction from you all, maybe a few comments, or things you want to seen talked about...I am all ears!

Later this week I will be posting a recipe and review on a recipe published in The New York Times Magazine, and more pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Thank you all again so much! 

Sincerely, 

The Rogue Chef

Tomato Basil Soup

Current Mood: Tired but finally relaxed after a 60hour workweek.
Current Moment: Letting music wash over me at excessive volumes.
Current Song: I Wish - Infected Mushroom

I just finished a long week of work, and what do I decide to do? Work on my blog and spend the whole afternoon in the kitchen. I have made Whole Wheat Loaf Bread, Orange Muffins, with Almonds and Chocolate Chips, and consumed leftovers of Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Roasted New Potatoes that I made last night. Time to share another recipe, enjoy! 

I was cleaning out the freezer to make room for the next party I am planning, and I found a most glorious discovery. I happened to freeze two quart-size Ziploc bags of Tomato Basil Soup last November. See, there is the date; November 6, 2010.

Is it still all right to eat? Perfectly. In fact the second go around might be even better than you remembered it. So not only did I get to enjoy the soup the first time I made it, but also the second time as well. And all I had to do was heat it up, no cooking involved. I didn’t even have to re-season it. Simply brilliant idea: You can always freeze it. I was then able to make a few quick decisions about what to have with it, I decided to cook up some rice and make some dill sour cream, from the fresh herb from the garden. I made my perfected Basmati Rice and picked fresh Dill, chopped it up, and combined it with some sour cream from the fridge. A simple tasty meal that did not take me more than twenty-five minutes.

Then, with the left overs I went ahead and stored it in Mason Jars for a meal to take with me during the week. The ones with half the rice, I combine with Kim Chi I still have form the last batch.

Here is a simple recipe from the Internet that I approve of, because I honestly can’t remember where I got the recipe first for the Tomato Basil Soup. Enjoy!

Tomato Basil Soup 

Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onions, chopped
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) cans ground peeled tomatoes 
- 5 cups vegetable stock or 5 cups chicken stock
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper ( use kosher salt--much better!)
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil, thinly sliced - 2 cloves garlic minced

Directions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 10 minutes -- be careful not to burn garlic.
- Add the tomatoes and the stock.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook until soup is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the basil.
- Place the pot of soup directly in sink, and using a stick blender, blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately.

Proper Planning Ramblings

I was going to show you all pictures and suggestions for homemade pizza, and accidentally deleted all the pictures. Thus, this post.

I was trying to determine what I wanted to write about this week, and recently I have had so many irons in the fire, that it has been hard to focus on a single idea or concept.

I have been focusing on all the busy work of maintaining a blog. Designing a business card, creating a fan page on Facebook (check it out! The Rogue Chef), photography, and learning more about web design. You have to set aside time each day for all the things you involve yourself in. I was planning for a party, and had pages of notes, and my computer ready and one of the young boys that I watch asked me if it was hard to plan a party. He also wanted to know if I had to practice at it and if I decorated. At that moment I was able to articulate exactly how I plan and prepare. I told and explained to him the concept, Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance (I left out the piss part.) I explained that planning takes time and dedication to what you are doing.
-Segway- 
Real Dedication to Anything: If you want something, you have to decide, “Yes, this is what I really want” and instead of telling the whole world what that is, take carefully planned steps to achieve that goal. The more someone tells other people about their want, goal, or commitment, the less likely they are to follow through with it. This is because by telling others, it sooths our own ego’s and give us a feeling of accomplishment without really doing anything because we have just received validation or praise by telling others about setting that goal. If you choose to tell others, make sure that these people can and will be your support system. You want to loose ten pounds? Find a friend to help you reach that goal and encourage you through it. Whatever it is that you really “want” you have to want it for yourself. Not for a lover, parent, best friend, children, but for you. If you want to change something, make sure that you are living by that change. If you want to change someone else…. accept that that will never happen unless they want to change.

How does this all relate to food? If you want to change the way you eat, you have to consciously work hard, experiment, and be prepared for many frustrations. I initially found it so very difficult to maintain the eating lifestyle I wanted to completely adopt. But, thankfully, with time, it really does get easier. I have consciously made the choice to guard what I let enter my body, and have chosen to prepare my food as much as possible. I have taken the responsibility of feeding myself, and those closest to me.

