The Veg Project - thoughts on nutrition

I completed my first week. It was tough. My body must have been adjusting to the different way of eating. At first I was constantly feeling deprived of something. But I wonder if that's just because I was used to eating a certain way. I think the main difference I was reacting to was eating less protein every day.


Here are a few interesting facts about protein.


Although many plant products have protein, very few have the complete proteins that contain all of the amino acids our bodies need to thrive. One of the challenges true vegetarians face, especially vegans, is getting all of their required protein. It takes a lot of research and knowledge to cover all of the bases with plant products alone. Soy and tofu are great products for this- otherwise, animal protein is really the only source of complete protein that contains all of the necessary amino acids. This is why we are omnivores. (Look at our teeth- they're formed via evolution for both grinding plants and tearing meat.)


As I mentioned above protein is great and necessary. But from a balanced nutrition standpoint, our American diets are full of way too much protein. Do you really need to eat a 24 oz Delmonico steak for dinner after having had a turkey and swiss hoagie for lunch? If you're anything like me, your vegetable intake for that day extended to the lettuce and tomato on the sandwich and the small side salad that came with the steak. Seriously, though- you're only supposed to eat something like 50-60 grams of protein a day.



The CDC has some great information on types of protein, sources of protein, and required daily amounts. There's also tips on combining plant products to equal the complete protein you get from animals. Here's the link:
www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/28/10)

I went into a McDonald's yesterday and said, 'I'd like some fries.' The girl at the counter said, 'Would you like some fries with that?' Jay Leno

"My favorite animal is steak." Fran Lebowitz

-Sorry to all the vegetarians out there (Jason G)

Caribbean Jerk Chicken

Since I'm currently trying to cut my carbs down, not only to lose weight, but to also lead a healthier lifestyle, I'm constantly trying to look for ways to improve upon the typical and, often boring, grilled chicken. Chicken is the perfect dish for anyone trying to do low-carb; that is, if the chicken is not breaded. This recipe makes the chicken taste delicious!!! The chicken turns out nice and juicy with a nice crispy exterior and the combination of spices pack a lot of flavor.

The recipe calls for marinating the chicken for a few hours so remember to take that into account. Marinating helps to tenderize the meat and helps to infuse all that wonderful flavor. If you have a barbecue that will be best, but if you're like me a grill pan will work nice also. Enjoy the recipe and cooking process. Remember, don't sweat... it's just food!!!

Ingredients: (yield: 4 servings)

1 tsp. allspice

1/4 cup red onion, roughly chopped

1/2 cup green onion, roughly chopped

2 TB Extra Virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/4 cup orange juice, fresh

1 TB lime zest

2 TB soy sauce

2 TB fresh thyme leaves

2 jalapenos, seeded, roughly chopped

2 tsp. freshly chopped ginger

1 clove garlic

salt and pepper

4 chicken breasts, bone and skin on

lime wedges

Directions:

Puree all ingredients excepts chicken and lime wedges in a food processor. Place chicken and the marinade into a ziploc bag, mix thoroughly and let marinate, refrigerated, for about 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat your grill pan over high heat (and remember to turn that exhaust fan on). Remove excess marinade from chicken and place chicken on the grill. Grill each side for about 3-4 minutes then place pan in oven and finish in the oven for 15 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your chicken you should check frequently for doneness when it's in the oven. When juices run clear the chicken is done. If you're using a thermometer poke the chicken in the thickest area and make sure temperature reads at least 165 degrees.

Squeeze a lime wedge over each piece of chicken and serve.

***********FUN CHICKEN FACTS************

Myth: Chicken needs to be washed thoroughly before cooking.

Fact: Chicken does NOT need to be washed before cooking. The cooking process and heat will kill off any bacteria the chicken carries.

The Veg Project

So it's been about 4 days. Something tells me the first week is the toughest. Let me start by cleaning the slate. I did cheat a little. 2 days ago my sous chef wanted me to taste the squid salad we were serving a party. Although I've made this decision, I'm not going to let it affect my job. I will still taste dishes as required at work.

