New Beginnings

The story goes that a young man sat under a tree somewhere in India. He dozed off and woke up 49 days later with an idea. This man is known as Gautama Buddha. Yes, that Buddha. His idea was an awakening, a realization or more commonly known as the Enlightenment. Why you might ask am I telling you this. I may not be Buddha but like everyone else I'm capable of my own awakening. I didn't sit under a tree for a lengthy period of time to realize is it either.

You might have noticed that I had left JeremyCooks. Turns out he's a hard guy to get rid of. That's because I am JeremyCooks (this is when you hit me over the head with a frying pan). I turned my back to JeremyCooks because I didn't want to be remembered as "the boy who interviewed Paula Dean and other Celebrity chefs". I was so afraid of my role models frowning upon me for being gimmicky or childish. I wanted others to see a serious passionate side to me. I wanted them to look at all the other things I had done, not just what some people had written about me. So in response I created Jeremy's Heirloom.

I didn't think much of it until the weekend of my eighteenth birthday. I was invited to host the Food Network SoBe Festival Kidz Food Labs again. Honestly, I had no intention of associating myself with it this year but after some persistence and motivation I did. I had planned on going only as Jeremy Salamon not JeremyCooks. At the first demonstration with Chef Rocco Dispirtio I had begun to introduce myself to an audience of kids, teens, young adults and families. As I started to talk I said "Hi my name is Jeremy Salamon from..." I wanted to say Jeremy's Heirloom instead a familiar phrase had made its way out. "from JeremyCooks.com, a website I created to follow my journey to becoming a chef and along the way hopefully inspire kids just like you to embark on your own culinary journey". The next demonstration I had managed to say something about Jeremy's Heirloom but it suddenly became about JeremyCooks. It was if my brain and my heart were having a fierce battle for control, turns out my heart was winning. So instead of sitting under a tree for 49 days it only took 48 hours of standing and talking to an audience for a total of six demonstrations to grasp the idea that JeremyCooks is apart of who I am.

I realize now that inspiring and encouraging others like you to cook and to set sail on your own culinary adventure has always been my passion. I guess what I'm trying to say is that JeremyCooks is back, in fact it never left. This website may not be around when I'm of old age but you can sure find me if you ask around for JeremyCooks, it's my past, present and future. Please join me on my journey wherever it may lead us... and come this fall it's finally taking us to culinary school.

Join the Journey & Keep on Cooking!

Jeremy

My Word

If you could only say one word for the rest of your life, what would it be? One word to sum it all up and define you. Don't linger on the logistics (i.e. it has to mean both yes, no and maybe). A word of however many characters that relates to you. I recently began asking this question to myself. I'm not sure why, it just entered my brain. I think though it may have something to do with the forthcoming changes in my life. Between graduation, leaving for school and being off on my own it's only normal. I asked this question to the others around me since I couldn't figure out my own word. The one response that I found to be most inspiring was "mille fiori" or "a thousand flowers" in Italian. It was my mom's word. There's not a whole lot of reasoning behind it, just a beautiful expression. When I say the word aloud I imagine looking at large Monet painting of a pastel colored field of flowers.
 
This past week all I did was struggle with my own word. While my friends and co-workers may have had their minds made up I was wordless. It hit me when a fellow co-worker of mine made and intriguing point. The word will change as you do and as your life enters new phases. It had made sense to me now. I was looking for an answer with an infinite amount of possibilities. There would never be just one word, there would be hundreds. So as of today my word is simmer. Why a cooking term? To you it might be, to me it's a reminder. An admonition to stop thinking about the future and to simmer in the moment. Enjoy what life has to offer today. Like standing in a field of a thousand flowers...seize the moment. Because in the blink of an eye its gone.
 
Your probably wondering what in the world does this have to do with food. Honestly it doesn't. It's just a thought that could very well be enjoyed over a meal, passed around in good company...

Jeremy

What's your word? Let's start a list below!