Advice from The Rogue Chef:
-Be conscious-
-Take personal responsibility for your own actions-
-Do not wait for things to “happen”, you have to start making those choices and steps-
- No one else can do it for you-

Now a word of advice from Michael Pollan again from his book,
Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual.

Rule #17 – Eat only foods that have been cooked by humans.

If you’re going to let others cook for you, you’re much better off if they are other humans, rather than corporations. In general, corporations cook with too much salt, fat, and sugar, as well as preservatives, colorings, and other biological novelties. They also aim for immortality in their food products. Note: While it is true that professional chefs are generally humans, they often cook with large amounts of salt, fat, and sugar too, so treat restaurant meals as special occasions.

The Knife - Making your life easier since....

One of the very first things you need in the kitchen is a sharp knife. A very sharp quality knife. So sharp that it can cut through…well whatever you have in the kitchen that you would be preparing. Treat the knife like a sensei, with respect. A sharp knife can ease all your kitchen endeavors. Learn some basic knife skills, and practice, practice, practice. Go to the grocery store; buy a bunch of various fruits and vegetables, and especially onions. Make sure they are a bunch of different sizes and shapes. Then get out one of your other essentials, the Internet, and look up methods of how to cut up each one. And, make sure you have something to cook after all that practice and heaps of cut up food.

I had never been introduced to a real, sharp knife till I met the tutor. I thought that you were supposed to struggle cutting meat, fruits, and vegetables. I didn’t understand how Chef’s could make perfect cuts, and not even crush the food they were making. I also had no idea that there were many different knives for various purposes that could cut clean through anything. The Cleaver, Bread, Boning, Fillet, Chef’s, Carving, and a Paring knife are just a few of many different kinds. (Just type in kitchen knives into Wikipedia to get an idea how many different kinds there are, then research from there.) I have access to all of these save a carving knife. And, I have cut myself, on each and every one of them. Go ahead and accept it now, you WILL cut yourself. But, with slow careful practice, you can reduce this to a few small nicks. Go too fast and you might wind up cutting off a finger.

My two favorite knives to use are the Wustof 20cm Chef’s Knife, and the Wustof 9cm Paring knife. The Chef’s and the paring knife are used similarly, but the paring knife is smaller for more precise cuts such as deveining shrimp, or a jalapeño. A weighted knife is key so that gravity can do its work on the food you prepare. Knives can be a very expensive investment, but worth every penny spent. One day I will have a Chef’s case of knives, preferable Wustof, but until then I am perfectly content that I have access to two and can practice until then.

Shopping for a knife should take you at least as much time as shopping for your next computer. If you plan on being in the kitchen, and making it easier on yourself to be there, really do your research and save a little extra money to really get yourself a real quality knife.

Here is a basic lesson about what a typical Chef’s knife should look like and its anatomy. Also, use it as a guide to purchasing your next knife. And, here is a link to even more detailed explanations of the parts of the knife. http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/130/Knife-Parts

A-Point: The very end of the knife, which is used for piercing
B-Tip: The first third of the blade (approximately), which is used for small or delicate work. Also known as belly or curve when curved, as on a chef's knife.
C-Edge: The entire cutting surface of the knife, which extends from the point to the heel. The edge may be beveled or symmetric.
D-Heel: The rear part of the blade, used for cutting activities that require more force E-Spine: The top, thicker portion of the blade, which adds weight and strength
F-Bolster: The thick metal portion joining the handle and the blade, which adds weight and balance
G-Finger Guard: The portion of the bolster that keeps the cook's hand from slipping onto the blade
H-Return: The point where the heel meets the bolster
J-Tang: The portion of the metal blade that extends into the handle, giving the knife stability and extra weight
K-Scales: The two portions of handle material (wood, plastic, composite, etc.) that are attached to either side of the tang
L-Rivets: The metal pins (usually 3) that hold the scales to the tang
M-Handle Guard:  The lip below the butt of the handle, which gives the knife a better grip and prevents slipping
N-Butt: The terminal end of the handle

Follow this link to a site based on rating different knifes to give you an idea about the market out there.
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/129/Chefs-Knives-Rated 

This entry is again one of many Mr. Liver Eatin’s Kitchen Essentials; it’s on my essential list as well. 

