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Monday, September 16, 2013

Individual Apple Crisp Recipe

Last week I got a shipment of SweeTango apples to try. New varieties of apples appear up now and again and the SweeTango is a relatively new one that's harvested the end of August and beginning of September. It's a very pretty apple with a bright mix of golden green and bright red. The SweeTango is a cross between a Honeycrisp and a Zestar apple. Honeycrisp is sweet and crisp and Zestar is juicy and zesty. The cross is a very good eating apple but you can use it for cooking too. It's a juicy apple so it doesn't need additional liquid and is best for recipes that are fairly quick cooking because it gets very soft when cooked.  The SweeTango is perfect for apple crisp, which is super easy to make, easier than pie or even a cobbler. It's the kind of thing that takes only minutes to prepare, then you can pop it in the oven after or even during dinner. The smell of apples, butter and cinnamon might be the best thing about autumn.  If you've ever ordered a...
Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Chef Marc Forgione & Chef Michelle Bernstein Cooking Demo

The America's Cup has come to town, and that doesn't just mean sailing, but also parties. And chefs. And plenty of food and drink. Nespesso is one of the sponsors and they have been hosting some very exclusive events. I've not been invited to anything by Nespresso, but I did get a chance to catch a demo with two chefs who were flown into town for a Nespresso event.  I've been a big fan of Michelle Bernstein ever since I dined at her restaurant Michy's in Miami. Marc Forgione is also on my radar, though I have yet to make it to any of his restaurants, they are definitely on my list to try. Both chefs are also part of Macy's Culinary Council so naturally they did a demo at Macy's using Nespresso coffee, of course.  Forgione, inspired by the classic Reuben sandwich, created a dish of swordfish, fennel kraut/slaw, grain mustard, coffee and wild juniper smoke. He used Nespresso Rosabaya coffee in his spice rub with cumin, black pepper, chili an...
Monday, September 09, 2013

Savory Roasted Pears Recipe

I am an impatient person. I hate to wait. While some of the pears my mother gave me from her trees are ripe, others are not. Is there something you can do with not quite ripe pears? Yes! I discovered you can roast them.  Pears are sometimes added to savory dishes to add juice and moisture, or to make a sauce. My idea with this recipe was to make a side dish, something that could be served with pork chops, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, sausages, tossed with salad greens, on top of a pizza or maybe even used in a sandwich. Most recipes for roast pears call for pear halves or quarters, but dicing them just means they cook faster. You could also include pears with potatoes, parsnips, onions, beets or other similar vegetables that are good for roasting.  I really love the silky texture of cooked pears. The flavor intensifies too, which is why pears are so good in cakes and tarts. But you can get the same texture and flavor by roasting pears without baking them in a batter or cr...
Friday, September 06, 2013

Free Italian Cooking Classes & Dinner in San Francisco

Next week there are a number of spaces still open at the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco for free pasta classes with the "pasta sommelier" of Delverde pasta. Check the schedule , choose a class and register. The dishes being served are:  - pasta salad with eggplant, rocket, crispy bread and Pecorino cheese - vegetarian pasta with egg - mushrooms and leeks pasta stirred with a Ricotta cheese and thyme sauce - salad pasta with pesto, zucchini and crispy ham - sausage pasta with sun dried tomatoes, black olives, capers and onions - cheese and pepper pasta sauce with a mint aroma Tickets are FREE!  On Wednesday September 11th I'll be one of the judges along with my friend and colleague Viola Buitoni of Italy’s famed Buitoni pasta making family, at the IMAF Chef's Cup . It's the grand finale of a competition between Michelin starred Italian chefs Rosanna Marziale and Stefano Cerveni of Le due Colombe a Corte Franca. The two c...