D is for Developing Flavor that is "Divine" and "Delicate".

Ahh, Culinary School.

Are there finer words? Yes there are, and they come in the form of a compliment from your chef instructors.

Our group has been together in the kitchen for 10 sessions now. Slicing, dicing, drizzling, gobbling, straining, draining and stirring our way though lesson upon lesson; mixing and blending our way through the lovely cuisine of Italia. After many days of antipasti and 

perfecting our knife skills, or taillage (the practice of cutting vegetables into uniform size and shape) we have begun to pick up the pace, or at least some of us have.

I now have an enlightened respect for all those tiny little uniform pieces of vegetables I have found on my plate over my years of eating out. Making a perfect brunoise, jardinière, julienne, or dadi piccoli is not as easy as it looks. TRUST ME. This take A LOT of practice. I’m an amateur at best, but one day I will be able to chop with the best of them. It’s my holy grail so to speak. 

So today was soup/bean day. Perfect day for it, considering the weather here in New York is dreadful, rainy and cold.

So soups’ on? Yeah, I’m there.

The day before was stock day, which, I also have a new found respect for because making the perfect stock, is seriously a work of art. Anyway, the kitchen was lively today. Happy little culinary students, working to create inspired dishes, but mostly working to please the boss. (Both of whom, by the way, are awesome and absolute inspirations whom you will hear about more in the future.) 

However, the ultimate result is usually something not quite near the standard of the dish we are to most resemble in the end result. But I listened intently today to the words of our teachers and “developing flavor” was definitely key.

 The Development of Flavor should be a manual. You could go out and buy all the expensive ingredients in the world, and still not know how to develop flavor. The one thing I must stress, if you too desire to develop this skill of deepening the flavor of a dish, I recommend getting really comfortable with carmelization. It is a technique that is 

learned by practice, so go out there and try it.

Today we made Minestrone as well as another dish called Zuppa di Farro (Farro Soup). Both were beautiful to look at, but more so to eat.  The deliciousness of them was because of developing flavor. Both, however, called for different development of flavor, but used almost identical ingredients to do so. The minestrone was lighter in flavor and brighter in contrast, while the zuppa di farro was richer, deeper and more complex and earthy. Its always so interesting how the same vegetables, when prepared in a different manner, can come out tasting dramatically polar opposite.

Farro, incidentally is absolutely amazing for you! It is an ancient grain packed with protein, fiber and lots of  vitamins which are heart healthy, and it’s an environmentally conscious choice because a little goes a long way.

Although I loved both, I will only feature Minestrone, because, not only is it Veggie friendly, it was absolutely superb with a dollop of our fresh made pesto from the day prior. I recommend making your own pesto, but if you have to buy the jarred stuff, the Trader Joes brand is pretty good. Also you could get some excellent stuff from Dean and Deluca.

Minestrone con Pasta (Vegetable Soup with Pasta)

Recipe : International Culinary Academy – Italian

Yield : 6 to 8 servings

Ingredienti:

25 g. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 carrot, peeled, diced

¼ fennel bulb, diced

½ leek, light green and white parts, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

Pinch of red chili flakes

1 L Water. Or Vegetable Stock, warm

1 medium Russet Potato, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

½ zucchini, seeds removed, diced

2 asparagus stalks, peeled, chopped into ½ inch pieces

¼ cup frozen peas

6 Green Beans or Haricot Vert, trimmed, and chopped into ½ pieces

2 plum tomatoes, remove skins and seeds, diced

10 g chopped fresh parsley leaves, no stems

2 large leave of Swiss Chard, stems removed, julienne leaves

70 g cooked white cannelloni beans, drained

100 g cooked pasta, preferably shells or Orecchiette

Fresh grated Grana Padano or Parmigianino cheese

Pesto (adding Pesto to the top makes it a Genoa preparation of the dish)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Procedura:

1. In a heavy bottom soup pot, heat Olive Oil on medium heat, add onions, celery, carrots, fennel, leeks, garlic and chili flakes and cook for about 4 – 5 minutes. Make sure not to brown vegetables.

2. Add Water, or stock, if using, and increase heat to medium high, add potato. Bring boil. Add Salt 

(about 1 tablespoon) and pepper (about 1 teaspoon.)