Lazy Man's Soup

I'm lazy on occasion. OK, I've admitted my fault. I'm ashamed of my laziness, I mean I'm 17 years old! I should be running marathons and wrestling alligators (maybe). However, with school, work, Heirloom, the book and everything in between! Oh, what a world! I shuffle myself up the steps, through the front door and onto the living room couch. I bury my face so deep into the cushions as if I'm hoping to find the lost city of Atlantis on the other side. None the less I wake up to a cup of coffee and do what needs to be done.

The subject of cooking when we're most drowsy is unthinkable. Who wants to braise, sear, and deglaze when we can't even lift a finger. Sometimes though I find a home-cooked meal to be just my cure for a little laziness. It gets me on my feet and moving about. But what's a lazy man to make? Soup is my pick me up. The other night when I felt like I had been in a lazy coma I decided to make potato soup. The recipe below is similar to a Vichyssoise but hot and with the addition of parsnips. I love parsnips in this concoction, it's almost like an air-fresher (that's parsnip scented) lingering around in hearty purée of potatoes, leeks and thyme. I paired this with a sourdough gruyere grilled cheese, an optional but highly recommended addition. Try this comfort in a bowl, it's as easy as boiling potatoes. A task even a lazy man can carry out!


Lazy Man's Soup

3-4 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 parsnips,peeled and cubed

4 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 leeks, cut in 1/2, sliced lengthwise (white part only)

1 tsp fresh thyme

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/8 tsp white pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

Place potatoes and parsnips in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook until fork tender, 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium sized sauce pot and sweat the leeks together with thyme. Drain the potatoes and parsnips and add to the leeks. Add the heavy cream, chicken stock, white pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and then purée the mixture using a blender. Season with salt and pepper.

Eat in good company,

Jeremy

What's in a Frim-Fram Sauce?

"I don't want French fried potatoes,
Red ripe tomatoes,
I'm never satisfied.
I want the frim-fram sauce with the ausen fay
With chafafah on the side."

The song "The Frim-Fram Sauce" was made famous by the late and great jazz singer  Nat "King" Cole. There's no profound metaphor within the lyrics you should be searching for. It's simply an expression for the urgent need of this imaginary sauce. If your wondering, words such as "Frim-Fram", "Chafafah" , and "Ausen Fay" are just forms of doo-wop which are popular in blues. In the song a customer sings about all the items on the menu he doesn't wish to eat such as fish cakes and rye bread or pork chops and bacon. At the end, the customer says that if you don't have the sauce just give me a bill for the water. A fitting end for a rather meaning-less song. However, it's one of my favorite tunes to listen to in the kitchen.

I decided it might be interesting to give this famous sauce some literal meaning. What if the Frim-Fram sauce really existed? I'm not to sure about Ausen Fay (which sounds like a fish to me) or Chafafah (a possible relish of some sorts). A Frim Fram could be whatever you wanted it to be, except for a sauce that already is in existence. The other night at work as I strained the short ribs, I quietly hummed the melody to myself. It had occurred to me that all the vegetables and herbs within the braising liquid where going to be tossed. The combination of veal stock soaked mirepoix, herbs, and fat was invaluable now, just as the Frim Fram sauce was meaningless. What if leftover scraps from braising liquid could be puréed and used as a flavoring agent or better yet... a sauce?

It had all made sense. I asked the chef at work if it were possible and she said it most definitely was. All chefs love to reuse scraps so therefore its not an uncommon thing to do. However, this unwanted surplus had no term or name to itself. With a heap of patriotism, I struck my culinary flag down upon the scraps and declared them my Frim-Fram sauce! Of course the moment wasn't as dramatic as I had envisioned it to be.

