Al Dente

What to Cook this Weekend: Maple Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Sage

I love sweet potatoes! The kind of love that could make me burst into song when I think about the possibility of these burnt orange beauties crossing my plate. Ok, ok, that's a bit much. But I do love sweet potatoes. I especially love them in this recipe developed by Seattle Times's culinary cover girl Kathy Casey. In fact last time I made this, it became my main course. If you're looking for a new holiday side dish this year, I heartily suggest this one. Even if you enjoy it half as much as I do, I think it'll be a hit.

Ingredients:
8 cups peeled and thinly sliced ( 1/4-inch) sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
Maple Cream:
3 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping:
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons high-quality grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
Fresh sage leaves for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray a 3-quart casserole with vegetable cooking spray or lightly butter it. Then arrange sliced sweet potatoes in an even layer. In a large bowl whisk together the cream, maple syrup, nutmeg, thyme, sage, salt and pepper until well combined. Pour the maple cream over the sweet potatoes and push them down a bit to be sure they are coated in liquid.

3. Prepare the topping by combining bread crumbs, Parmesan, thyme, parsley and sage; set aside. 4. Bake casserole for 35 minutes and then sprinkle with topping and bake another 25 to 35 minutes or until topping is browned, potatoes are tender and liquid is thickened. 5. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh sage leaves.

--Sous-chef-on-the-Run

Celebrity Chef Blog: Gift Ideas for Aspiring Chefs and More

In case you missed it, this week's celebrity chef blog featured a suggestion for your turkey leftovers courtesy of Chinese food expert Helen Chen. Former Le Cirque cook cum Henckels culinary relations manager and executive chef, Jeffrey Elliot offered excellent tips for selecting the right knives for your kitchen tasks. And, Table Fifty-Two owner and 2006 Chicagoan of the Year, Art Smith offered gift ideas, sharing his personal "favorite things".

For more gift ideas, check out Amazon.com's Holiday Gift Store. Happy Holidays!

--Sous-chef on the Run

The "Bam!" Heard 'Round the World

The writing seemed to be on the kitchen walls when the Food Network recently moved Emeril Live!, the network's once flagship show, to 7PM from its 8PM slot, and, as reported earlier this week, they've officially pulled the plug on the program, with the last episode taping on December 11. The show will live on in reruns and Emeril's studio-audience-free show Essence of Emeril will continue taping.  The Food Network's reasoning seems to be "that all good things come to end," but it's not a great sign of what's to come following the September news that Mario Batali's two shows wouldn't be renewed.

This is what Anthony Bourdain had to say about the Food Network when I interviewed him last year:

"It particularly pains me to see them slowly weed out the trained chefs--deliberately. They don't want them; they've said so. They got rid of Sara Moulton for god's sake--she helped build that network. Mario doesn't have a stand-up cooking show anymore. That's shameful. They're growing their own talent--like industry bands--out of Petri dishes, and teach them to cook, I think, then build brands around them. I understand the economics behind it, it works for them, but you look at some of the food... The Food Network's about food the way MTV is about music, which is to say, not at all anymore."

Both Emeril and Batali seem to be taking the network's decision in stride. In a message to his fans, Emeril says "It's been such an incredible ride…but there is much more to come." And during an appearance on The Martha Stewart Show this week Batali said, "Well, the Food Network has made the conscious decision to go a little more mass market than I would say that I appeal to. But I am still on Iron Chef and as a matter of fact, I am the number one Iron Chef!"

--BTP

Mutilate Your Thirst—Not Just a Dream Anymore

As read on the always sugary Junk Food Blog, fictional culinary (using that term super loosely) product, “Brawndo the Thirst Mutilator” is going to become a real live drink, starting December 15. First appearing in the film “Idiocracy,” this energy drink calls itself a "lemon-lime endurance supplement beverage" and is being brought to the world by Redux Beverages. So, warn your thirst about Brawndo (or, to follow the tagline of this, um, boastful beverage, let your plants know, as "it's got what plants crave"). Are there any other fictional food or drink products that you’d rather see actually brought to life? Maybe the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster? Crunchy Frogs? Duff Beer?

