Non-fat Greek Yogurt Review

Today I ate six containers of Greek yogurt. Ok, not really. I tasted six different brands of Greek yogurt. You can probably find Greek yogurt in your local supermarket, its become increasingly available in the United States over the past few years (I've been told it's still a bit hard to find in parts of Canada).

First of all, let me clear something up, the Greek yogurt you find in the US is not yogurt from Greece. All the brands I found were produced domestically. Greek yogurt is strained and some of the whey is removed, so it's thicker than typical yogurt. It's dense and creamy, buttery in flavor and higher in fat. But there are also non-fat and low-fat Greek yogurts. You can use the yogurt in place of sour cream, with granola and/or fruit, drizzled with honey or a dollop of jam or preserves. It's also used in lots of Greek recipes.

The good news is, that all the full fat Greek yogurt I tried was absolutely delicious. You really can't go wrong with the full fat versions when it comes to flavor and texture. Choose something that is organic, or comes from milk from cows not treated with rGBH if you prefer.

The bad news? All Greek yogurt is substantially more expensive than regular yogurt and higher in fat as well. You can make Greek style yogurt by draining conventional yogurt (with live active cultures) with cheesecloth or a yogurt strainer. But perhaps you are wondering, as I was, are the non-fat varieties worth buying? Here are my ratings of the non-fat varieties:

★ Brown Cow
Almost sour in flavor, the texture is soft, but not very thick or creamy. Flavor is good. Recommended

Chobani
Very thick, unpleasant chalky texture, mild flavor. Not recommended

★★★ Fage
Tangy, very thick, creamy, very slight chalky aftertaste. Recommended

Greek Gods
This yogurt had the funkiest flavor of them all, soft, not terribly thick and a bit sour. Not recommended

★★ Oikos
Creamy texture, mildly tangy and light. Recommended

Voskos
Very tangy, chalky, more like sour cream. Not recommended, my least favorite

Notes:

A tiny bit of honey improved all the non-fat varieties of yogurt balancing some of the acidity.

The yogurt develops a more tangy flavor the longer you keep it.

The percentage of fat and number of calories vary on the full or low fat varieties of Greek yogurt, check the labels.

Greek Gods was my favorite of the full fat varieties. Fage was also outstanding.

Chobani flavored yogurts were very good, I especially liked the pomegranate flavor. Because the flavorings are on bottom, you can mix in as much or as little as you like.

Ready to try?
Coupon available for free sample of Chobani
Coupons available for Oikos, after registering at Stonyfield

Oikos and Chobani were provided to me as product samples, the rest I purchased.

Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook Review

On the TV show Top Chef, contestants create dishes to impress the judges often with limited resources of time or money or ingredients. From a viewer's perspective, the biggest problem with the show is that you can't taste the food. Still I love it. Perhaps it's because I enjoy the challenging aspects of cooking--like every other home cook, I am challenged to use what ingredients I have and the techniques I know, to cook something delicious, day after day, night after night.

Sometimes I wonder if I would agree with the judges. And I wonder how good those cooked-in-a-flash dishes with barely any ingredients really taste. I may never bother cooking something sous vide, break down an entire side of beef or serve 200 guests in one evening, but I'm happy to say I can now duplicate various dishes presented in the quickfire challenges on Top Chef thanks to Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook.

Top Chef: The Quickfire Challenge Cookbook features mostly recipes that home cooks can easily duplicate. They don't take much time or many exotic ingredients. Some of them are straight forward like Mia's Bean Salad that's basically three bean salad with a few twists--fresh mint, capers, canned beets and artichoke hearts all served over salad greens. Other dishes are more sophisticated like Jennifer's Shrimp and Scallop Beignets. There are desserts, breakfast dishes, salads, entrees, soups and even a few cocktails. Recently I got a chance to try Jamie's Chickpea Soup and it was divine. It's flavored with vadouvan (or use curry) and topped with a cilantro, mint and lemon zest spiked yogurt.

There are lots of fun features that will appeal to Top Chef fans in the book, little inside peeks at the filming, contestants and chances to test your foodie IQ. Something I especially like are the detailed instructions on some "molecular gastronomy" style dishes and flourishes you can make at home. Andrew's Faux Caviar made from tapioca pearls seasoned with balsamic vinegar and soy sauce is top on my list to try! So too are Stephanie's White Ale-Orange Juice Mussels, Radhika's Kebab Sausage with Tomato Jam and Hung's Chocolate Pie with Bananas.

Top Chef: The Quickfire Challenge Cookbook is just a tremendously accessible and fun book to dig into. It's perfect for fans of the show or anyone wanting to try to add a bit more flair to their cooking. Best of all, you can get a chance to win a copy of this book signed by chef contestants Jennifer Biesty, Ryan Scott and Jamie Lauren along with a salt cellar, a selection of Diamond Crystal® kosher, coarse and fine sea salt, a $25 CHEFS gift certificate, a signed copy of Michael Symon's Live to Cook, as well as Good Eats: The Early Years, Top Chef: The Cookbook and Top Chef Quickfire Challenge Game. How can you win this fabulous prize package ? By bidding on it over at the Menu for Hope campaign.