I spooned the now valuable castoffs into a quart sized container to bring home. Once in my laboratory of all things food, I had puréed the mixture in a food processor. It came down to a thick maroon colored paste. I could have added some beef broth to the mixture to thin it out and then ladle it across a piece of breaded veal. No, this sauce deserved to be showcased in its glorious renaissance. I found a jar of aborio rice in my small pantry and went shopping for some additional ingredients. Like a mad scientist I had created a dish worthy of a post.

Now without all the exaggerated sarcasm, I had made a Frim-Fram risotto with tandoori lamb sausage (courtesy of Whole Foods Market), crispy bacon, smoked aged Gouda, fried sage and roasted asparagus. To my family's surprise the meal was a success. A hearty dish full of robust flavors with hints of black pepper, cayenne and traces of short rib. The risotto was creamy which helped ease the sauce through its nooks and crannies. The cheese offered highlights of smoked wood that accompanied salted pieces of crisp bacon and mildly spiced lamb sausage. The dish could best be described as a déjà vou. Tasting the pulverized rib fat brings you back to the previous life of the abandoned blend.

The sauce can be taken from the remains of any stock or braising liquid (excluding bones). The recipe below can be done using beef stock instead of chicken stock but I highly recommend a Frim-Fram for this risotto.

Now it's your turn! Tell me what your Frim-Fram Sauce would be. If you send in an original recipe and photo of it usage It might just end up right here on Heirloom!

Eat in Good Company,

Jeremy

Frim-Fram Risotto

10 cups chicken stock

A few sprigs of fresh sage

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 cup bacon, chopped

1/2 cup sweet onion, diced

3 cups Aborio Rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 cups *Frim Fram sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup aged smoked gouda cheese, grated

4 links of cooked sausage of your choice (preferably spicy)

Salt and pepper taste

In a medium sized sauce pot bring the chicken stock and sage to a boil, then lower to a simmer.

In a large enameled pot over medium high heat, add just enough olive to coat the bottom. Begin to render your bacon in the pot,sitting constantly with a wooden spoon until it is brown and crisp, lower the heat. Using a slotted spoon transfer the bacon to a paper towel or bag to drain, set aside. Into the fat add the onions and sweat until tender. Add the Aborio and stir just coat. Deglaze the pot with white wine stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed. Begin to ladle the hot stock into the rice mixture until it is just submerged in liquid. Stir frequently until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, you should repeat this process 3 to 4 times.

Once the risotto is cooked thoroughly, fold in your Frim Fram sauce, bacon, butter and cheese. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a slice of cooked sausage.

* If you are not in possession of Frim Fram Sauce, simply substitute beef stock for chicken stock (optional). After all, Fram Frim is only what you make of it.

The Great Hostess

My great Aunt Lee Saias Nissim was what you called classy. She wore her hair neatly tied back in a bun, boasted a pearl necklace, and dressed in lofty fashion. She was 89 years old when she passed away last year. My nana Arlene (her niece) always speaks of her so highly and tells me how she was one of the great hostesses of her time. She was always ready to entertain company whether it be friends, family or even strangers. Lee was known to have enough food to feed an army (literally). She hosted dinner party's to sergeant's and generals at the nearby military base where she and her husband Marcel lived . Nana Arlene recalls a large white ice box coined "the coffin" in her home that was stock full of homemade meals. Like my nana she was Sephardic (Jewish Greek) and so her cooking reflected her culture. She made lemon egg drop soup, challah and babka, spinach pie, matzoh brie, and poached fish with egg sauce.

Back in 2008 she invited me to her small apartment to make spinach borekas with her. Luckily, I filmed the whole event. I remember her soft and gentle compliments as I tried my hardest to wrap the spinach stuffing in the phyllo dough. It was a true honor to cook alongside this family legend. These little triangles of heaven where always a hit at family gatherings. She also made Roscas, which are short bread rings sprinkled with sesame seeds on top. Their a sweet and simple treat to end a grand Greek meal. The recipe was given to me in a large white binder that contained her other famous dishes. The recipe and photograph collection was a momentum from the funeral my grandparents had attended. Lee's family said she would have wanted everyone to have a copy of the book so we may carry out her legacy. In order to pay tribute to the great hostess, I made her cookies for dessert the other night. As I pleaded for her help (as I trudged through the incomplete recipe), I could tell she was smiling (and laughing) at my attempt to make them. The Roscas came out just as my taste buds had recalled. Visibly smooth on the outside with an unexpected crunch on the inside. The traces of vanilla and toasted sesame linger warmly in your mouth. As good as they were, they will never be like she had made them.