Scandal in Candyland

First, they try to change the composition of chocolate by petitioning the FDA to allow cocoa butter to be replaced by cheaper fats.  Now there are allegations of chocolate price fixing in Canada that may expand to other types of candy.  What in the world is happening to chocolate and what does this mean for chocolate's biggest season?
-flauersmartini

Happy Hour Drink Special: The Hugo Special

This combination of gin, sweet vermouth, and freshly muddled pineapple and orange slices may seem like it should be a summer drink (with the hints of tropical-ness and all). But I always like my Hugo Specials in winter, when they remind me of summer. Shake up a couple and take your mind off the cold.

--A.J. Rathbun

Winter Smoking: Chuck Roast

Forget leftovers. I'm moving on. It's not that I don't love turkey sandwiches with a touch of honey mustard, I just don't want it for lunch and dinner every day this week.

On Sunday we caught a break from the usual Northwest gloom so I fired up my Weber Smoky Mountain. I was in the mood for the complete opposite of turkey and bought a 3 lb. chuck roast. Cheap and simple. I coated it with some garlic-infused olive oil and a dry rub. I used a standard smoking setup with the water pan a little about 3/4 full and kept the temperature around 220 degrees.

After the first hour, I mopped it with a mixture of dry rub, barbecue sauce and hot sauce. After 3.5 hours and three moppings, my hunk o' chuck was at 150 degrees and extremely tender. The cool weather made it hard to keep the smoker's temperature steady. In the end it required nearly half a bag of lump charcoal.

I wrapped the meat in foil and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Then I sliced it very thin and mixed it with some finishing sauce (my mop with more barbecue sauce, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard). With a little garlic butter and a toasted French roll, and I was in business.

--Spanno

"Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet": Padma's Passport to Flavors

In addition to her role as host of Bravo's Top Chef, Padma Lakshmi's résumé also includes work modeling, acting, and as the award-winning cookbook author of Easy Exotic: Low-Fat Recipes from Around the World. Her new book, Tangy, Tart, Hot & Sweet, is a personal scrapbook of recipes that serves as a culinary passport to a world of international flavors. Padma recently visited the Amazon offices during the Seattle stop of her book tour for a late afternoon coffee break with a few Amazonians at the Starbucks in our building. Graced with undeniable poise, and resplendent in a ready-for-the-runway white dress with matching go-go boots, Lakshmi turned heads as soon as she stepped off the elevator. Afterward she joined me in our podcast studio to talk about her book, Top Chef, the secret to her fried chicken recipe, and much more.

Some highlights from our talk are below. Read or listen to the  entire interview on this week's episode of Amazon Wire.

--BTP

Amazon.com: How do you envision a home cook approaching your book? What's the best way for them to dive in to it?

Lakshmi: That's a great question, Brad. I think the best way to do it, especially with the more complicated recipes--there are some really easy recipes. The easiest one being Chili Honey Butter--and it's exactly that. Probably the most--I would say, not difficult--but a bit intimidating recipe in the book is the Chicken Bisteeya--the curried Moroccan pie. And that dish is traditionally made with pigeon, but I thought I better do it with ground chicken--you can do it with ground lamb or ground turkey or whatever.

What I recommend for all these recipes is to do them when you have time on a Saturday. And think of it like a hobby, like you would with doing a crossword puzzle, or anything else. I would do your mise en place before you start. Mise en place is a French term meaning to chop all your vegetables and put them into place before you begin. That way you're not scrambling--you're doing yourself a favor. I do a mise en place for the week in my own home. I know I'm going to use onion, I know I'm going to use garlic, I know I'm going to need some chilies, I'm probably going to use some bell peppers... so I chop those things up, I put them in a plastic container, and I stick them in my fridge. Most of cooking is the labor of chopping. Give yourself a break. Pretend you're on a cooking show and have all your ingredients lined up for you. I learned this, actually, going on The Martha Stewart Show. Arrange the ingredients on your counter in the order that they appear in the recipe. So even when you're cooking and you're stirring and you don't want to burn yourself, the next thing that you're reaching for is the next full plate or bowl of ingredients. And don't use a different dish for every single ingredient. If you've got three ingredients that go in at the same time, put them all in the same plate. That way you have just one plate to dump in.