So, how's it going over all? Firstly, I have to say that this experience changed my shopping habits. My local grocery store has a mediocre produce department. This week, for the first time, I hauled myself down to Princeton and went to Whole Foods. Get ready to laugh, fellow foodies but I've never been there before. I mean, I've been to several grocery stores and local farm markets, but never a Whole Foods.

If you haven't been there yet, go! I always thought it was for vegans and health nuts. But it's wonderful! The absolutely most beautiful produce department I have ever seen. Everything is organic and fresh, brightly colored and so much of it. And no other place beats the quality of the individual items they have there. If you are going to make a meal that's mainly veggies, definitely take the trip to a Whole Foods.

As for me, the biggest challenge has been balancing my diet and coming up with interesting dishes. I have to say, yesterday and this morning I felt a little deprived. Not 100% there. I can't figure out if it's because I'm not getting enough protein or if it's psychological. You know, meat and animal fat is very satisfying, and I'm used to eating it every day. I'm trying to get my required proteins from other sources, like pasta, legumes, and low fat dairy products.

Last night for dinner, I made a wonderful vegetable ragu with penne pasta. The pasta is a brand that's enriched with fiber- it's kind of like a whole wheat pasta without being whole wheat. Honestly, it's ok, but I don't love the texture. I think I would have preferred whole wheat. Anyway, the ragu is made with as many vegetables as I could get in there- onions, fennel, bell pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, mushrooms and greens. It's all simmered in crushed tomatoes.

New Job (thoughts and concerns)

I'm upset readers. Even after culinary school and twice now at my new job, I've had to cook live lobster by dropping the poor souls in boiling water. I FEEL LIKE A MURDERER!!!! Does this feeling ever go away? I sure hope so. Today I had to murder 9 lobsters. I felt absolutely horrible inside. No joke.

Also, how disappointing is it when you feel you are moving and cooking at a reasonably fast pace and the sous chef tells you to try and be faster? I so wanted to tell him, "YO, I AM MOVING FAST," but I don't think that would have been too wise. :)

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/23/10)

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." ~Doug Larson

-ain't that the truth!! (Jason G)

Yummy and Nutritious

Altough I am a fan of healthy eating in general, my eating habits suck. Recently I was presented with the opportunity to enter two recipe contests. One is for healthy eating, and the other is for a vegetarian recipe. Both sound like a great challenge, but I have very little experience cooking in these areas. In fact, if you refer to prior posts of mine, they center around grilling meat, bar food, and chocolate cake. CHOCOLATE CAKE!!

So, to help give me some insight into vegetarian and healthy eating, I'm going to attempt the vegetarian life style for the next few weeks. At least until the recipes are due for the contests in mid May. Now, I'm not going completely vegan. After a little research, I'm going to still eat dairy (milk and eggs). I think they call that lacto-ovo vegetarian. And, I'll be honest here- I won't be surprised if I do cheat once in a while. I'll try my best, but I can't make promises. However, I will be giving it my best effort.

The reasons? I've learned that to be a successful chef or to own a successful restaurant, you need to provide several options. And in this area, there are a lot of vegetarians. You need to provide tasty selections that appeal to them. Considering these contests, if I want to stand a chance, I have to gain some direct experience with this kind of eating. I also want to see what effect this has on my body with regard to healthy weight, mood and energy level. Don't get me wrong. This isn't a "diet" per se. It's an attempt to try on a new life style for awhile. To give me some insight into developing these types of dishes, and to give me some new blogging material. So if there are any seasoned vegetarians out there who would like to offer some insight or advice, please chime in! -Toni V.

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/22/10)

"Good bread is the most fundamentally satisfying of all foods; good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts!" ~James Beard

Hell Week!!!

Sorry I haven't posted for a while readers. I just finished my first week getting paid for what I've waited so long to do... being a professional cook!!! Wow, what a week it's been. Let me first say that I'm working at Hamilton Farm Golf Club; a highly prestigious private golf course located in north central Jersey. The LPGA Tour will be visiting in May for a match play tournament and I'm very excited about that.