By baking from the book I realized that food meant something to Aunt Lee. Food and cooking has its own personal meaning to all of us and to her it meant company. To her food brought people together, it proved we are never truly alone. Wherever food may be you always find someone to share it with. That's why Lee sought home-cooked meals as being important. It brought the family right back to her front door.

Eat in good company,

Jeremy

Aunt Lee's Roscas

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup vegetable oil

6 eggs

1 or 2 eggs for wash

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

Sesame seeds

Preheat the oven to 350F

Beat sugar and oil together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. With the mixer on low, start to incorporate one cup of flour at a time. Continue to add 5 to 6 cups until the dough is soft and pliable. Separate it into two balls of dough, then let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes.

Quarter each ball. Roll out one quarter of the dough into a log with a width of about 1 inch. Evenly cut the log into 2 inch logs. Loop each "mini" log into a small circle (like you would a bagel). With a paring knife make slits on the top of each cookie. Repeat with the remaining dough. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and brush each cookie with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

I Begin with the End

It's a question I frequently ask myself and others, what would be your last meal ? I secretly ponder the idea on a daily basis and the answer always changes. You might ask why such an inquisition? Is it because I'm preparing myself for the 2012 doomsday prediction or is just that I worry about these sort of things. The reason is simple, it's a great conversation starter or commonly known as the "ice breaker".

I trace the questions roots back to my summers at the C'est Si Bon Cooking School in Chapel Hill,NC. My mentor and friend Dorette Snover and I ask this question at the first meal we eat together with the teen chefs, who come from all over for a one week southern cooking extravaganza. It starts a waterfall of answers, more questions and controversies. Some have said they want 100 courses, some only 3 . Though some have said that there last meal wouldn't really be all that enjoyable, so it doesn't matter what they would consume in their final moments. To me it matters because food is the first and foremost thing on my brain and I sure hope it would be the last (is that troubling?). In all seriousness though I wouldn't have 100 courses or 3, I would have one thing, just one. All I ask is that I enjoy it in good company with friends and family. It would be like a potluck of final meals. So as of today, at this moment my final "dish" would be mussels meunière, a perfect way to make an exit.

Mussels were the first "exotic" thing I ever ate. I had fallen madly in love with the steaming bowl of wine drenched mollusks when my dad had offered me one when I was 8 years old. I mopped the bottom of the bowl with large torn chunks of grilled bread. When I finished, it was as if there was no mussels to begin with. The mussels had comforted me in a strange way. It was then that I had realized that food is just more then something we feed ourselves with. I had come from eating to live to living to eat. So I hope my final meal inspires you to look at food in a new light and to embark on a new culinary journey.

Now its your turn! Let's get this conversation rolling and tell me what your final meal would be. Plus if you send in a recipe with a picture and an explanation your final meal might just end up right here on Heirloom!

Eat in good company,

Jeremy




Mussels Meunière

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 lb mussels

1/2 cup white wine

8 fl oz. clam juice

5 sprigs of thyme

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 lemon, halved

Fresh parsley, chopped

Use just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large sauté pan. On medium high heat brown the garlic and shallots, be careful not to burn. Add the mussels and deglaze the pan with white wine followed by the clam juice. Nestle the sprigs of thyme on top of the mussels, give the pan a good shake, bring to a simmer and cover. Cook until all the mussels have opened, about 2-3 minutes. Uncover and add the butter giving the pan another good shake. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with a squeeze of lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately with torn chunks of good bread.