Amazon.com: Makes perfect sense. It sounds like a lot of work but in the long run it more than makes up for it.

Lakshmi: Yeah, once you do a recipe a couple of times like that, then you're not under the pressure of Oh my god, it's not going to come out well and then if it doesn't come out well what am I going to serve for dinner? Most of these recipes, except for maybe the fried recipes--but even the fried recipes--they are great as leftovers. There's not anything in my book that isn't great as leftovers. Probably the flautas, because they're fried and they're better eaten hot. Even the fried chicken is great cold.

Amazon.com: Cold fried chicken... that's the best.

Lakshmi:   Yeah.

Amazon.com: Speaking of fried chicken, you were raised a vegetarian, but was there a turning point when you became a full-time carnivore or did it sort of happen naturally?

Lakshmi: It happened very gradually. It started with the most heinous of things--pepperoni on pizza, bologna on sandwiches, hot dogs. Probably the first thing I ate was a hot dog on a New York street corner. Not exactly the Cordon Bleu method. Once I was a teenager and growing up in this country, I sort of got phased in that way. Kids can be cruel. I remember when I first came here and I was eating from Tupperware with curry and rice and vegetables. You know, it's very pungent. In the 80s India wasn't as groovy as it is now. India's had two groovy moments. Once when the Beatles went to India and now when Madonna has embraced yoga. Kids were mean and they'd be like, ewww, what is that? I wanted to fit in. And that's how it started really.

Amazon.com: And I guess your mouthwatering three-page tribute to bacon in the book officially seals the deal?

Lakshmi:   Yes! Yeah, it does.

Amazon.com: And as mentioned, you also throw your hat into the ring with a fried chicken recipe. As you say in your headnote, what's a girl from south India know about Southern fried chicken? Where did that recipe come from?

Lakshmi:   Years of tasting! I'm a sucker for fried chicken--I really love it. I'm a fan of all of Edna Lewis' recipes. I recently met the Lee Bros. who happen to be huge Top Chef fans--and gosh they are cute in person! I really love fried chicken. In a way that somebody else converts to Judaism or becomes a Hare Krishna, I belong to the church of fried chicken.

Amazon.com: You're a would-be Southerner...

Lakshmi:   I know, I really am.

Amazon.com: Your secret ingredient is Rice Krispies and a double brine...

Lakshmi: Yeah... there are two schools of fried chicken. One is brining in salted water and the other is soaking in either buttermilk or milk. I just combine the two. I basically use like a Maldon or coarse-grain sea salt and I do it in whole milk and I just cut the chicken up. I stir the salt until it actually dissolves into the milk. That's very important. I like sea salt rather than iodized salt because I think the mineral content adds a real briny, ocean flavor to it. I encourage people to layer flavors. I remember when we were editing this book on another recipe--I think a crumble recipe--one of the editors who was helping me with the measurements said, You have three kinds of sugars and Frosted Flakes and no serious chef will take you seriously. And I said You obviously don't have children in your house because if you have children in your house you have Frosted Flakes. And I'm using three types of sugars because that's what makes it taste the best. If you don't have three types of sugar then please, use just one.

Amazon.com: And like you said, even better the next day.

Lakshmi:   Oh, yeah! Absolutely better the next day.

Amazon.com: How has working on Top Chef altered your point of view on food?

Lakshmi:   It's made me much more omnivorous. I went to Top Chef very much a carnivore, but I had certainly never eaten frog legs and elk and bison and kangaroo and rattlesnake--often in the same meal together. It has broken every food inhibition that I could hope to even think of. I will eat anything, at least once. For better or worse.