Cheese-milk's leap toward immortality ~ Clifton Fadiman

Only one post this week, after next week I will get back to a normal posting schedule. I am headed off to the beach this weekend with my beautiful girlfriends that I lived and went to school with. They are both graduating, CONGRATULATIONS!, and we are going to have a wonderful time being together. April and May always seem to be the busiest in my life. So much activity, it is hard to sit still and write sometimes. Thank you all for keeping up with and reading this blog. I invite you all to send me suggestions of things you’d like to see made, or even some of your own experiences. 

Now please enjoy the post of the week.

A few weekends ago, I dug back for my “Good Ole’ Southern Cooking” roots. I made Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, and Fried Chicken. I sautéd fresh greens from the garden and had them on the side. I didn’t go full out with the mashed potatoes and gravy, but those would also have been a great addition to the meal. I have never made macaroni and cheese. I have made the Kraft version of Mac n’ Cheese, but we all know that cheese doesn’t look like that. So, excluding Kraft, I have never made the real thing. My Mother used to cook one that I never ate, because my palate was not as educated as it is now. Over the years taste buds change and now that I enjoy Cheese, I wanted to search out a few Macaroni and Cheese recipes, try and go with one I liked, or was very popular on the web. I went with a popular recipe and only made a few substitutions due to the high cost of cheese today.

I do not eat a lot of meat, which at some point in the future we will talk about, but even I cannot resist amazing home-fried chicken. Tender, juicy, crunchy on the outside, what is not to like? My usual method of preparation is to dredge the chicken in flour with spices, then buttermilk, then again with flour.  I heat up the oil and fry until it is done. But this time, I read about infusing fresh herbs and spices into the oil while heating it, creating an even juicier and more flavorful end result. I crushed a few garlic heads, threw in fresh rosemary sprigs and thyme (complements of the garden), and slowly heated the oil. Then I continued to cook everything else, and lets just say there were no leftovers. The infused oil really added more flavor than I anticipated, and again I am so pleased with the end result I will always fry my chicken this way now.

Here is the recipe for the Macaroni and Cheese and a picture to go with it. The substitutions I made for the Mac and Cheese: 12 ounces Cheddar, 8 ounces Gruyere. Mixture of regular bread crumbs, and torn up bread.

Barefoot Contessa's Mac and Cheese  - Yields 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
* Kosher salt
    * Vegetable oil
    * 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
    * 1 quart milk
    * 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
    * 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
    * 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
    * 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
    * 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    * 3/4 pound fresh tomatoes (4 small)
    * 1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
- Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh breadcrumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

"It was the best butter." ~ Lewis Carroll

This post is about one of the many items on the Rogue Chef’s Kitchen Essentials list.

You want to know my number one reason for not being a vegan? Butter.
I have slated into my ideal body weight a few pounds simply devoted to butter.  I love butter. Julia Child would be happy with my enthusiasm for this food. It has never let me down especially when I’ve needed it the most.  Butter seems to make everything better. It melts in your mouth and accents that morning breakfast item perfectly every time. It is a true friend that gives and gives more, in every which way.
So, what is butter? Cream and fat: two ingredients, that’s it, at least that what it is supposed to be. Lets clear something else up right now. Repeat after me: “Margarine is NOT butter, it is an IMITATION” (and no I Can’t Believe Its Not Butter” doesn’t count either, and no it is not “healthier”). 
When I was younger, less than ten lets say, I had my own special saying each time I sat at the table to eat. “Butter, Butter, Butter, a whole stick of Butter” and then would cut a huge hunk of butter and eat it to gross out my family and friends, and secretly loved the eating part every time.  I stopped doing it when I became socially aware of the word “fat”. I was never worried about my physical appearance until people started telling me I would get fat by eating my favorite food. I couldn’t help it. We as humans have a natural predisposition to loving oil, sugar, and fat. No wonder it is so tasty.  Now, since I have just allotted butter into my main diet, I have not ever worried about eating the real thing. This fat is just that; fat. Not replacements for, just fat.
Salted vs. Unsalted: each has their purpose.  Just remember when you are using salted butter you are adding extra salt to the recipe you are using. So if your recipe calls for salt, using the unsalted butter would not jeopardize the taste. Most people have crossed that line of too much salt before. Say this with me; "I will only buy real butter".