The one I'd never write

Time moves quickly. It seemed as though it was just yesterday I was holding my Buzz Lightyear lunch box walking nervously into my first day of kindergarten. Fast forward some years later and I'm standing at the threshold of adulthood in my senior year of high school.

    A few weeks ago I gazed up at the large brick building thinking to myself how long I've waited for this moment, the day I would find myself face to face with the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY. l dreamed about the day I would begin a new chapter in my life here at this school, I never saw it any other way.  Although much of my life has been filled with the unexpected (in a good way), there was always the CIA. It was the one certainty that guided me all of these years. I knew that when I graduated high school there was no where else I wanted to be. It was "get through 18 years of life and then attend the CIA".

  

In the beginning of November my parents and I traveled to New York City. Arriving at LaGuardia Airport we took a cab to Grand Central station and then took a 90 minute train ride on "the Hudson River line" (Billy Joel fans). The trees had changed colors, snow still remained on the ground and the river's water lay clear and still like a mirror.  After an enjoyable scenic trip we pulled into the Poughkeepsie train station, the last stop on the line. We were whisked away to the school pulling up to a large green street sign that read "The Culinary Institute of America" (I finally made it). As we pulled around the bend of snow covered trees a grand brick building came into view. The cab drove to the admissions office where we were greeted by my newest CIA friend Susan Lavender, Manager of Recruitment.  Susan treated us to a fabulous locally sourced, sustainable meal at St. Andrews Restaurant (which is one of the 5 on campus). All the restaurants at the CIA are run by students including the front and back of the house. Our lunch menu consisted of mussels with a duck sausage, a cheese board, roasted squash and beet salad, and a gargenelli Mac and cheese. A large kitchen window showcased the students working together.
   

After the meal we began our tour. Our first stop was Roth Hall which is the schools iconic main building. We walked through the corridors and scaled the grand staircases having an opportunity to see classes that were taking place with students wearing spotless white chef uniforms. With every corner we turned we were greeted by the aroma’s of the sauces and stocks being made.  We traveled beneath the school and visited a class that butchers all the fish for the school. Old French food posters lined the hallways that transported me back to the 1920's. Three hours later our tour had ended back at the admissions office. I was so overwhelmed with joy, excitement and nerves, I was speechless (a rarity for me). Call me over dramatic but I felt like I had finally found where I belonged, a place where everyone spoke the same language and had a passion for the same thing. It's what I had been searching for since I was nine years old.

    Before we left for home I submitted my application knowing that this is where I need to be. I then stopped to breathe and realized I would have to write this post, the one I'd never thought I'd write. You see it’s like when you were in kindergarten looking up at the High Schooler's, you knew that one day you’ll get there but just never saw yourself in their shoes.

    In just a few months I'll be ending a chapter in my life and starting a brand new one. Like my mom said when I was 12 years old “keep following your dreams because when one door closes, another one opens". If I hadn't followed those words my present and future might have turned out completely different.

Here’s to a new door, and a new chapter.

Oh! By the way, I've been accepted....

Keep on cooking!!

Steak and Siblings

 I've never mentioned my older brother here on JC.com. You should know his name is Jordan. He's always been my opposite, I like Sinatra, he likes Rap. He drinks Coke, I drink water. He enjoys planes and cars and I enjoy new kitchen equipment. Put our differences aside and you'll find our mutual love for creativity and art. Jordan is a wonderful artist (not to mention rapper). He's currently attending Art School for illustration and graphic design. One thing I've admired most about my brother is his view on life. He never fails to bring out the belly laugh of the 8-year old  boy inside of me. When you're around him, you’re smile will never touch the ground. He's always open to exploring the uncharted and mysterious, which brings me to my brothers eating habits.