3. Lower heat to simmer and add zucchini, asparagus, peas and green beans. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Add tomatoes, parsley, swiss chard, beans and pasta.

5. Let simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

6. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with pesto, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and sprinkle with grated cheese. Serve to those you love!  

AMAZING.

By the way - the chef's compliment's so far have been "delicate" and "divine". Which,

I mean, were sooooo exciting to hear. I know, it may not be that big of a deal, but hey, I'll take what I can get. So thank goodness for the D entry!

C is for Coffee. What else?

An ongoing study following some 126,000 American's has been percolating for some 22 years now, and with some rather pleasing results. The Harvard analysts' data shows moderate coffee consumption may lower the risk for Parkinson's, Type II Diabetes and Colon Cancer. Quite remarkably, the more coffee the participants in the study drank the less risk for diabetes there was! In fact even some Parkinson's drugs have caffeine added.  The healthful benefits are plentiful. Other studies have shown it reduces the risk for gall stones by half and has been shown to cause an 80% drop in chances for cirrhosis of the liver.

Millions of people wake up to the steaming roasted bean beverage (actually, it's a seed from the coffee berries) daily. Now, we have something else to grin about, besides out morning energy boost. Other research shows that a cup of good java can help control asthma, reduce incidence of cavities (although this one I find difficult to believe considering so many of us add sugar to our cup) as well as stop a headache and boost your cranky-pants mood. 

Since there are many ways to get that caffeine fix, I will not discriminate, nor elaborate on the benefits, or difference in types or flavors. In fact I should really leave that to someone who knows whats what in the coffee world. There are people out there who really take quite a bit of serious time to understand all the subtle nuances of the delicious beverage. Just like a sommelier, but bats for the perky team, its called cupping (which sounds odd to me, but hey, no judgements). Also, since my access to the many devices one can use to brew a mug is limited, I will elaborate briefly about my obsession with the French Press. Incidentally invented by an Italian, the French Press is an excellent way to incapsulate the flavor of coffee most accurately and efficiently. Usually producing a stronger, richer, thicker cup of coffee, it is made by adding the coffee grounds of a thicker grind and nearly-boiling water together. Letting it sit for a few minutes to extract the essence of the roast and then, by use of the plunger, the grounds are forced down to the bottom of the cylinder. A delicious and creamy cup of coffee awaits you. I like the Italian Roast, and I always try to buy Organic, Fair Trade and Sustainable. Not only is this good for the planet, it usually tastes better too

So wether you are a grande-double-half-caf-non-fat-cappuchino with one sugar, a large coffee black or a soy-iced-latte, remember these words, not all coffee is created equal. Even though there are health benefits, this doesn't mean you need to drink more of it. So don't go running to your nearest deli/Starbucks/coffee house etc. In fact, and of course, other studies show rather contradictory conclusions as far as health is concerned. For example, a study has shown it can increase your low density lipoproteins (LDL's) or in laymen's terms the "bad" cholesterol in some people. 

A rule of thumb, try to keep the caffeine consumption under 250 mg's a day (2 - 3 cups). And for those who don't know, 1 cup is 8 oz. So If you get a daily "grande" fix, thats 2 cups, fyi. Those who reach an upwards of 500 to 600 mg's (7 to 8 cups) are susceptible to insomnia, irritability, anxiety, gastrointestinal problems as well as increased heart rate. I too, should probably heed this advice, but alas, I forget to measure out the amount every time pour my intoxicatingly delicious wake up call in to my over sized mug. 

Contradictions never have steered me off course from what I love though. But, I do like a nice hot yerba matte every more than once in a while. 

There are so many more wonderful things I could say about coffee, but you know, I'll leave that up to the comments section, and you, my dear reader. 

Click on the links above to check out some great Washington Coffee roasters! I was enamored with the Raven's Brew Organic Deadman's Reach.

My current favorite place to buy a cup on the go : Ninth Street Espresso at Tompkins Square, 341 East 10th St. (Between Ave A & B). 

My current favorite addition to coffee : low fat vanilla soy milk with a dash of cinnamon.