Here are a few interesting facts about butter, and then two more rules from Michael Pollan author of Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual that directly relates to this post.
1. Butter can be made from not just cows’ milk, but from other animals such as goats, buffalo, sheep, and yaks.
2. The shape of you butter stick will change by crossing the Rocky Mountains.
3. Here is a website if you want to make your own butter
How To Make Butter
4. There are at least five different types of butter: Cultured, sweet cream, raw cream, spreadable, and whipped.

Michael Pollan's Food Rules

#9: Avoid food products with the wordiod “lite” or the terms “low-fat” or “nonfat” in their names.
The forty-year-old campaign to create low- and nonfat versions of traditional foods has been a failure: We’ve gotten fat on low-fat projects. Why? Because removing the fat from foods doesn’t necessarily make them nonfattening. Carbohydrates can also make you fat, and many low- and nonfat foods boost the sugars to make up for the loss of flavor. Also, by demonizing one nutrient -fat- we inevitably give a free pass to another, supposedly “good,” nutrient – carbohydrates in this case – and then proceed to eat too much of that instead. Since the low-fat campaign began in the late 1970s, Americans actually have been eating more than 500 additional calories per fay, most of them in the form of refined carbohydrates like sugar. The result: The average male is seventeen pounds heavier and the average female nineteen pounds heavier than in the late 1970s. You’re better off eating the real thing in moderation than bingeing on “lite” food projects packed with sugars and salt.

# 10: Avoid foods that are pretending to be something they are not.
Imitation butter – aka margarine – is the classic example. To make something life nonfat cream cheese that contains neither cream nor cheese requires an extreme degree of processing; such projects should be labeled as imitations and avoided.

The Celebration of Food which brings us Life.

Today is Easter, the celebration of spring, color, and everything that has life on this planet. This is also celebration of rebirth. What a beautiful thing that we are able to plant a seed, watch it grow, tend to it, and reap the bounty of its harvest. We then replant the seed to bloom again the next spring. All the plants, seeds and flowers I have planted this year are starting to flourish and stretch towards the sun. 

I was searching around for some traditional bread recipes, and found this one from The Czech Republic. “In Prague, Easter celebrations are more about welcoming spring than anything else. ‘More of a celebration of spring not a religious holiday’ ” says the author of this post. This very dense bread is deliciously served with butter, honey, cream cheese, or your favorite spread.  Here is the link to the recipe and my picture of how it turned out.

Mazanec and Other Czech Easter Traditions

My tutor and I also made a melody of meat and vegetables cooked on the grill, with a layer of my Champagne Fennell Risotto (recipe available upon request) underneath. It is a very attractive meal boasting many colors, textures and shapes.

Season your meat of choice; we used chicken, with your favorite spices. We use a mixture of Cajan Seasoning, Salt and Pepper. Chop up some vegetables in larger sized chucks as to not fall in between the slats.  Throw them on the grill and cook till done.

The presentation was arranged by the Tutor from his experience in working for a country club.

 

I hope you all have a beautiful day and now photos from the yard and garden. 

 

Lettuce

 

Rosemary

 

Sage, Oregeno, Dill, Thyme

 

Red Cabbage

 

Red Cabbage Gone to Seed

 

Various Tomato Plants

 

Various Cucumbers

 

White Rose

 

Rose and Magnolia

 

Wild Violets (can eat like spinich!)

 

Crab Apple Sapling

 

Lemon Tree

 

Azelea

 

California Poppies

 

Morning Glory

 

Beets

 

The Victory Garden Cookbook

Victory gardens came about during World War II when America was rationing its food, and people began to garden again, to save money and always have a fresh meal available whenever they wanted. Today in our current crises, I believe this book can indeed help to bring about the food revolution we need to have again today, in our society of food-like substances.