The Salmon found my Swing

Since summer has ended, I think I've lost my "swing". I attend school 5 days a week, work at a Bistro 4 days, complete homework, writing a book, spend time with loved ones and sleep somewhere in between it all. No one said this journey was going to be easy, so I guess I had it coming. I haven't returned to my journal in weeks and for that I feel guilty. To be honest I felt like I've had no time for JeremyCooks anymore, let alone a social life. I've caught the infamous case of "Senioritis",  when senior pride results in a year of being lazy. In school, with each available  chance I seize the opportunity to lay my head down on a big comfy textbook. One of those recent  moments resulted in my daydream of a salmon (YES a salmon!).

Recipe Rhyme Challenge

What if a recipe was read like a poem? Each ingredient rhyming with the next step. It's intertwined through a story told through imagination or a first hand experience. That would be some recipe! I was intrigued by this idea and decided to give it a try. I couldn't do something like this by myself though. I called in the help of my friend Dorette Snover chef, writer and blogger of "Planting Cabbages". The site focuses on the life, stories, food and travel of Dorette. We both decided to challenge our readers with this idea.

Teen Chefs & Dorette (lower left) Summer 2010

Starting today, you (our loyal readers) can participate in the Recipe Rhyme Challenge. By September 25th 2011, we are asking for a submission of your recipe in the form of a poem. Here are the guidelines

-Use as many words and stanzas as it takes
-It can be of any length
-The recipe can be yours, from a book, tv, or online
-It can be in the form of a traditional poem, haiku,soliloquy, sonnet, ballad, prose you name it!
-Please provide a title and your name
-If you are able to, we would love to see pictures along with the poem
-Measurements are not required. We should be able to interpret what your making.

You may submit your poem through email here at JeremyCooks or at Planting Cabbage's. Below is my example of a recipe rhyme. You can also find Dorette's example on her blog as well.

Me and Dorette

For I am the Potato

For I am the potato, he yelled aloud!
Peel me, peel me, round and round
Then cube me, dice me, and pass me down

For I am the parsnip, he said right back!
I am the bleached carrot, sweet and feisty
Now peel me, slice me, cut me thick
Lay in me in the water, cold and icy

Both starches began to shout
As they rustled and hustled in the pan about
Double double boil and trouble
Until soft and tender they both come out

Little did they know while they fought it out
A perfect combination was stirring about
Velvet cream and rich mighty butter
Sank into a creamy dreamy puddle

The starches had had it, they were pushed to a sweat
So they decided to cool it out on the deck
As they drained and steamed they had one last swing
So they made it right back, back into the ring

They mashed and thrashed all over the thing
They pounded and hounded a little more
But now they knew there was much more in store

Down came the creamy potion
As if it were in slow motion
It seeped into every corner
Bringing the starches ever warmer

For now they were one
A soft cloud like mixture
Definitely an intriguing fixture

Both apologized to one another
They acted like fools to each other
But over the side came a peculiar thing
For I am the scallion, the green onion ring!

The three most outstanding poems will be featured on both JeremyCooks and Planting Cabbages. Remember submissions are due September 25th so start your stoves and get rhyming!

If you have questions please feel free to email Dorette and I.

info@JeremyCooks.com & dosnover@aol.com

Planting Cabbages: Recipe Rhyme Challenge

Keep on Cooking!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Table Talk: "What defines a Chef"

