Cooking with Hollywood: Ratatouille 4

Remy, the rat, said, "If you’re going to name a dish, you should name it something that sounds delicious – not RAT-atouille...Patuie!" How true is that! This even applies at home. "They" say we eat with our eyes - but we also eat with our ears! This reminds me of a German dish called "Rote Grueze". It's several different kinds of bright, red berries, cooked into a delicious, warm sauce, often served over ice cream. We saw this translated as "Red Grits". Without understanding what it really was, who would order red grits for dessert?

Cooking with Hollywood: Ratatouille 3

Another favorite quote from Ratatouille: Remy, the little chef rat is explaining to his father why he loves to cook and he says, "It's because of the infinite combinations". This is contrary to what the French lady chef (can't remember her name) says, when she scolds Remy and says, "We have to follow the recipe!" Actually, making up our own combinations is a luxury we have more often at home than a restaurant chef has. Once he/she has the fun of creating a recipe, it does have to be followed exactly because clients expect to be able to order a dish and have it show up the same each time. A chef has to keep to a standard to meet expectations. It's the same when you write a cookbook. The recipe has to be exact enough so that it works for everybody. At home, however, we can create a new dish every day!

Cooking with Hollywood: Ratatouille 2

One of my favorite quotes from the movie came from Chef Gousteau himself... "If you're hungry, look around!" One of my favorite things to do is to look in the refrigerator. As another character in the same movie said, "Chefs discover. They create." There is a bit of artistry to cooking and when you can create something that is totally yours, that's when it's really fun. I think that's why it was so rewarding for me to create the Flavor Secrets cookbook. Those recipes are full of my soul. They reflect the way I think about cooking and allow me to share dishes that we eat at home every day.

If you're confused about what flavors go together, there is a wonderful book called "Culinary Artistry" that is simply lists of ingredients and what blends well with them. This doesn't mean that they are the only combinations - your taste buds should be your ultimate guide - but it's helpful when people are beginning to cook without recipes. It will give you some confidence!

Cooking with Hollywood: Ratatouille 1

A friend of mine suggested that I write about cooking with Hollywood - i.e. the role that food plays in movies. That's an interesting thought, so let's go back again to Ratatouille, the animated movie where a sweet, little rat becomes a chef. Cooking is his passion, so he tries different dishes, imagines different spice combinations, and spends time reading cookbooks. He learns how to become a great cook because of his passion.

On the other hand, a boy (called Linguine) has a job as a cook and is a total disaster. The little rat helps the boy create great dishes by sitting under his hat and pulling his hair. Each pull controls what the boy does (lift an arm, grab a spice, stir the pot, and so forth). The boy, however, doesn't learn. He follows the motions and in the end does what he likes (which is fine) and becomes a great waiter, delivering food to enthusiastic customers that the rat and his friends make.

A cookbook highlighted in the movie (by a great chef and the little rat's mentor) is called, "Anyone Can Cook". I say that anyone can LEARN to cook who pays attention and has the desire. They only need direction (recipes and/or a mentor chef)and the DESIRE to cook well. As with learning anything, you have to pay attention, want to learn and invest time experimenting on your own.

Knives: Sharpening

Speaking of knives... Here's how you sharpen them. No need to pay someone else to do it! Just get yourself a whetstone. This can be a simple one or a more complex one with different grades on it. First, rub either water or mineral oil on the whetstone. Once you choose one, use the same thing each time you use the whetstone. don't mix it up.

Start with the coarsest grade. Hold your knife in one hand, pressing down on the tip with the other. Draw the knife across the stone at a 20 degree angle - from the heel to the end. Repeat five or six times, turning the blade on the opposite side each time. Then move to the finer piece of your whetstone and do it again. Then, straighten your knife by moving it across a "steel", which is a long piece of steel with a handle. Last, carefully wash and dry your knife. Now you're ready to go! Keeping your knives sharp is really important. A dull knife can slip and you are more likely to cut yourself.

Knives: Choosing good ones

Another question I get a lot is what makes a good knife. The "tang" or piece of steel that goes through the handle should extend the full length of the handle. It should also be riveted in place. If the steel doesn't go all the way to the end, the knife is very likely to break. The blades should be carbon steel. Having said that though, there are some really nice and really beautiful ceramic ones out there that I might give a try. Take a look at those same cooking stores and sites I mentioned for kitchen equipment. Remember though, that within every brand there are many grades of knives. If the price sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Kitchen Equipment

Yesterday in class, the question of where to purchase kitchen equipment came up again. I've been asked this so often that I thought I would put it out here too. My absolute favorite online store is JB Prince, which has been serving chefs for I think a hundred years. They carry high quality equipment, knives, books, specialty pastry items and party serving supplies. I love their products, but they are not inexpensive. The web-site is www.jbprince.com.