Amazon.com: And how does the featured city on the show affect the vibe of each season?

Lakshmi: It affects it considerably. It's kind of a pain in the neck for us to pick up and move to a different city every time--a lot of us on the set grumble about it. But I do think for the show it's very useful. Each city has its own culinary landscape. For instance, Miami, which has already aired, has this wonderful blend of Caribbean culture and Latin American culture and Southern American culture (talking about fried chicken). All those combine to make for a very very interesting array of ingredients, restaurants, and the chefs that come there. It also has great seafood, not to mention the glorious citrus that's there. And all those things inform what you do--and they should. If any chef ever tells you they're not inspired equally by the truck-stop barbecue as they are by the four-star Michelin restaurant they are lying.

Amazon.com: I know you're sworn to secrecy, but any hint of a preview of what to expect in Chicago?

Lakshmi:   Yes, I am sworn to secrecy, but I can tell you there are a lot of strong women this season.

Amazon.com: And finally, Padma, of the four taste sensations in the title of your book, is there one you're drawn to over the others?

Lakshmi:   The "hot" (laughs).

Limited-Edition Seasonal Snacks

Just in time for the holiday season, Kellogg's announced their limited-edition Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Pop Tarts, and Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages has released a limited-edition Cherry Chocolate Diet Dr. Pepper. I haven't been down with Pop Tarts since I overdosed on them back in college, and I'm not the hugest fan of chocolate-covered cherries, but I suppose these are two items that need to be investigated. I have yet to actually see either of these in stores, so if anyone's been lucky enough to spot 'em and try them out, fill us in! If I beat you to it, I'll let you know the verdict.

--AndreaLeigh

Latest Kitchen Gadgetry: The Garlic Zoom by Chef'n

While you can already get this (relatively) new Garlic Zoom at some retailers, I thought I would take the opportunity to tell you about this  little gadget from the good people at Chef'n.

Last week, my cook's tools and cutlery team went to visit the Chef'n folks in their Seattle office--only a few blocks away from ours. They sat down with us to demo their latest and greatest gadgets coming very soon to kitchen retailers near you. And, while I was initially dubious about the effectiveness of the Garlic Zoom, my doubt proved to be completely wrong.

This little chopper is sharp. The Zoom is easier, more effective, and definitely more fun to use than other garlic tools on the market, e.g., the garlic twist, a garlic presses, etc. And, the kind folks at Chef'n indulged us when we got into a brainstorming about custom designed Garlic Zooms. Don't you think it would be fun if you could model the wheels and color of the body to match your favorite cuisine? A hamburger with a bun for wheels? Falafel with green cucumber wheels? Or, even cooler--like your favorite Hot Wheels design? The Zooms could become big time collectibles and develop a cult following, sort of like Zojirushi's Mr. Bento.

Anyway, we'd like to send a big "thank you" to the staff at Chef'n for humoring and entertaining us with their latest kitchen gadgetry. And, if you're looking for a quirky, yet highly effective kitchen gift for that special chef, don't pass up the Garlic Zoom!

--Sous-chef on the Run

PS. Amazon.com will be carrying these within a couple weeks!

PPS. Nov 27 Update: We now have these available for delivery within a few weeks! Tie one on a holiday gifts for the special chef on your list.

What to Do with Leftover Turkey

It's the inevitable post-Thanksgiving foodie conversation--What do I do with all this leftover turkey? Assuming you have leftover turkey, that is. And you probably do, since it seems to me that that's half the point of cooking turkey at Thanksgiving.

Growing up, my mom would do two things: make turkey soup and make curried turkey salad for sandwiches. To this day, I have a strong dislike for both dishes. Perhaps I had my lifetime fill of them at an early age.

These days, where the turkey is in my control, I like to have Thanksgiving again, and again, and again. I try to have leftovers of all the best Thanksgiving dishes and have a mini version of Thanksgiving at least once a day until all the dishes are gone.