To bid on this prize package, go to the donation site at Firstgiving, specify prize code UW21 in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation and how many tickets you'd like to purchase, keeping in mind that tickets are $10 each and all proceeds go towards the UN World Food Programme. The Menu for Hope bidding ends December 31st, 2009, so don't be left out!

Note: This prize package, worth more than $200, is available to anyone with a United States shipping address.

Hope for the Holidays

This week my parent's gardener showed up asking if he could do some work, because he needed money. And by the way, he asked, could he have something to eat? Not only did he not have work, he was hungry. My parents gave him some work and made him two sandwiches, one for now and one for later. They may not be rich, but they do have plenty to eat.

Imagine not having the energy to look for work because you haven't eaten anything. Imagine looking for work anyway. Imagine not having enough food to feed yourself or worse, your family.

In your own community, no matter where you live, there are people struggling to put food on the table. There is no greater gift than to help those in need. Are you looking for a last minute gift? How about making a donation to your local food bank in the name of a friend or family member? Or make a donation to the Menu for Hope and help someone to provide for their family in the coming year. It doesn't matter which prize you choose, because it's not really about the prizes.

A couple of months ago after my trip to General Mills I received a huge box of food--cans of soup, cereal, granola bars, coupons for yogurt and more. I packed it up and took it all to the food bank. I cannot tell you how it good it felt. I'm guessing your pantry, like mine, is full. If you can't give money, please consider giving food to a local food bank.

Here's hoping you and everyone around the world has a very happy and plentiful holiday.

love,

Amy

Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter & Hazelnuts Recipe

If Lee had to choose one vegetable for the rest of his life, it would be brussels sprouts. Winter is not my favorite time of year when it comes to fresh produce, but I have to admit, it is partially redeemed simply because it's brussels sprout season.

Like so many other vegetables, brussels sprouts benefit from roasting. They turn brown and the textural contrast of tender and chewy with a bit of crusty crunch is ever so satisfying. When it come to flavor, brussels sprouts are very mild when roasted and can go in many delicious directions. I like them with salty capers, olives and olive oil or with bacon and balsamic vinegar or with chili flakes and parmesan. Think of them like a slightly sweet canvas to paint with flavor. For Thanksgiving I worked on a variation of brussels sprouts with brown butter and hazelnuts. The combination was good, yet missing something. Acid. Just a bit of zesty lemon peel gives this dish the boost it needs.

When making something with brown butter it's important to use regular unsalted butter, not European style butter. It's the milk solids that brown giving food a toasty nutty flavor. You can cook in brown butter or just drizzle it over your finished dish. Either way it's a nice change of pace from my go-to favorite flavorful fat--olive oil.

There are lots of expensive specialty butters available in the store these days. For cooking I sometimes use organic butter, other times European style butter, but either way I prefer to use butter from cows not treated with the synthetic hormone rbST, such as Challenge Dairy butter. Challenge Dairy is currently sponsoring a sweepstake where you can win an all-included luxury vacation getaway to Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Montana’s Paradise Valley, just North of Yellowstone National Park. Enter before December 31, 2009.

Brussels Sprouts with Brown Butter & HazelnutsServes 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup raw hazelnuts (not roasted), chopped
Scant 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Rind of one lemon, finely grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place butter in a small saucepan and carefully heat over medium heat until the butter is melted, browned and fragrant, about 3 minutes. In a large bowl, toss brussels sprouts and hazelnuts with the browned butter, salt and pepper. Place brussels sprouts mixture in a single layer on a non-stick sheet pan (or sheet pan lined with foil or a Silpat). Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Toss and continue roasting until the sprouts are tender and browned but not mushy, about 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and toss in a large bowl with lemon rind. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Vita-Mix Blender Review

I've longed for a Vita-Mix blender ever since I saw them being used on various competitive cooking shows, such as Top Chef and Iron Chef, so I jumped when I was offered the chance to review one. Frankly I was curious to see if I could make velvety soups and sauces like the ones I've had at restaurants but sometimes found difficult to recreate at home. I'm happy to say, the Vita-Mix gave me excellent results. I put it to the test making potato soup, butternut squash soup and mole sauce. I have also made countless smoothies with very good results. You can get creamy textures using a blender but not the super smooth luscious creaminess you will achieve using the Vita-Mix.

At first I thought perhaps the larger size of the jar would make it difficult to blend small quantities but I didn't find that to be true at all. The base of the jar is larger, but the blades are flatter, and don't stick up quite so vertically as they do in a conventional blender. I have had very good results making small batches of things like pesto, peanut butter and even whipped cream. In addition to peanut butter, whipped cream and butter you can also make all kinds of tapenades and pastes in the Vita-Mix.

Because the blades heat up after a few minutes, you can also make things like ready-to-eat soups and sauces in the Vita-Mix, if you like. Personally I still prefer to cook using the stove, but it is a fun thing to try and could come in handy now and then.

Do I love the Vita-Mix blender? Yes! Do I use regularly? Yes, I do! Is it better than my old Osterizer blender? Yes! There is no comparison.