This post is part of my upcoming section titled, Mr. Liver Eatin’s Kitchen Essentials. These are not in any particular order.  I will be featuring the tutors’ essentials for a kitchen in any household.

Now, it is time for the story.

Last April I made a trip to Boston, MA to visit my sister. I stayed in the small town of Worcester about fifty minutes outside the city with my Great Aunt Joy (She is my Paternal Grandmother’s cousin. Not blood related, but kin all the same). Joy is her essence, and with her thick MA accent, love of food, and knowing the family tree like the back of her hand, we connected immediately. I had only met Joy once before. I was about 7 or 8 years old and my family was traveling around the East Coast doing our 13 Original Colonies trip. (My family really likes to travel, and usually has an educational purpose, emphasis on History, but is always fun.) I remembered Joy’s house and where I had slept all those years ago, but everything else was vague. We started to talk and catch up and the questions began. I knew that she had complied our family tree on my father’s side, and had photos, a few letters, but I had no idea the extent she knew our history. She had photo albums, letters, written stories, newspaper clippings, the family tree sketched out, and many other things to tell the story of part of my heritage. Eventually the conversation found its way to food. Joy loves food, wine, and the event of gathering friends to enjoy it together. I told her that I had a garden back in Charlotte with my tutor, and she immediately says “wait, come with me”. We go to her absolutely loaded bookshelf and she pulled down the red book that has been a huge stepping-stone in my cooking. It is called, The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash. She presents it to me with triumph in her eyes. I look inside and the table of contents blew me away. Instead of the traditional layout sectioned by Appetizers, Soups, Bread, Salads, Dinner, Desserts, etc., it was organized by vegetable. That’s it, over thirty different vegetables, well thirty-eight to be exact.

[STOP: How many vegetables can you name before looking it up? I would love to see some comments on this…!]

From Tomatoes to Salsify, and Jerusalem Artichokes to Kale, Marian Morash seems to cover it all. Each chapter starts with the vegetable and some basic information, how she harvests and uses each of the vegetables that come out of the garden each year. Then each section has over fifteen recipes each, some even over thirty. And, since I grow a garden, (three years and counting), I found it to be very useful. Even if you do not have your own garden, picking up a bunch of vegetables at your local fresh market, or local grocery, and you have the book to make a tasty meal out of any of them.  Marian Morash’s description of the book is as follows: “A book in which we would give gardeners all the tips they need to know about preparing, cooking, storing, freezing and some way of preserving their vegetables.”

Every recipe I have made from this book has been simply amazing. She is very direct in her style of presenting the instruction of the recipes, and easy to follow. If you follow her directions, there is no way you cannot simply blow the socks off any person you cook for.  (Unless you are simply not paying attention.) She introduced vegetables that I had never heard of, she inspired me to plant more, and educated me on the ways of the gardener in the kitchen. When I was younger, I always wanted a garden. Roses, ivy, pumpkins, and hedges, I have wound up planting real food to grow and enjoy.  I am a part of a complete circle. I plant the seed, tend to it, watch it grow, pick the harvest, prepare it, eat it, and reap the benefits as well. Even if have to live somewhere that I have no land to work, I will break out the pots, soil and always have seeds to plant by the window.

Thank you to my Great Aunt Joy who has changed my world with one small gift.

Now, I will leave you with the opening paragraph from the introduction of
The Victory Garden Cookbook.

The Victory Garden Cookbook

“Americans have always gardened. For hundreds of years farm life was the backbone of this country; ingredients for most family meals were right in the backyard. Gradually, however, the farm family gave way to our urbanized society and packaged produce became a way of life for most households. It took a time of national emergency, World War II, to bring citizens back to the earth: “victory gardens” shot up across the nation. At the end of the war, as the country rejoiced and looked ahead to more affluent times, many of the gardens went to seed. Once again is took a traumatic event, the energy crisis of the 1970’s, to get people to rethink priorities. The need for self-sufficiency became apparent. This, and economic necessity may have triggered a renewed interest in home gardening, but it has been a combination of the emotional and physical satisfactions of gardening and a new passion for freshness that have sustained the “back-to-basics” movement. “

Kim Chi

Kim Chi is a traditional Korean dish that usually consists of a variety of vegetables, and various spices, all consumed after a fermentation period of a few months. It can also refer to various blends of these ingredients, unfermented as well. Kim Chi is still being made using the traditional method of storing used to be stored in huge jars buried underground to maintain a consistent temperature of fifty-five degrees.