You can also find great stuff at William Sonoma, both in the physical store and online. As well, Bed, Bath and Beyond carries a lot of nice items (also in physical stores and online) - especially small kitchen utensils - and they are always giving 20 percent off coupons, so that's really nice! Many sites are currently giving free shipping because since it's right after Christmas, people are not buying much in general.

Sur la Table has a great store in the Detroit area at Partridge Creek Mall (on M-59). They have a lot more dishes and specialty pastry items than Williams Sonoma. In fact, if you are looking for pastry items, don't miss Heinrich's, on Ten Mile, just east of Van Dyke. In Farmington Hills, Kitchen Creations fits that bill (just behind the purple building on the main street).

Last, another site I often order from is called chefscatalog.com. They have simply everything and last I knew were offering free shipping.

Daikon Radish Soup

I hardly ever throw anything away. So since I bought these Daikon radishes and have been munching them for diet food, I had to figure out something to do with the beautiful greens. Soup is always great when you're on a diet because it's so filling! It really sticks to your ribs. Here's what I came up with. Give it a try!

Daikon Radish Soup:
¼ cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped large
3 Daikon radishes, trimmed and peeled
1 red bell pepper, chopped large
5 large, Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped large
Approximately 32 ounces chicken broth
Greens from one bunch of radishes, washed and chopped
Optional: 1 to 2 cups heavy cream
Salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce to taste

Method:
1. Over medium-high heat and in a 4 quart sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, radish and pepper and cook until lightly browned.
2. Add the potatoes and continue cooking until the potatoes are golden, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
3. Add just enough chicken broth to cover the vegetables and continue to cook until the potatoes are well done, about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the greens and cook for another five minutes.
5. Purée the soup.
6. If desired, add the cream.
7. Taste and season with salt, pepper and a few shots of Tabasco sauce.

Diet foods

Like many of my friends, I packed on a few pounds over the holidays. As I try to get my head around consuming less calories, I've been thinking about how to get some variety into our meals while at the same time limiting them. Last night, up popped the Daikon radish. We had purchased some fresh ones to make a stir fry and of course, as I was chopping I started munching. Daikon is Japanese for big root and as I researched it, I learned that it is not only just 65 calories for a whole cup, it's full of fiber and packs a lot of Vitamin C! The taste is milder than the red radishes we are used to, but still spicy and interesting. I'm going to get some more and keep them sliced and wrapped in the frig. Along with the standard carrots and celery, I can grab radish sticks when the snack monster overtakes me!

Spicing Foods 5

People often ask me about using wine as the acid component of different dishes. They wonder whether it's OK to use cheap wine and if the type really matters. The answer is yes to all of that. Price is not an issue when it comes to cooking with wine. In fact, you probably wouldn't want to use your really expensive wines when you can accomplish the same thing with inexpensive ones. What matters is the taste. It shouldn't be "sour" tasting or something you dislike because that taste will definitely flavor your dish. I find that fruity wines are the best because they round out other tastes and blend well. Chardonnay in particular doesn't work well because when it reduces it becomes too strong. Choose something that is light to medium weight and fruity like a Riesling (white) or a Pinot Noir (red). Use a white for light colored dishes and a red for dark colored dishes. You would use, for example, a white for a fish sauce and a red for a meat sauce.

Spicing Foods 3

Another product that is a staple in my kitchen is hot sauce. Yes, Tabasco or any other hot sauce that you really like. I even have one that my kids brought from Taco Bell that I really like! Adding a dash or two of hot sauce does not make your dish unbearable hot. It creates a little sensation on the back of your tongue, not even identifiable as "hot". In most instances, people will not even be able to recognize it as a taste. That extra little kick is pleasing and gives the over-all taste more interest.

Spicing Foods 2

The two major things that kick up flavor are salt and acid. By acid, I mean vinegar, wine, fresh lemon juice, etc. Adding a little of each can take your dish from every day to gourmet in an instant. Add these ingredients until you can just taste the difference.

Spicing Foods 1

Learning to cook has a lot to do with learning to spice. Anyone can follow directions and come up with an edible product, but to turn something out that tastes good, you have to check it before you serve it. To me, this is the first commandment of cooking. Taste everything before you serve it.

Cooking is easy

Just saw the movie, Ratatouille. I guess I was resisting because it's basically a cartoon, but it was great! The whole premise of the movie is that anyone can cook but I'm wondering how many people really believe that. I have, however, been surprised at the number of people who have looked at Flavor Secrets and said, "WOW. These look so easy. I think even I can try them!"

Recipe Success

It makes me really happy when people tell me things they like about the cookbook and the recipes within it. I worked hard to make sure the recipes were easy and contained ingredients that are easy to find. I felt I had accomplished that, but then actually publishing it was like gulping and putting my heart and soul on the line. It is so gratifying to know that you are having success with the recipes and that you like them. When you tell me, it's like a gift. Thank you!