Strengths
Power--First and foremost this is an incredibly powerful machine that doesn't just puree but actually pulverizes. The speed tops out at 240 mph. Little seeds in fruit are blasted into practically dust. No more gritty strawberry smoothies!

Light jar--The BPA-free plastic jar is large yet easy to lift because it is not made of glass. The jar is also is very easy to wash and keep clean.

Size--It's taller but not that much wider than a regular blender. l leave mine out on the counter.

Tamper--The Vita-Mix comes with a tamper to help push stuff down in the jar while you are blending. I hate stopping and scraping and with the Vita-Mix you stop and scrape a lot less.

Design--The sleek design and lack of buttons makes it easy to clean.

Texture--You can get great thick textures from this machine. The included recipes for "ice cream" are really combinations of frozen fruit and milk, but they blend to a very dense consistency when you blend them in the Vita-Mix.

Smoothies--Not only can you make fruit smoothies but you can also make vegetable or green smoothies. Also when you add ice to a regular blender you get a chunky texture, not so with the Vita-Mix. Crushed ice becomes very fine and silky.

Raw--Want to try making raw recipes like vegetable hummus, raw nut cheeses, creams and milk? The Vita-Mix allows you to get the texture you'll want for these types of recipes.

Quiet--You might think it would be noisy, but it's surprisingly quiet.

Weaknesses

Grinding--The 5200 model is not intended be used for grinding grains. There is a separate container and blades for this, but wouldn't it be great if you could do it all in one? If you do try grinding grains you are warned that you may mar the appearance of the jar.

One appliance that replaces many--After using the Vita-Mix for a couple of months, I have to say, it doesn't take the place of my Cuisinart food processor. I prefer the food processor for shredding, and for making pie crust and pasta dough. It does chop vegetables more evenly than the food processor, but I generally don't use either appliance for that task.

Ice cream--Countless videos and recipes say you can make ice cream with the Vita-Mix. You cannot. You can make a very thick and creamy dessert with fruit, milk and ice. But really, that is not the same as ice cream!

Cookbook--The cookbook that comes with the Vita-Mix is fine for learning the basics, but it's not very inspirational. I recommend checking out recipes from professional chefs and bartenders.

Cost--I love high quality appliances, but they do come with a hefty price tag. Is it worth $449? That's a tough call, however it does come with a full 7-year warranty and you can return it within 30 days for a full refund if you decide you don't want it. I think those who will get the most use out of the Vita-Mix are people who either make a lot of smoothies or are interested in experimenting with raw food.

Note: I was sent the Vita-Mix 5200 to review by the manufacturer

Why do YOU cook, Allison Arevalo?

Photo credit: Allison Arevalo
Have you discovered Local Lemons yet? Blogger Allison Arevalo is a New York transplant and perhaps that is why she embraces the local Bay Area food scene with such enthusiasm. She's been blogging less than a year, but her writing is already finding a home in print and beyond. She makes food that looks and sounds soul satisfying whether she's making Duck Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Cranberries or her own high caliber everything-from-scratch version of a Big Mac. Her food blog is focused on sustainable living but without a hint of attitude or fundamentalism. Plus you have to love it when she improves upon potato pancakes by adding Italian sausage and leeks and topping them with poached eggs!

"I never really thought about it. But now that you ask, it feels like hundreds of reasons are floating in my mind, justifying the insanely long hours I seem to spend in the kitchen. If I had to name a few, let’s start with these:

I cook because I love the feel of food in my hands. The smooth skin of kneaded dough, the beaded florets on a crown of broccoli, the sticky reside of chopped garlic cloves.

I cook because it makes me feel creative. Mashing spices, blending flavors, giving a traditional recipe my unique touch.

I cook because it’s my contribution. Something I can give my friends and family to enjoy, and hopefully put a smile on their face.

I cook because it comes naturally to me. And we all tend to gravitate toward innate talents or abilities.

I cook because it keeps me sane. The rituals of the kitchen help me unwind from a crazy day at work, or the two-hour traffic jam, or the bills on the counter.

I cook because it connects me with my past. I envision my great-grandmother, who taught me the value of fresh foods, preparing meals similar to mine when she was growing up in Italy.

I cook because chemicals, hormones and pesticides scare me. When I cook something myself, I know what I am eating and where it came from.

I cook because I think about food all day long. From the moment I open my eyes until my last bite of dinner, and if my day doesn’t involve something good to eat, it’s just not a good day."

But mainly, I cook because I love it, and because it makes me who I am."

Menu for Hope 6: Top Chef/Iron Chef

Are you or someone you know addicted to Top Chef and Iron Chef America? If so, this prize package is just for you:

Season your way to good taste with Diamond Crystal® kosher, coarse and fine sea salt and put to use that iconic salt cellar you've seen Alton Brown using on Good Eats. Use a $25 CHEFS gift certificate to purchase anything else you might need, then cook like the chefs with signed copies of Michael Symon's Live to Cook and Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook (signed by chefs Jen Biesty, Jamie Lauren and Ryan Scott ). You'll also get a copy of Good Eats: The Early Years, Top Chef: The Cookbook and Top Chef Quickfire Challenge Game to keep you busy until next season.