Well, anyways, let's get back to the kitchen. Besides the chef and sous chef, there will be about 10 others (including myself) employed in the kitchen. Most of the people are new to the golf course this year and were unavailable to start this week because they had to give proper notice to their previous employers. That meant this week (my first week) there was only the chef, sous chef, me and one other cook to do all the work. We didn't even have a dishwasher. That was mostly done by poor, poor me. The club hasn't officially opened yet, but we still had plenty of work to do. On wednesday and thursday we prepped food for the entire dinner menu to serve to the front of the house staff so they would know the food. That was absolutely crazy!!! Last night we had to cook for about 50 people (members and their guests). We prepped all the food in the main kitchen in the clubhouse and then transported everything to the Mansion where the dinner/reception was held. The Mansion stands right down the road from the clubhouse and is a beautiful Victorian building. Inside there are many themed dining rooms (library, wine cellar). It's a beautiful place.

I spent the last few days prepping and plating most of the salads, but I also helped out making ravioli and family meal for the staff. I've learned so much this first week and am excited to learn so much more. Unfortunately, since I haven't worked for so long and am not used to being on my feet for the entire day, I'm feeling the effects. I'm absolutely wiped out. Fortunately, I have the next couple days off for some much needed rest and relaxation. Here are some pictures of dishes that are on the dinner menu. On the left is dover sole. The middle picture is a quail egg ravioli and the right picture is steak tartar!!!

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/19/10)

"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it." ~Buddy Hackett

I'll leave the veggies; still don't like them to this day. (Jason G)

Big Johns Books for Cooks

Thomas Keller Ad Hoc at Home

pub date: Nov 2009

368 pgs

List price $50.00

Unlike other cookbooks from Thomas Keller:

The French Laundry Cookbook 2009

Under Pressure: cooking sous vide 2008

Bouchon 2004

Which read and feature recipes like they are written for professional chefs.

Ad Hoc at Home is written for foodies, with recipes for...professional chefs!

The book is already a classic, it is beautiful (and heavy!) with lush food romantic

photographs. The recipes are casual but elegant to be served at home. With

company surely, not many foodies would prepare the complex and time consuming

recipes for a Tuesday night dinner. These are recipes for a Sunday Dinner with

family and friends or a meal served on holidays or special occasions.

Ad Hoc the restaurant serves family style mealsthat Keller enjoyed as a boy. However,

Keller adds his own flair to the meals that makethen serveable in a fine restaurant.

These are the recipes that are really served at Ad Hoc. Feel up for a challenge?

This book, while in it's first edition has had many printings as it flys off the shelf. It

is a NY Times best seller. The book is less than 5 months old from it's original printing

but is already very hard to find a 1st edition/ 1st printing for less than $100.00

($200.00 signed), list price is $50.00.

If you can find a 1st/1st in as new condition I think you should grab it, the book is already an instant classic and should only go up in value.

Happy Hunting,

Big John

Too Tired

Sorry readers. I just started a new job today at Hamilton Farm Golf Club, New Jersey, and it's literally my first job in about 3 months. I'm absolutely wiped out. Promise to post soon.

Thank you for understanding!!

Jason G.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

Toni V here!

There's nothing I love better than a rich and satisfying, pure chocolate dessert to end a great meal or celebrate a happy occasion. Chocolate cake is wonderfully versatile, and can be finished in so many ways. I make a killer chocolate layer cake! My friends and family frequently turn to me for birthdays, holidays, or simple chocolate fixes. Today is my father's birthday, and Mom asked me to make the cake- a small one, as there are only going to be 4 of us.

What you have here is (2) 6 inch layers of chocolate cake. Use your favorite recipe. (Sorry guys, but I'm not going to divulge all of my secrets in this blog!)

It's iced with a basic chocolate mousse, which is a real winner!