My favorite "caffeinated" beverage that isn't just cafe au lait : triple non-fat cappuccino from Whole Foods market on Houston. 

My current favorite coffee past time : a big big hot cup, accompanied by gi-normous bowl of organic oatmeal mixed with juicy blueberries, KCRW on a sunday morning and some hand holding. 

 OR the smell of coffee brewing when camping in El Captain, I always was more partial to the hot chocolate at the time, but I remember the coffee smell vividly. 

B is for the Best? Well, Perhaps.

There is one thing about New York that I cannot get over : the food culture.
People eat and drink to their utmost desires without care but with a lot of conviction. The choices for dinner are astronomical, the choices for lunch are astounding. As for breakfast, well, it is usually a coffee accompanied by a handheld pastry of sorts. Most opt for brunch nowadays.

This plethora of choices makes for a mecca of foodies. The discerning clientele isn't picky necessarily but they demand really good food. No wonder some of the best restaurants in America can be found on a strip of land a few miles long and wide. It's because of the people. New Yorkers' are trend setters for fashion of course. And these fashion forward, walking gastronomes obviously are setting the trends for food, the best food. The people have voted, and the votes are : New York has, quite arguably, the best food in the world.

Let me elaborate. Reading food magazines, I always tend to come across ad's for Las Vegas. Gigantic restaurants, in over-worked over-ari conditioned, over amped hotels in the desert. The chefs are great, the food is probably amazing, but 8 out of 10 of those places started in New York City. Obviously, there is a reason these hotels want these chef's restaurants there. Destination eating is becoming a huge market. But, typically, the food is so much better from the original location. It has the real soul. It worked the hardest and  these new "celebrity" chef empires were born out of them. Where would Mario be without Babbo in Greenwich Village? Do you think Wylie Dufresne's wd-50 could have made it anywhere else besides the Lower East Side?  I mean, come on Daniel Boulud, Nobu Matsuhisa the list is endless really. From off the top of my head those are some stars that began in the "apple". Now even super stars from the west coast have come to stake a claim, eh-hem Thomas Keller. 


However, press and adoration aside, restaurants in New York have a definitive style. Because the city is cramped, lack of space between tables isn't burdensome to the diner. We understand. Because the city has so many options, the food you serve has got to be better than the other choices we could have made that evening. That is why there are people like Keith McNally who take restauranteur-ing to a new art here in the city. Go to any major area in Manhattan and your bound to spot one of his places (among them, Balthazar, Moradni, Pastis, yeah, he's good). It is people like him who know and understand the food culture here, and finesse it to the point of absolute perfection. 


If you have never worked in a restaurant before, front of house or back of house, you really cannot fully appreciate the astounding amount of food that is produced here in New York. Not to mention the attention to using locally produced/grown products. Among all of the menus I have seen, the bold faced type on most is: LOCAL, ORGANIC, and RELATIONSHIP. Relationship being with the farmers and producers themselves, a hand shake and a safety in the knowledge that if these farms keep producing top quality ingredients the chefs and their chef friends alike will come a' flocking. 


So, best food in the world? Well, the attention to detail, the care taken to make a dining experience in the city a true experience, the overwhelming amount of choices, the cramped quarters, little elbow room, all the sounds and smells, and the excitement one finds in the atmosphere of a restaurant, big or small, reputable or not, when dining, is magic. 


After a week here I already feel like I have so much to learn, try and taste. The experience of the city will not be lost on me, I guarantee it. My vote is in, and New York, you are number one, so far. B is for BEST EVER. 

One Best Ever moment I had, was last Friday night at a small kinda doggy place in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Roberta's, a pizza place with family style seating, loud great music, good service, campfire in the back patio, elbows on the table kind of place. However, amazing oyster's from New Brunswick fancied it up a bit. My favorite though, the Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, which were cooked until just tender and crispy with a slight hint of garlic and thyme, lighty salted and a finish of sweetness from a touch of excellent olive oil. Out of control. Least not I forget their pizza crust, which managed to achieve the soft fluffy texture we all like in a dough, with a crunch and a wood fire oven tinge of charcoal that really takes the whole pie to a new place. 

Oh did I also mention, they do Brunch? Expect to see me there on a regular basis, the of course the gym to follow.