WHY IS SALT SO IMPORTANT?
Perhaps you've noticed a lack of salt or too much salt is often a crucial element in the judging of chefs on Top Chef and Iron Chef America. Chefs like Alton Brown and Michael Symon know that to bring out the true flavor of food, you have to know how to use that simple, but key ingredient – salt. Endorsed by the American Culinary Federation, Diamond Crystal® kosher salt is a favorite of professional and home chefs alike. Its distinct pyramid- and multifaceted-shaped crystals allow for controlled seasoning, provide excellent skickability and give food a natural burst of flavor. Diamond Crystal® sea salt is an all-natural sea salt from the shores of the Pacific available in coarse and fine varieties.

To learn more about cooking with salt, visit Salt 101, an interactive experience where Alton Brown shares culinary wisdom and practical tips.
Note: Alton Brown uses his fingers to pinch the salt, not the spoon that comes with the salt server. You should do the same.

TELL ME AGAIN, WHAT'S IN THE PRIZE PACKAGE?
Diamond Crystal® kosher, coarse and fine sea salt
Alton Brown salt cellar
$25 CHEFS gift certificate
Signed copy of Michael Symon's Live to Cook
Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook, signed by chefs Jen Biesty, Jamie Lauren and Ryan Scott
Good Eats: The Early Years
Top Chef: The Cookbook
Top Chef Quickfire Challenge Game

HOW CAN I WIN?
This prize package, worth more than $200, is available to anyone with a United States shipping address. The prize code is UW21.

To bid on this prize package, UW21 or any of the items offered by foodies around the world, here is what you need to do:

1. If you don't want this prize, go to Menu for Hope at Chez Pim or Gluten Free Girl to find more prizes.

2. Once you know the code for the prize you'd like, go to the donation site at Firstgiving and make a donation.

3. Please specify which bid item you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per bid item; please use the bid item code.

Each $10 you donate will give you one ticket toward a bid item of your choice. For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02 -- 2xEU01, 3xEU02. Remember! The prize code for the Top Chef/Iron Chef prize is UW21.

4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we can claim the corporate match.

5. Please check the box to allow us to see your email address so that we can contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

6. The raffle will continue until December 25th. Winners will be announced in January.

WHAT IS MENU FOR HOPE ANYWAY?
Menu for Hope is an annual fundraiser for the UN World Food Programme. Each December, food bloggers from all over the world join the campaign by offering a delectable array of food-related prizes for the Menu for Hope raffle. Anyone – and that means you too - can buy raffle tickets to bid on these prizes. For every $10 donated, you earn one virtual raffle ticket to bid on a prize of their choice. At the end of the two-week campaign, the raffle tickets are drawn and the results announced on Chez Pim.

THANKS!
My sincere thanks to Chronicle Books, Clarkson Potter and Diamond Crystal® .

Cookbooks by Friends & Bloggers I Know

This year a number of my friends and fellow bloggers wrote books. I will not pretend to be unbiased when it comes to these books. I wish the authors much success! Here is a list of the books that I got a chance to review and enjoy:


L.A.'s Original Farmers Market Cookbook
My friend JoAnn Cianciulli wrote this terrific book with profiles of the vendors at the market at 3rd and Fairfax. Having visited the market I fell in love with the book. JoAnn is a fabulous storyteller and having written several cookbooks she knows how recipes work. Another reason why I love this book is the variety of recipes. There are dishes from all over the world yet the ingredients and instructions are very straightforward. I've made the crepes and the spiced nuts, both are winners. You could cook out of this book for a year and never get bored, you'll find everything from Seafood Gumbo, Kalbi, Tuna Sambal, Leek and Goat Cheese Quiche, to Almond Horns and Banana Cream Pie. If you love street food, this cookbook will really appeal to you.


Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned
I feel very fortunate to have gotten to know Elizabeth Karmel this year. She is smart, funny and a very talented cook and restaurateur. I am not much of griller, but I turned to her book time and again for marinades and sauces. You will never buy a premade spice rub after trying her recipes for Hot & Sticky BBQ Rub or her Original Three Ingredient Rub. I also learned the proportions for making excellent compound butter from her book. With or without a grill, the vinaigrettes, pestos, butters, rubs, sauces, marinades and more make this a super handy reference.


Asian Dumplings
I am extremely lucky to live in San Francisco where I can get an staggering array of Asian dumplings, morning noon or night. A good thing, because I sometimes think I could subsist only on noodles and dumplings. Andrea Nguyen has written a book that will demystify making dumplings at home. I feel terrible for not yet having tried any of her recipes, but if you live in a place where Asian dumplings are not readily available, this will be your go to guide to making them. And really, wouldn't it be fun to throw a dumpling party and have a bunch of friends over to make them, eat them and take some home?