I also like to make what I call a Thanksgiving Sandwich. This is not just your average turkey sandwich. This sandwich contains: creamed corn with bacon, stuffing, gravy, cranberry jelly, and yes, turkey. Occasionally I'll throw in some sweet potatoes for good measure. It's important that you construct the sandwich carefully. Not just so that each ingredient complements the next, but also so you don't end up with a heap of ingredients on the plate when you try to take a bite. This is my process: On one slice of bread, spread creamed corn with bacon. Shred some turkey and smoosh it lightly into the creamed corn. Top with a little gravy, and then some stuffing (my version of the MoistMaker). Spread some cranberry jelly on the other slice of bread, then press it firmly onto the rest of the sandwich. Enjoy.

What do you do with your leftover turkey? Add a comment and let us know.

--KitchenMaus

What to Cook this Weekend: Field Roast

After experiencing delicious vegetarian field roast at Georgetown Liquor Company last night, I've decided it would make a great addition to a vegetarian holiday dinner. Copped from fieldroast.blogspot.com, this recipe for marinated celebration roast sounds mighty tasty and will no doubt be a hit with vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Ingredients
1/2 inch slices of Celebration Roast
1 onion peeled and sliced into 1/4 in rounds
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black Pepper
Balsamic vinegar
Chopped parsley

Directions
1. Heat field roast in oven until golden brown (approximately 30-40 minutes). Cut in to 1/2 slices.
2. Toss peeled onion in some of the olive oil, slightly salt and place on sheet pan.
3. Roast onion in 350 degree oven until brown or slightly blackened.
4. Place sliced celebration roast on a platter, interspersed with the roasted onion. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with black pepper, garnish with chopped parsley.

--AndreaLeigh

Behold...The HDTV Refrigerator

Whenever you watch TV on your non-HD refrigerator, do you think to yourself, "Man, I wish this was in high-def"? I know I do.

Well, LG has anticipated this necessity and introduced a refrigerator with a 15-inch high definition TV. And in case you were thinking, "Man, I wish there were two screens on my fridge"; it also includes a constantly updated 4-inch weather and info screen that's preloaded with 100 recipes, a calendar, and a to-do list.

LG, get out of my head!

--Spanno

Last Minute Turkey Recipes from Your Favorite Chefs

In need of any last minute recipes for tomorrow's annual Turkey fest? Don't miss the latest recipes from your favorite celebrity chefs at Amazon.com's Holiday Gift Store. Seattle culinary superhero Tom Douglas, queen of the grill Elizabeth Karmel, and Dinner: Impossible's Robert Irvine all have contributed tasty recipes and recommendations for your holiday feast tomorrow. And, don't miss holiday hedonist Rick Rodgers essential list of must-haves and top 10 turkey tips.

On behalf of everyone at Al Dente and the Amazon.com Home and Garden team, we wish you and your family a hearty Happy Thanksgiving!

--Sous-chef on the Run

Your Next Big Purchase: A New Car or Dessert?

Manhattan's Serendipity 3 restaurant recently set a new Guinness world record for most expensive dessert with its Frrrozen Haute Chocolate--a slushy mix of cocoas from 14 countries, 5 grams of 24-carat gold, whipped cream, and shavings from a luxury truffle. Served in a goblet decorated with 1 carat of diamonds and with a golden spoon (which you get to keep), the decadent dessert will set you back $25,000.

In other recent Serendipity 3 news, the restaurant was forced to close last week due to an infestation of mice and cockroaches. The health department notes this is the second time the restaurant has failed a health inspection, and that health officials found a live mouse, mouse droppings, flies, and dozens of live cockroaches on the premises.

So a restaurant starts serving $25,000 desserts adorned with gold and diamonds and suddenly they're getting orders to temporarily shut down? Why do I get the feeling a heist is in the near future?