Chocolate Mousse
8 oz semisweet chocolate
half stick of unsalted butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract (or liquor such as dark rum, amaretto or grand marnier)
1 pint heavy cream
1 tsp unflavored gelatin

Gently melt the chocolate in a double boiler with the butter,and vanilla or liquor. Stir together until smooth and silky. If the mixture doesn't seem silky, drizzle in a small amount of the heavy cream and stir. This will help smooth the mixture. Remove from heat and allow to cool to about 100 degrees F. (To test temperature, touch the chocolate. It should feel just slightly warm to the touch.)

Use about 1/2 cup of the heavy cream to bloom the gelatin. Do this by dissolving the gelatin in the cream and gently warming the mixture. You can warm it by briefly holding the measuring cup over or in the water you used for the double boiler. Pour and stir into the melted chocolate mixture.

Whip the rest of the cream to medium peaks.

Fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Here's the technique:

1. Start with the chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream to the chocolate and gently whisk until the cream is incorporated.
3. Add half of the remaining whipped cream and fold with a rubber spatula. When the cream is incorporated, add the rest and repeat. Don't over mix. You're better off having a few streaks of whipped cream than deflating the whole thing.

Store the mousse in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving or using to ice the cake.

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/16/10)

"Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you!" ~Tommy Smothers

-spoken like a true carnivore (Jason G).

\

Yep, you are seeing this correctly, Apparently in NYC, small pizza parlors and deli's are competing against one another for the ever-increasing budget-minded customer. And why not?!? Fast food chains already have value menus. It's about time pizza places do the same. Check out this article from the NY Times do get the whole story: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/nyregion/16pizza.html?src=me&ref=nyregion

A Really Bad Weekend

I'm sure anyone living in the Northeast right now knows how hard the area (including Central NJ) was hit by a major storm this weekend. Torrential rains and wind up to 70 mph outright assaulted the area all day and night Saturday, and into Sunday. Roads were flooded and thousands of homes and business lost power. In fact, it's now Tuesday morning, and several of my neighbors still have not had their power restored.

When the brunt of the storm hit, I was working at the restaurant. As I mentioned, it was Saturday, which is by far our busiest day of the week. Even with the the stoves on and the hoods running, you could still hear the whoosh of the wind and rain, and the blowing city debris clanking around outside. Then, without warning, about one hour before dinner service, we lost half of our power. The hoods and half of the lights went out. But we still had some light, the Lowboys and a few outlets still worked, and the gas still flowed.

Although without the hoods it became ridiculously hot in the kitchen, and the idea of breathing in all those accumulating kitchen fumes was a little scary, we still had hope. Hope that lasted about five minutes, when the chef announced that the walk-in was down. He then told us to turn the gas off, as it is not safe to run the gas without the hoods. And then, the power cut out completely. What a disaster!

See, our restaurant is one of those nice places with a small menu that frequently changes. All of the ingredients are fresh. We make everything in house, including mayonnaise sauces, salad dressings, vinaigrettes- everything. I even pickle my own mushrooms. Our menu includes a variety of proteins including bison tenderloin, poussin, foie gras, flat iron steaks and a large variety of seafood. Pretty much everything in our place has to be refrigerated. We were helpless. After cleaning our stations by candle light, we packed the walk-in with ice (a last ditch effort to keep it cool for the night). What else could we do? So we sat at the bar and drank room temperature beer in the dark, as the chef and GM reflected on the losses for the day.

It turns out that a car struck a power transformer in town, and this led to massive power outages and an underground fire. The police even had the street closed in front of our place. By calling around we found out that at least four other restaurants were in the same pickle. The hotel we're attached to had partial power, and generously allowed us to store some perishables in their walk-in.

Now, we're closed Sundays and Mondays, so I have no idea what I'm walking into today. Tuesdays are not usually overwhelmingly busy, but I just know that today we're all going to be building the place from the ground up. In fact, I'm not even certain the power is back on. Fingers crossed!

Hello from Big John

Greetings!

Well, it's about time that I introduced myself. I am Big John. And I will say it before anyone else does: I am the oldest but the least mature of us three. You want to talk about career changing? Try doing it when you're 54 years old. For the past 20 years, I've worked only for myself. I have an entrepreneurial spirit (and I don't like people telling me what to do). I've done it all--professional photographer, professional artist, realtor, and for the last eight or 10 years, I've started landscaping businesses and sold them only to start another, make it profitable, and sell it. Again and again. It was fun. I enjoyed starting something from nothing and building it up.