Tequila
In the course of my writing for Cheers magazine I have talked to quite a few bartenders and beverage managers and they have all told me that tequila is where it's at. Vodka is passe, gin is well established, but tequila has a range of styles and flavor profiles that don't only get bartenders excited but cooks like me and seasoned chefs like my friend Joanne Weir. Joanne gathered cocktail recipes both new and classic from bartenders all over the country. In the second half of the book she shares recipes for nibbles that include tequila and can be paired with tequila. She shares the brands she loves, how tequila is made and describes the different styles of tequila. This book paired with a bottle of tequila would make a fantastic gift. Or just buy it for yourself and become a tequila connoisseur.


Modern Spice
Author Monica Bhide is my Twitter friend. I have never met her in person, but I feel like she is my friend, in part because she writes wonderful personal stories with her recipes. They are stories about friends and family that will touch your heart. Her book is not a memoir but it almost feels like one. Monica has taken Indian spices and flavors and infused them in recipes that take a fraction of the time or effort of more traditional Indian recipes. For pure comfort food, try the Indian "Burger" made from mashed potatoes or Salmon with Kumquat Chutney.


The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook
I have to hand it to Jaden. In a very short time she has established herself as a food blogging diva. This year I shared the podium twice with her at food blogging conferences. Her recipes are well-tested and perfect for those who want to try their hand at making Asian food at home. Her chatty informal style has made her a hit with countless fans. Jaden's photos are lovely and if you enjoy her blog, I am sure you will want to add this book to your collection.

Not cookbooks, but memoirs with recipes:


The Sharper Your Knife The Less You Cry
This book came out in paperback in the Fall of last year, but I didn't discover it until the Spring of this year. I read it on my way to the Foodista Food Bloggers Conference. I was mid-way through it when I met the author Kathleen Flinn. Kathleen is just amazing. She's always coming up with good ideas and seems to have the energy and wherewithal to make stuff happen. We all need people like that in our life. Her book was perfect for my trip, it's a wonderful kind of vacation read. It took me to Paris and to the trials and tribulations of cooking school. Who wouldn't want to vicariously experience that? Plus there are recipes for classic French dishes and more.


My Sweet Life in Paris
I am such a fan of David's that he could write a shopping list and I would probably love it. He lives a life in Paris that many of us only dream about. But rather than share the details through rose-colored glasses David tells it like it is. Funny, satirical and a master pastry chef who will win you over with his recipes and his prose. Read this book and you will feel like David is your friend too. I shared my book with a friend planning a trip to Paris so I can't tell you about all the recipes I've bookmarked. If you or someone you know is planning a trip, his resource guides are a must.


Hungry Monkey
It's impossible to overstate how funny this book is. I didn't know Matthew Amster-Burton all that well when I read the book, but I got to know him even better through his hilarious tales. It's about cooking for and with kids, but the recipes are ones that even someone without kids will want to make. Laugh out loud funny; you won't be able to put it down. I wasn't.












Still on my list to read:

Best Cookbooks of 2009

It's time for my annual cookbook round up. There were a lot of great cookbooks this year. Here are my picks for all kinds of cooks:

Ad Hoc at Home
I didn't want to include this book in my list but I couldn't help it. Sure it's a coffee table book, it's big and it's expensive but it has soul. Thomas Keller signed my book "It's all about family" and really that says it all. Food is about connecting with those you love. Ad Hoc is a book of recipes from Thomas Keller and Dave Cruz that shares those very recipes; delicious home style cooking but taken up a notch. Ok, taken up a few notches. Want to know how Keller makes a hamburger? Fig-stuffed Roast Pork Loin? Crab Cakes? Meatballs? Chocolate Chip Cookies? Sure you do. You'd be crazy not to. In addition there is fantastic photography and lots of personal stories.

Best for: anyone who appreciates really good food


Coco 10 World-Leading Masters choose 100 Contemporary Chefs
Who do masters like Ferran Adria, Alain Ducasse, Fergus Henderson and Alice Waters think are contemporary chefs worth hearing from? Get this book and you will find out! There are Japanese chefs, American chefs, British chefs, Chinese chefs, Spanish chefs and Italian chefs featured, each sharing recipes that show off their culinary point of view. Some recipes are dead simple and others are the height of complexity, but they all have the power to inspire. In a word, fantastic!

Best for: An accomplished cook, looking for inspiration

Lucid Food Cooking for an Eco-Concious Life
I've seen a lot of organic, green and sustainable cookbooks the last couple of years, but this is the first one with recipes I actually want to cook. Great combinations like Cucumber and Pomegranate Salad with feta and cilantro, Persian Stuffed Dumpling Squash with Rose Petal or Lemony Gold Beet Barley Risotto. See what I mean?

Best for: anyone, most recipes are not too challenging and most are vegetarian


The Southern Italian Table
Since my trip to Campania and then again when I tasted the food of Puglia at this year's Worlds of Flavor conference I have been obsessed with Southern Italian food. Arthur Schwartz nails it. He includes many dishes that are pure comfort food but that you are not likely to find elsewhere. The Flat Pasta with Chickpeas is a perfect example, cucina povera at its best. Both the flavor combinations and the simple techniques will delight. Bravo Arturo!