--AndreaLeigh

A Sweet Finish for the Thanksgiving Table

Looking for some sweet inspiration for your dessert course this Thanksgiving? In our Fall into Cooking Store you'll find an all-star lineup of seasonal, hand-picked recipes that are perfect for the holiday table.

While pumpkin pie is MIA (do you really need another recipe?), you'll find some inspired takes on autumn flavors, including a Creamy Pumpkin Custard from Babbo's Gina DePalma and Seattle chef Tom Douglas' Butternut Squash Gingerbread promises to be a family favorite. And you won't need a holiday as an excuse to revisit award-winning cookbook author Dorie Greenspan's amazing Applesauce Spice Bars.

• Parsnip Spice Cake from Kurt Beecher Dammeier, author of Pure Flavor
• Creamy Pumpkin Custard from Gina DePalma, author of Dolce Italiano
• Butternut Squash Gingerbread from Tom Douglas, author of Tom's Big Dinners
• Applesauce Spice Bars from Dorie Greenspan, author of Baking
• Bea's Apple Crisp from Alice Medrich, author of Pure Dessert
• Apple Butterscotch Grunt from Sherry Yard, author of Desserts by the Yard

--BTP

What to Cook this Weekend: Cranberry Relish with Ginger

Cranberry relish is one of the best Thanksgiving dishes to prepare in advance.  Letting the juices marinate for a few days can help the flavor.  I also find it the least stressful dish to make for this big meal so it's a nice way to start out.  For the last few years, I've made this version from Williams-Sonoma's website.  I do find that I always have leftovers even when serving the recommended 8-10 people.  I'm pretty sure the guests like it because most have requested it every year. In any case, this would be one of the few occasions my family members have neglected to tell me how they really feel about a dish so I'm inclined to believe they like it. 

Because of the leftovers, I've gone beyond using it for the standard sandwich condiment.  This recipe, in particular, can be used as a topping for vanilla ice cream and to make a festive champagne cocktail.  I've also used the relish to mix with plain yogurt for breakfast.  This year, I might even try it in a batch of muffin mix.  I'm sure readers have other ideas more brilliant than mine for leftover relish.  Post them in the comments so we can try them out.

Ingredients:
1 orange, unpeeled and preferably
organic, scrubbed
2 bags (12 oz. each) fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger

Directions
Cut the orange (with its peel on) into 16 chunks and discard any seeds. Working in batches, combine the orange chunks, cranberries, sugar and ginger in a food processor. Pulse to chop finely and evenly, stopping once or twice with each batch to scrape down the sides of the work bowl.

Transfer to a storage container, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to develop the flavors. Bring to room temperature and stir well before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

-flauersmartini

Recipes and Gift Ideas From Your Favorite Chefs

For the past two weeks, Al Dente has been honored to host unique content from the culinary industry's most talented chefs. We've featured cooking tips from holiday expert Rick Rodgers, and recipes from Seattle superstar Tom Douglas, Mexican-food guru Rick Bayless, and Dinner Impossible's Robert Irvine. In the weeks to come, you'll find more recipes and gift ideas from the brightest in the culinary arts, including Art Smith, Joanne Weir, Elizabeth Karmel, and others. Check back regularly to read the latest at Amazon.com's Home and Garden Gift Store.

--Sous-Chef on the Run

My Ultimate Gourmet Magazine Thanksgiving Dinner

The November issue of Gourmet magazine has not one, but FOUR different Thanksgiving menus to choose from. In her Letter from the Editor column, Ruth Reichl (the Great Ruth Reichl, that is) says that she plans to mix and match--picking dishes from each of the four menus to put together her perfect turkey-day smorgasbord. After poring over each of the menus, here's what I've designed for my ultimate feast (which I will only dream about, as I'm not hosting Thanksgiving this year):

• Hickory-bacon and roasted corn gougères
• Pumpkin, corn, and lemongrass soup
• Roasted Japanese sweet potatoes with scallion butter
• Mashed potatoes with caramelized garlic and parsnips (because some people don't like sweet potatoes)
• Haricot verts with herb butter
• Maple-glazed turkey with gravy
• Hazelnut, sage, and mushroom stuffing
• Cranberry sauce with Port and tangerine
• Pumpkin plum tart (Reichl swears this is the best pumpkin pie ever)
• Bittersweet chocolate pecan pie (because we always had both a nut and a pumpkin pie at my house)

Hungry yet?

