Al Dente

Inside the Mind of Competitive Eater El Wingador

This profile of competitive eater El Wingador by Academy Award-winning documentarian Errol Morris is chock full of quotable quotes but here's one that resonated with me: "I just love the taste of food. I guess I eat for the taste. Not just to put something in my stomach and keep rollin'." It's worth watching if only for way he has incorporated tootsie rolls into his training regimen.

What do you think about the world of competitive eating?

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

 

 

Live Webcast Today Featuring Italian Master Chefs

Somehow this escaped my notice until it popped up in Cesare Casella's Facebook feed this morning, but the International Culinary Center--you may know it as the French Culinary Institute--is sponsoring a live webcast today of two Michelin-starred Italian chefs, Gennaro Esposito and Pino Cuttaia.

I met Pino at Alma in 2009 when he did a demo for my class, and listening to him talk about food is a spiritual experience not to be missed. Tune into the webcast if you can. Click here for the details.

Photo credit: foodcreate.com

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

Maraschino Cherries from Orchard to Jar!

Maraschino cherries (those bright red cherries) are a sweet treat often found topping ice cream sundaes, baked into a cake or garnishing a d'lish cocktail. But did you know that making them (yes! there's a process!) requires curing in a brine solution, pitting them and having them soak in their wonderful flavor and color?

This week on Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen I show you the special process made to make these delightful maraschino cherries. For this special episode, I had the wonderful opportunity to tour cherry orchards of Washington and Oregon. It was a great time getting to handpick some cherries and visit the packing area. It was even more fun to see the different steps involved in making maraschinos!

Cheers! -Kathy

Lessons in Mezcal: The Maguey Harvest Cocktail

Mezcal is a fantastic spirit, offering a variety of subtle nuances and rich flavor. Often compared to tequila, they are worlds apart! Both are made from agave plants (blue agave specifically for tequila while mezcal can be made from a variety of agaves) and are particular to regions in Mexico.

I invited special guest Tim Master, Director of Specialty Spirits Division and Trade Education at Frederick Wildman & Sons, to the set of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen for this special episode on mezcal. He brought samples of Ilegal Mezcal to try and showed us how to make his Maguey Harvest cocktail, a versatile drink that can be served cold or warm! The Ilegal Mezcal Reposado has a smokiness akin to whiskey and pairs well with the apple cider, lemon juice and cinnamon syrup. Perfect for a holiday party or a great way to warm up during the winter chills!

Salud! -Kathy

12 Days of Juicing Daily

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead - Official Trailer from Team Reboot on Vimeo.

After passing by Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead at the Whole Foods check out counter every week for the past year, I finally got around to watching it. I had dismissed it largely because the guy on the cover is hugely overweight (I'm not), and obviously slims down after starting a juicing regiment. Yes, I could stand to lose a few pounds to get down to my ideal weight, but the main reason I ended up identifying with Joe (the documentarian and featured subject) was his desire to get healthy--and ultimately ditch his prescription medications. Even more than Joe, I was and am inspired by Phil, a 40-something truck driver he meets in his journey across America. Watch the trailer above to see what I mean.

All of this inspiration has prompted me to do a mini-reboot of my own. Smack in the middle of holiday time. I know! The best time of year for pigging out. I know! I'm going to do a modified version of the Reboot Standard Program detailed on the Reboot Your Life website twelve days of rebooting: four days of eating and blending fruits and vegetables, followed by four days of just juicing, ending with four days of eating and blending fruits and vegetables.

I'm picking Sunday, November 27 (that's this Sunday) through Thursday, December 8. Strategically selected to be in between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and over in time to enjoy some of the end of year festivities without going overboard.

Anyone want to join me? It'll be much more fun if I have company.

--StellaCadente*

Follow me on Twitter @pomodorista

 

 

 

Holiday Sippin': Ginger Rouge Cocktail

Fresh ginger, cranberries and orange make for a zesty syrup when blended together. Not only does this housemade syrup add fantastic taste to a cocktail, but it adds a beautiful rouge tint to a drink, which is perfect for some holiday sipping! 

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Ginger Rouge Cocktail! After making my Housemade Zesty Cranberry Ginger Syrup and letting it cool, I puree it until its smooth using my Vitamix Barboss Advance. Shake in that alongside gin, vodka OR gold rum (your choice!) and Angostura bitters and you'll have a beautiful and delicious cocktail to sip the night away!

Enjoy! -Kathy

***Make sure to follow @LiquidKitchenTV on Twitter for other sippin' ideas!***

How To Make Homemade Old-Fashioned Doughnuts

 

I had the best doughnuts of my life last week, right here in my kitchen at home. Even better? They were a cinch to make, thanks to the new Top Pot cookbook. I wouldn't have believed how simple it was to make a stunningly delicious fresh doughnut if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Want to see it with yours? Just watch the video above to see how quickly and easily a batch of old-fashioned doughnuts (complete with glazes) comes together. 

Seattle's Top Pot shops have been a longtime favorite of mine (and others -- President Obama stopped by on a recent Northwest visit). Luckily, owners Mark and Michael Klebeck had Jess Thomson to translate their recipes for the home cook. Jess is one of my favorite writers, and she's also a peerless recipe developer. Her recipes are clear and accurate, reproducible and well-tested. You can take them to the bank -- or, more appropriately and happily in this case, to the kitchen. 

Besides the book, you won't need much special equipment to get your own donuts going. An accurate thermometer is essential. The recipes call for a rolling pin, but, in a pinch, Jess notes, you could also wrap an empty bottle of wine in plastic wrap.  When my video-creating husband picked up a donut cutter before putting together a batch of raised doughnuts (not essential, but convenient), the clerk told him "That's the third one we've sold this morning!" Word must be spreading fast.

Try your own, and let us know how they tasted. 

-- Rebekah Denn

Two Cocktails in One: the Bellini Manhattan

Sometimes it takes two to make a delicious cocktail. The Bellini champagne cocktail by itself is a simple, yet great cocktail combining peach puree and champagne. The ever classic Manhattan cocktail leans more towards being spirit-forward with it's combination of whiskey, sweet vermouth and bitters. But how would they taste if properly combined?

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Bellini Manhattan! Using homemade peach puree, I combine that with bourbon and sweet vermouth. Topped off with champagne and edible gold flakes, this Southern-inspired drink is perfect for your next holiday party!

Cheers! -Kathy

Citrus Twist: Grapefruit Negroni

Delicious citrus is a wonderful way of brightening up your taste buds as the colder months come along. From oranges to grapefruits, this season's citrus is perfect to use in tasty libations!

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a Grapefruit Negroni! Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice is shaken up with the gin, red vermouth and Campari for this slight variation of the classic Negroni cocktail. 

Enjoy! -Kathy

***Don't forget to check out the Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen Facebook page too!***

Barrel-aged cocktail: JBT Blue?!

From wines to beers as well as spirits, barrel-ageing is a wonderful process that adds subtle hints of flavor to an already wonderful complex notes. But barrel-ageing a cocktail? It can be done! Trend setting mixologists and bartenders, such as Portland's Jeffery Morgenthaler, have been experimenting with aged cocktails with some faboo results!

On this week's video of Kathy Casey's Liquid Kitchen™, I make a JBT Blue! This is a spirit-forward cocktail recipe that combines bourbon, silver tequila, triple sec, red vermouth and Campari. Poured into a barrel, this cocktail is aged for about three weeks. Once aged to my liking, I pour enough for one cocktail, stir with ice and garnish with a maraschino cherry!

Cheers! -Kathy

***Curious about barrel-aging your own cocktails? Check out Woodinville Whiskey Company for their stock on small or large barrels!