Best for: Italian food fiends

Get Cooking 150 Simple Recipes to To Get You Started in the Kitchen
Every year I plow through many cookbooks intended for those inexperienced in the kitchen. Sadly most miss the mark. Author Mollie Katzen not only understands what new cooks are capable of doing but also what would appeal to them. Dead simple recipes for Guacamole, Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce, Old Fashioned Beef Stew, Baked Stuffed Potatoes, Steak Fajitas, Teriyaki Chicken Thighs. There are plenty of vegetarian entrees too. These are backbone recipes everyone needs to learn. These are recipes that build CONFIDENCE.

Best for: anyone new to cooking


The New Portuguese Table
I have to say, I've been waiting for this book for a long time. It misses a few recipes I love, such as the game sausage alheira, but it explains a lot about Portuguese cuisine and introduces the mouthwatering flavors of paprika, seafood, curry, beans, kale, sausage and pork, pork, pork! Portuguese food is often earthy and deeply satisfying. This book makes those flavors accessible. It is destined to become a classic.

Best for: anyone wanting to try something off the beaten path

The Lee Brothers Simple Fresh Southern
I look longingly at Southern cookbooks but would never cook half of the recipes I find. Too involved, too much fat and salt. But this book emphasizes freshness, lighter dishes with down home appeal such as Pickled Grapes with Rosemary and Chiles, Roasted Parsnips with Mint, Easy Shrimp Creole and Radish Butter (a most ingenious way of serving the ubiquitous radish, butter and salt combination). Lots of vegetarian dishes too. Brilliant.

Best for: anyone craving Southern comfort but without the coronary bypass

Real Simple Best Recipes
Filled with quick and easy but totally appealing recipes, who wouldn't want that? Chickpea and Mint Crostini, Halibut with Lentils and Mustard Sauce, Chicken Enchiladas with Green Salsa, or Sweet Potato Risotto. Unlike some books, there are no recipes with cups and cup of cream or buckets of veal stock. These are recipes for the way people I know really cook. If it had only included wine pairings, it would have been perfect.

Best for: a beginning cook or anyone who is time-starved but still wants to enjoy great meals at home

Takashi's Noodles
I am a noodle fanatic and this book had some new recipes that really got me excited. The recipes can be a bit involved, but most are also easily adapted based on what you have on hand. Ramen, Udon, Soba, and my favorite, Western style pasta with Chinese or Japanese touches. I've said it before but I'll say it again, the Spicy Ja-ja Men Udon is reason enough to buy this book.

Best for: Asian noodle nuts

Ratio
Ratio practically prides itself on not being a cookbook. So why did I include it? Because I think it's a game changer. It helps cooks think like chefs. It will help you become a better cook when it comes to things like pie crust, pound cake, bread, vinaigrette and stock. Get yourself this book and a kitchen scale. It's the next best thing to working in a professional kitchen or going to cooking school.

Best for: Anyone serious about becoming a better cook or in understanding how food works

Momofuku
Last year I ate at Momofuku Ssam Bar for the first time. The flavors were intense, the dishes bold and captivating. I was smitten. I'm not sure how many of the recipes I will cook from the book. But I now appreciate what went into my meal even more than when I ate it. There are easy weeknight recipes here that I will make like the Peas with Horseradish, Ginger Scallion Noodles, Cherry Tomato Salad with soft tofu and shiso, and the totally addictive Brussels Sprouts with kimchi puree and bacon.

Best for: those who crave big flavor

Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking.
Why this cookbook is not on everyone's top list is beyond me. I scarcely perused it and was immediately plotting which clay pots I had to acquire. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my first tagine but in the meantime I have Spanish cazuelas to cook in. Recipes you won't want to miss include Orange Glazed Pork Belly, Pumpkin Soup with Creamy Roquefort, Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder with Spring Vegetables, and Greek Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta. But really I could go on and on. These are recipes you savor, romantic recipes made in traditional vessels for maximum succulence and flavor. What could be better? It also includes great little stories and anecdotes about the recipes, where they came from or their history. As they say, run do not walk, to get this book.

Best for: anyone who enjoys taking the time to create something special--someone who loves to cook!

Note: Some of these books were review copies, others I bought

Next up--recommended cookbooks by friends and bloggers

Jam Bars Recipe

I'm something of a party pooper when it comes to Christmas. I can't stand anything red and green and find Christmas trees universally tacky. Don't even get me started on the rampant Christmas consumerism or we'll be here all day! But I have always had a soft spot for Advent calendars. I like the surprises behind the windows, even if they are just paper windows. So I couldn't resist when the folks at Lexiophiles invited me to participate in their Recipe Advent Calendar. It's a bit like those Cookie of the Day newsletters that I sign up for every year. It doesn't matter that I don't actually make any of those recipes, the surprise of seeing them appear in my email box each day is a treat.

This recipe is one I've been making since college. It's super easy and you can prepare it in no time at all. I've made a few adjustments to it over the years. Most importantly, don't use jelly, use good jam, or better yet, use preserves. I used Oregon Growers delicious Cherry Zinfandel preserves for this batch. It's not boozy, but it has a not-too-sweet adult character that lends itself not just to desserts but also to savory preparations. The original recipe called for margarine, but as you can imagine, it's much better with butter.