 I recently stumbled upon an interesting read. A post on the James Beard Food Conference website brought about a thought provoking question. What defines a Chef? According to the writer, who asks the question is there a distinction between Chef and Celebrity?
    First, the topic is quite misleading. A Chef is not defined by whether they are in front of the camera or behind the stove. In my opinion a Chef is defined by their characteristics. A person who is first and foremost passionate about the lore of food and cooking. A chef is excited to enter their kitchen, awaiting the expected and unforeseen challenges of the day. They are also leaders and teachers. Once one masters such traits he/she has earned the title of Chef and it should not matter whether they are in front of a camera or not. Of course having the ability to handle food and work in a kitchen under heat and pressure is an expected requirement.
    There are a handful of true Chefs that put their name in the spotlight, although sometimes they risk damaging their reputation. Some examples of Chefs who have successfully gained celebrity are Giada De Laurenttis, Rocco Dispirito, Duff Goldman, and Anthony Bourdain. Giada is a trained Chef who studied at Le Cordon Bleu Paris. She worked under Wolfgang Puck and was a personal chef for many years. Rocco Dispirito, CIA alumni and youngest to ever graduate, showcases his talents in both restaurants and TV. Duff Goldman, also a CIA graduate worked at the French Laundry straight out of school!  Although he's hung his days of professional cooking up, Anthony Bourdain is still considered a Chef. All of these examples are true chefs that have or had the best of both worlds and have maintained respect and authenticity.
    The worlds most admired chefs are celebrities, are they not?. Two of our country’s most renowned Chefs, Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud (who had his own TV show!) have often shown their faces on the screen.  Does being celebrity Chef make one any more or less genuine Chef. Just something to think about though. What do you think defines Chef? Let me know.

Keep on Cooking!!


        

Food in the eye of the beholder

                                                                                                                                                 ©Carl Warner

Food is so many things in our world. It's a way of communication, it's a career choice, a
passion, but its also an art. You might hear the phrase "chefs are artists and the plate is their canvas". Let's take that saying and bring it to a new extreme. For British artist Carl Warner it's his job to hang his food in a gallery. To Warner a bed of smoked salmon is no topping for capers, eggs, and onions. Its the ocean for his tropical "foodscape". When a chef looks at a block of aged Parmesan he may think about grating it or using the rind in a stock.  When Warner looks at a block of aged Parmesan he sees the walls of Italian villas. Warner is known worldwide for creating these dream like food filled  landscapes. A world wrapped in prosciutto and a sky filled of vegetable hot air balloons  comes straight out of a fairytale. As a unique photographer, Carl likes to trick the eye. At first sight you may think your gazing at a magnificent mountain but if you dig a little deeper you'll find yourself looking at a mountain of potatoes.

                                                                                                                                     ©Christopher Boffoli

To Christopher Boffoli it's a very small world, of tiny people and mountain high food. Boffoli takes food to a whole new scale with his food filled world of photography. Check out the radiologists examining the burnt sugar topping of the creme brûlée or  watch the construction workers as they saw their way through chocolate. A cup of tea easily becomes a beverage sized adventure for two scuba drivers. Boffloli took his love of art and fascination with scales between people and objects and designed a fun metropolis for the everyday food lover.

For Warner and Boffoli it takes a lot of patience to design and pick the freshest produce. According to several interviews it can take days to setup something that seems so simple on camera. If you enjoyed the artwork here and find yourself wanting more food art just do some research and you'll find many other food artist like Warner and Boffoli. Be warned though, you may find yourself eating the art.

Keep on Cooking!

Check out Carl Warner at http://www.carlwarner.com/"
Check out Christopher Boffoli food at http://cjboffoli.500px.com/disparity/

Cooking in the Moment: A Look @ the Book

I always wished more people could get to know the great food crafters behind the small town of Chapel Hill, NC. Every summer I spend there is like a trip to Oz (at least for me). Except instead of an emerald city its a green city full of kale, Swiss chard, green tomatoes, herbs and so much more. Their yellow brick road is paved with summer squash and the streets are lined with farmers markets.  The characters are pulled strait out of a book. Their kind qualities and appreciation for the lore of food shines through their warm smiles.