--KitchenMaus

Happy Hour Drink Special: Two with Pomegranate 7 UP

In an earlier post, I talked about the new limited edition Pomegranate 7 Up, and wondered about trying it in various drinks. Well, the friendly folks at 7 Up and Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (thanks Lisa), were nice enough to send two recipes along: the Triple Scoop Pomegranate 7 Up Soda and the Mistletoe Mojito. Both look delicious, so I suggest you pick up a six-pack of Pomegranate 7 Up and a few other ingredients on your way home tonight.

Mistletoe Mojito

Ingredients
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
8 fresh mint leaves
2 ounces white rum
2 teaspoons pomegranate seeds
4 ounces Pomegranate 7 Up
1 mint sprig
1 lime wedge

Directions
1. In a highball glass, muddle lime juice, sugar, and mint leaves until sugar is dissolved.

2. Add rum and pomegranate seeds. Fill glass with ice and top with Pomegranate 7 Up.

3. Garnish with mint sprig and lime wedge.

Triple Scoop Pomegranate 7 Up Soda

Ingredients
1/4-cup scoop raspberry sorbet
1/4-cup scoop tropical fruit sorbet
1/4-cup scoop vanilla ice cream
6 to 8 fresh raspberries
6 ounces Pomegranate 7 Up

Directions
1. Layer ice cream scoops in a tall soda glass and top with raspberries.

2. Slowly pour in Pomegranate 7 Up. Serve with soda straws and a long spoon.

--A.J. Rathbun

Back to Basics with Michael Ruhlman

   

Inspired by the Strunk and White classic, Michael Ruhlman's The Elements of Cooking will quickly prove to be an essential culinary reference for both seasoned cooks and novices who might not know gravlax from gremolata. After a thorough "Notes on Cooking," Ruhlman, a prolific author and popular blogger, settles in for an opinionated and informative A-Z roundup (from Acid to Zester) of cooking terms, lessons, and techniques reduced to their essential essence. Even with only one recipe (for veal stock), it's a must-have for every kitchen library--a book that will help you re-think your approach to food.

Ruhlman was gracious enough to write an exclusive essay for our Fall into Cooking Store and I got to break bread with the author at lunch at the Dahlia Lounge while he was in Seattle on Monday for his book tour. Over tomato soup and crab cakes (Ruhlman declared that the Lemon-Scallion Dungeness Crab Cake  was the best crab cake he's ever eaten) we talked about books, blogging, and the proper way to send back a dish at a restaurant. The next day we traded e-mail to talk about his new book.

--BTP

Amazon.com:  Did you have a eureka! moment when you decided to use Strunk and White's The Elements of Style as the inspiration and model for The Elements of Cooking?

Ruhlman: I did! My wife had planted an idea in my head: "You've worked with all these amazing chefs, you should write the ten most important things you know about cooking." A few days later, preparing to teach a writing seminar, I was flipping through my copy of Strunk and White's Elements of Style, smiling at the opinionated commands about prose style and thought, "I want to do this for the kitchen!"

Amazon.com: Who do you like to imagine as your book's ideal reader? Do you envision home cooks using it the same way a culinary student might--or even a seasoned chef?

Ruhlman: First ideal reader is the home cook who wants to get better. At any level, say you're a beginner and don't know what zest is or what exactly is meant by the word blanch, or an advanced home cook who wants a more nuanced definition of braise versus stew. I think every culinary student in America should read it straight through--because in a way the book describes a way of thinking about food and cooking. And I hope chefs buy it for their line cooks, and read it themselves and argue the finer points of cooking.