By the way, if you too want to receive a new cookie recipe every day, you can sign up for the Cookie Countdown from MyRecipes.com or Holiday Cookie of the Day from Real Simple magazine.

Jam Bars
Makes 16 squares

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 egg
1 cup fruit jam or preserves (strawberry or cherry are good)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the egg to form a crumbly dough. Grease a 9-inch baking pan and press in 3/4 of the mixture onto the bottom of the pan. Top with jam and evenly spread almost but not quite to the edges of the pan since the jam will spread as it bakes. Top with the remaining crumb mixture. Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes or until pale golden brown. Let cool and cut into 16 squares.

Enjoy!

To see more recipes in the Recipe Advent Calender just click on the image below.

Interview with Paula Wolfert

At the Worlds of Flavor conference a few weeks ago I had the great pleasure of speaking with celebrated author Paula Wolfert about the subject of her latest book, Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. It's one of the books I was most excited about this year, and I've already bookmarked a number of recipes that I can't wait to try.

Why cook with clay?
This is the way people in the Mediterranean cook. All the pots used have meaning. The saute pan is great for fast cooking but most slow cooking is best done in a clay pot. Try cooking butternut squash or an eggplant without any water or salt with paper over it (meaning a round of parchment paper as a lid) very slowly. See what happens when food returns to the earth. A pot is made of earth.

What kinds of foods cook well in clay?
Mediterranean food; breads, beans, stew. Commit yourself to underutilized cuts of meat. Buy spareribs and lamb necks, because you can cook in clay in increments and you will see the difference, the meat is sweeter.

Any secret tips you can share?
In many of my recipes I say to put parchment paper on top of the food so the liquid recycles. Many of these dishes are best when reheated--think of chili or stew. But here's my tip, leave the paper on! Leave it in the refrigerator overnight and when you remove the paper all the fat can be easily skimmed off.

I have some Spanish cazuelas that are glazed inside. If I'm buying a cooking vessel made from clay does it matter if it's glazed or unglazed?
It depends on the soil. Black pots from Columbia are made from mica. If you have mica you don't put a glaze on your pot because it makes food sweet. In Turkey guvech are unglazed. But in some places the clay the isn't very strong, so they add pebbles to it. This gives a different taste so they put on a slip glaze. It's not lead, it has no color, it's just a protection against the dirt but you still get some porosity, you still get flavor enhancement. But you won't get the miracle sweetness.

If it has a slip glaze you will still get the earth tones to food and aromas are accentuated just like organic food versus hydroponically raised vegetables. When it's from the earth, it's better. Take my recipe for pumpkin soup. Cut the recipe in half, do one version in a conventional pot and another is an earthenware pot like a sand pot. You'll have to use water if you don't cook it in a sand pot. It's more voluptuous when it's cooked in clay.

Are germs a problem with unglazed pots?
I talked to Robert Wolke professor emeritus of chemistry and author of What Einstein Told His Cook, to ask about the possibility of dirt in the pores of the pot. What he told me was this, when the pot gets hot, the germs are dead.

What about tagines? I have a Le Creuset tagine, is a clay tagine better?
There really is a difference when you can maintain a certain low temperature, if you can get to the two hour mark, it's better. All the food holds it's integrity but when you break into it, the food is like butter. Plus not using a clay tagine kills the romance. You wouldn't do Chinese food without a wok!

What are the first clay pots to consider buying?
You can start by going to Chinatown and buying a $9 sand pot, or the Ourika a clay tagine that is $23 from Tagines.com. Locally Bram in Sonoma has a good selection of clay pots.

My thanks to Paula Wolfert for chatting with me. On her advice, I have already ordered my first clay tagine and hope you will too.

Turkey Leftovers Recipes

If you ask me, the second best thing about Thanksgiving is not the dinner itself, but the leftovers. I like turkey a lot, especially its amazing versatility. Leftover turkey, even dry, overcooked turkey, is good in soups, salads, sandwiches, stews, smothered in sauce or topped with a poached or fried egg.

Here are my suggestions for how to use leftover turkey. I've linked to recipes that I think look solid, but feel free to use your own or your imagination!

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey Mole

Turkey Enchiladas

Turkey Mushroom Crepes

Turkey Quesadillas

Turkey Barley Soup

Turkey Hash

Turkey Salad

Turkey Noodle Soup

Turkey Cobb Salad

Turkey Gumbo

Turkey Posole

If you have any favorite turkey leftover recipes, please share them by leaving a comment.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's easy to love Thanksgiving. Sure it's a day off to enjoy a feast, but the real reason why I love it is because it means getting together with friends and family and feeling thankful for all that we have, especially each other's company.

Cherish those you love, they are more precious than anything else that you possess!

cheers,

Amy

Milk Chocolate Bars

Not too long ago I was a bittersweet chocolate snob. I would only eat chocolate bars with a very high percentage of cacao, the higher the better. But I've discovered some milk chocolate recently that I really love. If you only eat high percentage cacao, I urge you to try some of the more exquisite milk chocolates on the market. They may surprise you. They certainly surprised me.