    Cooking in the Moment by Chef Andrea Reusing is a remarkably colorful book
that takes the reader on a season-to season stroll through the small town of Chapel Hill. Andrea is the owner and Chef at one of Chapel Hills most talked about restaurants'. The Lantern serves food that has it's roots in the southern fields with some Asian crops thrown in. Unlike other fusion restaurants Andrea does it exceptionally well, with comfort food spiced with familiar and unfamiliar Asian ingredients. In addition to her incredible restaurant stands her 2011 James Beard award for the best Southeast chef in the country!
    The book starts in Spring with an entry that begins on a Saturday morning at the end of March. Andrea expresses her feelings for the moments best, broccoli and cauliflower. A bundle gently wrapped in leaves is only $10 dollars but will be the base for many meals that week. Cathy Jones of Perry-Winkle Farms has the spotlight in this entry (as many farmers throughout the book do). She offers Andrea some of the best broccoli, in which she uses to make a Sunday lunch. The following page holds a recipe for cauliflower gratin with aged raw milk cheese. This recipe showcases the minimal ingredients used throughout the book with more attention put on the quality of the seasons produce. Spring continues to offer vegetables that are at their peak such as carrots, asparagus and shitake mushrooms. Spring recipes include roast fresh ham with cracklings, Cast-iron-skillet fresh trout with cornmeal, hen and dumplings and rhubarb ginger sorbet.
    Summer opens the next chapter with a large photo of soft-shell crabs (so you know your in for a treat). Another photo has Andrea and her guests sitting at a long table with crabs, bowls of butter, beer, potatoes and corn. Summer offers cherries, corn, tomatoes and peppers (just to name a few). Andrea is kind enough to share lessons in salt-marinating, pickling, and roasting chestnuts. The book provides full page photos on various heirloom tomatoes and apples! 
    Local farmers are featured throughout the book and so are their specialties. This is one of the reasons the book is close to my heart. Andrea writes about my friends Ben and Noah from Fickle Creek Farm and their incredible property. I still dream about their creamy colored eggs. Flo and Portia make some of the best cheese around at Chapel Hill Creamery (I recommend their Hickory Grove). Even the local markets I go to with Dorette and Rich on weekends are featured. Carrboro Farmers market is a favorite of mine and if your looking for great beef head over to Cliff's Meat Market which Andrea enjoys often.
    There's a tornado that comes to whisk me away every summer. I'm always greeted by the sweet smells of honeysuckle and sounds of goats grazing in the fields near by. There may not be munchkins or ruby red slippers, but that just ensures me that Chapel Hill is very real and no dream to wake up from.  Cooking in the Moment is a delicious wholesome book that foodies alike should all indulge their senses into.

Keep on Cooking!!!

Preview "Jeremy's Kitchen to Table Experience"

This coming Saturday, July 30th I will be hosting my first Kitchen to Table Experience at Whole Foods Market in Boca Raton, FL. I'm really excited to be able to work with families in a fun and exciting new way.  

The KITCHEN and DINNER TABLE are where family and friends gather around to create delicious FOOD and great CONVERSATION.  Participants will work together to prepare and cook a seasonally inspired meal!

The Menu:
Corn & Okra Fritters with Tarragon Aioli, Grilled Summer Squash & Mint Salad
Snapper en Papillote with a Shallot & Caper Butter Sauce, Sauteed Swiss Chard
Basil & Lemon Granita with Fresh Berries.

Here are a few preview photo's to wet your appetite. I'll make sure to post photo's and a blog after the event.

Keep on Cooking!!!

Jeremy

 

The stories in the cookie jar

 I've never truly been alone in my kitchen, I always have had the company of the cookie jars. Their big eyes, tall hats, and large bellies have watched me grow up. They've seen our Holiday dinners and listened to our laughs and secrets. My mom brought up an interesting topic the other day. She spoke about how she adores the mystery of a cookie jar. All the ones gathered in our home are antiques (that mom has collected) and have been heirlooms of other families. My favorite jar rests on the right hand side of the shelf. It bears a child's face that wears a big old fireman's hat labeled "cookies". He's looking into the corner with a lipstick red smile that never fades. His pale face blushes which makes him look like a giant peach. His features may be memorable but what's his story, what's really in the jar?