Amazon.com: Is the book meant to be digested cover to cover or dipped into from page to page?

Ruhlman: No, dipped into. But read cover to cover it would convey an overarching philosophy of cooking that stresses the fundamentals and encourages acute observation and attention in the kitchen.

Amazon.com: Aside from a heavy hand with butter, what are the top three things that set restaurant cooking apart from home cooking?

Ruhlman: Proper use of salt throughout the cooking process and fresh stock are THE main differences. Neither are difficult to do or to learn. I'd say the next one is getting your pan to the right temperature.

Amazon.com: What do you think about the increasingly popularity in food lit, the renaissance of which was kicked off by your good friend Anthony Bourdain.

Ruhlman: It's good and bad. It encourages publishers to find more like books, though the quality is not always there. But it has opened up the way for more good books too.

Amazon.com: Do you have any favorite books in that category?

Ruhlman: Bourdain's always excellent, and Buford's whole portrayal of the Babbo kitchen in Heat was outstanding.  I'm a Pollan fan, and admired Kamp's United States of Arugula.

Amazon.com:  Do you think there are too many cookbooks published each year?

Ruhlman: Yes, I think there are 3,000 cookbooks too many published each year.

Amazon.com: Your blog is a must-bookmark site for serious foodies. Does blogging take you away from your regular writing gigs or does it inspire you even more?

Ruhlman: Blogging, oy, I really love it, but yes, it does take away from the other work and I've got to be very careful about it. So why then am I about to start a second one? I can't help myself! So I guess I'd have to say it's inspiring.

Amazon.com: Every year new buzz words are officially added to the lexicon. What are a handful of cooking terms we might see added to a future edition of The Elements of Cooking?

Ruhlman: I don't know, I tried to get them all. I hope the ones in it can get increasingly refined, and I look forward to putting more in. I'm sure readers will suggest new terms, part of the reason for the blog.

Oh, Happy Day

Not only is today National Guacamole Day, but it's National Pickle Day. If there's anything that I love more than guacamole, it's pickles. I'm completely addicted to baby kosher dill pickles. I go through at least a jar and a half every week.

If you ignore the high sodium, pickles are the perfect snack food. They have few calories and zero fat. Although, if you coat them in cheese, freeze them, dip them in batter, and then deep fry them, their nutritional neutrality is negated.

--Spanno

Booze + Ice Luge = Best Party Ever

Having an ice sculpture at a party is a notion that's been semi-retired for awhile now, but with the advent of the Lush Life Ice Luge, it's a necessity that should probably be reinstated. What better way to "break the ice" at a gathering than to race your drink of choice against another partygoer's?

The night before your soon to be much-talked-about gathering, fill the ice luge with water and freeze it. 24 hours later, bust it out and entertain guests (or engage in a little friendly competition) as their drinks race each other and chill on the way down the luge.

--AndreaLeigh

Velbekomme!

Perhaps living in Ballard, Washington, has finally gone to my head--or, at least my palate. Or, maybe it's my part-Scandinavian heritage. Either way, I've recently developed a strong longing for an ebelskiver pan. A what, you say?

This pan makes what appear to be stuffed pancakes. Really, it seems like you could use any number of batter types--pancake, cake, muffin, doughnut, etc.--and then just fill them with whatever luscious fillings your culinary heart desires. I'm thinking maybe a light pancake batter filled with tart lemon curd. Or maybe chocolate waffle batter stuffed with seedless raspberry jam. Or, how about going totally nuts and using blini batter with cream cheese and caviar inside?!

OK, that last one may have put me over the edge...this pan may be a real necessity at this point.

--KitchenMaus

What to Cook this Weekend: White Bean and Chard Soup

It's soup season.  The leaves are turning and there is a cool gust of wind every now and then.  Frankly, I eat soup all year round but I get really excited about making it in the fall.  I'm a big fan of making large batches of several different types and freezing them for future consumption so as not to overdose on one flavor.  The newest addition to my soup repertoire came about