My method consists of chopping up everything, mixing it, then storing it in a large container in the fridge. Usually it is consumed within a week, but has lasted more than a month! The vinegar used in this dish prevents the ingredients from spoiling, and the fridge keeps it fresh and cool.  This recipe has a large amount of fresh vegetables and fruits, fresh garlic, and spices, things that are not as prevalent as they should be in our American diet.

My tutor found out about Kim Chi when we were trying a raw foods diet. It was perfect to eat and fit within the parameters we set for ourselves during the diet. My first experience making Kim Chi was very eventful. Half way through cutting up the fruits I let my thumb get in the way of a heavy Wusthof knife, and I sliced the corner of my thumb almost all the way off, down to just a thin piece of skin holding it on. Thankfully one of my friends is a doctor, and she sewed me right back up when I called her and told her what happened. All this to say, yes you will cut yourself, but you can prevent it by keeping your fingers out of the way... at all times.

Here is a simply wonderful recipe that I was able to stumble across. I have posted only the main directions, but if you have a desire to get really in depth about the process, the energy, and the tradition behind it, and the step-by-step instructions about how to prepare each vegetable and ingredient, here is a link to the site. http://www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/UltimateKimchi.html

Now my friends enjoy and give this amazing process a try!

Ingredients

Directions

Organic foods 1 Napa cabbage 3 Carrots 2 Cucumbers 3 Heads broccoli 2 Bunches scallions 1 Apple 2 Small oranges 1 Lemon *Health food store Unrefined rice vinegar Unrefined sesame oil Kosher salt (or sea salt) *Korean foods store Crushed red pepper (coarse) Crushed garlic Sesame seeds (Roasted more flavorful. Raw may be healthier.) Cooking tools Large mixing bowl Small mixing bowl Cutting board Cutting knife

Rinse all vegetables in water and salt. Cut out stem of cabbage with a V-notch, then cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half lengthwise once again, and slice crosswise into strips. Cut up the cabbage stem into thin strips. Sprinkle liberally with Kosher salt. Scoop and stir with hands. Let cabbage sit while peeling carrots and cucumber. Peel carrots completely. Take strips from the cucumbers. Section the carrots and cut into thin strips. Section the cucumbers and cut into thin strips. Cut broccoli heads into byte-size pieces, cut stalks diagonally to make thin oval slices. Add salt. Scoop and stir. Trim scallions, slice the white part down the center, then cut into strips diagonally. Core and dice the apple and add. Skin the oranges and lemon. Slice the oranges, separate into pieces, and add. Put a handful of chili pepper into a sauce bowl. Add from a third as much to an equal amount of sesame seeds, and crushed garlic. Add enough sesame oil to moisten everything, and approximately an equal amount of rice vinegar (enough to make a paste). Dice the lemon and squeeze into the bowl, add the remaining pieces. Mix the ingredients in the sauce bowl to make paste, and then gently spread the paste into the vegetable bowl.

* Substitution notes:  While you do not have to go to a health foods store and a Korean market to find these ingredients, if you have access to them I highly encourage getting them there. I found the sesame seeds raw at Trader Joes, I crushed my own garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes can be found at any food store. The hardest things to find were the unrefined sesame oil, and rice vinegar. You can use the refined kind but just know it will not be ‘traditional’ and all the health benefits will not be as potent. But, it still tastes great and is a great way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into you diet.

The camera died before I was able to take a picture of the finished process. But, here are a few photos of the process, enjoy.

 

 

 

Writers Note: Every chef has recipes that they use to create amazing meals. Whether it is memorized or in a special book, everyone uses recipes. Do not think that because you are using a recipe you are a failed cook, but you are one who is learning the craft. I have only recently been able to start expanding the recipes when I see them and make my own substitutions. If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything, even cooking.