Milk chocolate has milk powder or condensed milk as an ingredient and generally has much lower percentages of cacao. Having tasted lots of chocolate, I am still very fussy about what I like and what I don't like. Regardless of the cacao content, good chocolate has to have clean flavors, it can't be too sweet, too salty or overwhelmed by flavorings such as vanilla. It should melt smoothly without a hint of graininess. It should be so good that even a little bit satisfies.

When it comes to milk chocolate, I highly recommend each of these bars:


Scharffen Berger Milk Almond
Sea Salted Almonds & Milk Chocolate
41% cacao, 3. ounces $4.95
If you like nuts with your chocolate, this is the bar for you. It's perfectly balanced with just a little crunch of nuts, not big chunks. The salt is barely perceptible, which is to my liking. If offers luscious caramel notes and is rich and creamy.

This bar feels most like an everyday bar. It's like a Hershey bar with almonds, but all grown up and way, way more satisfying.

Scharffen Berger is now owned by Hershey and unfortunately I have no idea where the cacao beans come from. Scharffen Berger has always promoted the idea of blends rather than single origin bars, though they do sometimes put out limited edition bars from time to time that are single origin.



Valrhona Tanariva
33% cacao, 2.5 ounces, $5.99
The Tanariva proves even a bar with very low cacao content can be rich and complex. It is very smooth, like all Valrhona chocolate, but also has some acid to it and so it doesn't seem terribly sweet, just milky, creamy and with a bit of citrus as well. Valrhona uses exceptionally high quality beans, in this case they are from Madagascar.

Don't compare this with a dark chocolate bar, just enjoy it for what it is. I think it may be the best bar with only 33% cacao. It has a lot going on.

The bar comes in an innovative form, with asymmetrical breaking lines intended to make it easier to break and share. I am finding the Valrhona "tasting" bars available in more and more shops these days.




Original Beans Esmeraldas Milk Bar with Fleur de Sel
42% cacao,3.57 ounces, $11.95
This bar is an indulgence. It is perfectly suited for gift giving but you might just want to be the recipient. I don't detect any salt at all, just heightened chocolate intensity. It has lots of dark toffee notes, a lovely buttery texture and flavor. It has an extremely long finish and amazing depth. It's conched for 50 hours, from Arriba beans that come from Ecuador (interestingly I tried another Arriba bar from another manufacturer and I didn't like it at all).

The founders of Original Beans are committed to sustainability and each bar carries a tracking number so you can learn more about the conservation efforts at the rainforest where the beans for your bar originated. The price is higher than most bars, but for every bar your buy the company plants a tree in the region of the bean's origin to replenish and protect the areas where the cacao beans grow. It's also a much bigger bar than the others.

Parmesan Flatbread Recipe

I have a weakness for flatbread, all kinds of flatbread. If flatbread is on a menu, it's pretty much a given that I will order it. Years ago I made those Chinese spring onion pancakes, but other than that, I really haven't bothered. Why? Well, making flatbread seemed like it would be a bother, what with the yeast and the kneading, and rising and resting and all I figured it was easier to just order it in restaurants. Until last week.

While in London I spent many hours perusing food magazines and the fantastic cookbook collection at Books for Cooks, one of my favorite book stores in the world. I will share with you my list of purchases at some other point, but suffice it to say one of my purchases was a Donna Hay magazine. Donna Hay is Australian but she is tremendously popular in the UK and for good reason. Her recipes are generally not that complicated but offer maximum impact for a minimum of effort. When I saw her recipe for rosemary flatbread I was intrigued.

I adapted her recipe by leaving out the rosemary. Plain flatbread is more versatile and easy to top with just about anything. I tested the recipe for one of my recipe development clients, MyWinesDirect. I topped it with smoked salmon, goat cheese, cucumbers and chives so that it would pair well with a fragrant and crisp Pinot Grigio.

Because the dough has a lot of parmesan cheese in it, the resulting bread is quite hearty and robust but with great texture, soft on the inside and flecked with crisp brown freckles. Some suggestions for toppings toppings:

* Smoked salmon, goat cheese, cucumbers & chives (pictured)
* Fresh tomatoes & olives
* Sausage & winter squash
* Mushrooms, onions & bacon
* Pears, gorgonzola & toasted hazelnuts
* Figs & prosciutto

These are just a few off the top of my head, you can probably think of even more. I also think you could swap out some of the unbleached white flour for white whole wheat or whole wheat flour. Let me know how your variations turn out...!

Parmesan Flatbread
Makes 2 large flatbreads

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached white flour (or 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat white)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions

In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder and parmesan cheese. Add the olive oil and boiling water and quickly stir to form a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and roll each half on a floured surface into a roughly 8 1/2 inch round. Heat a non-stick pan or flat griddle over medium high heat. When hot, cook the flat bread, about 3 minutes on each side or until brown in spots. Top with whatever toppings you like and slice into wedges.

Enjoy!