I was happy with what I was doing, but I had something in the back of my mind telling me I wanted to be a professional chef. I think these feeling started when I was about eight years old. Let me bring you back to my childhood. My grandmother on my mother's side came to America from Hungary in the early 20th century. She was a large woman who always wore old-lady shoes and a house dress. Her hair always seemed to be in a hair net for some reason, and you could never catch her without a smile on her beautiful grandma face. She was the best cook I have ever known. Grandma made everything, and I mean everything, from scratch. Fresh bread every day. I can still taste the eggs and butter in the bread she baked. I can still imagine, as a young boy, holding a thick slice to my nose and inhaling the yeasty, wonderful smell. If there were noodles on the table, she made them that day. Stuffed cabbage, incredible chicken (a live chicken she chose and that the butcher...well...you know), fried in either duck fat or lard. You don't get that today! Polichintas (Hungarian crepes), Hungarian pate baked in a crust. She cooked for people she loved, and the love she had went into the food she prepared. When you ate, the love went into you. At Grandma's dinner table, there was always lively, good-natured conversation; you couldn't help it. Grandma wouldn't eat at the table, with famiy and friends. She stood in the dining room, apron on, hands clasped, waiting to refill a half-empty bowl or bring something additional to the table. She was wonderful.

I think that was the seed for me becoming a professional. I always believed in "passing love" to people through my cooking. I try to do that in my professional life.

If I someday have my own place, it will probably a "joint/dive" near a college campus so I can cook for college students, whom I love. What a vibrant group of young people who are really starting to think and become the people they want to be, philosophizing, having fun, arguing!! A lot of energy and a willingness to try new things. Anyway, if I someday have a place (Big John's Jersey Diner?) I will insist on hiring people of good cheer. I will expect cheerfulness in the kitchen, good will. That, along with the freshest ingredients, will put some good kharma into the food, that will flow to the customers.

There's so much to say. I will try to tell you what it's like for an old guy to get into a pro kitchen as we go along. But I think my posts will be mostly about one of my hobbies: cookbook collecting. It's not all about old, dusty books. There are some recent books that are fabulous, and I will be talking about them in my next post. I just wanted to say hello and tell you a bit about myself in this first post. My next post will focus more on the wonderful world of cookbooks. Jason and Toni, I love you both; you are doing a great job with this blog. We must get a photo of the three of us together.

Big John

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/15/10)

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~Jim Davis

Cheesecake Singles!!

If you're like me you just love cheesecake. It's so sweet and creamy and simply delicious. I have always loved cheesecake and nothing beats New York cheesecake. I mean, getting a slice from Carnegie's or Junior's will put you on cloud 9; it's that good.

Well, you can make equally yummy cheesecake at home and if you are looking to portion control your diet this recipe will be just for you. By using muffin tins you can portion your recipe out to little servings. When ready to eat use a scissor and cut out one of the cheesecake servings and finish it off with a dollop of whip cream.

*** For those people who are watching their sugar intake you may substitute splenda for the sugar. That's what I do and it tastes delicious. I hope you enjoy this recipe and remember... it's just food.

Mascarpone Cheesecakes

Ingredients: (makes 12 cheesecakes; 2 trays)

1 pound cream cheese, room temp.

9 ounces sugar

250 grams (containers are usually marked in grams) of Mascarpone, room temp.

3 large eggs

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Using a mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until combined.

2) Beat in Mascarpone.

3) Add eggs and vanilla and beat until incorporated.

4) Fill aluminum cups with batter

5) Place in water bath and bake at 300 degrees for approx. 40 minutes or until set.

**Water bath: Place the aluminum tray (filled with batter) inside a large baking dish. Fill the dish up with water until water reaches half way up the sides of the aluminum tray. Now bake. The hot water in the dish is helping to cook the cheesecakes.

When done, take out of the oven carefully and take aluminum trays out of the water to cool. Place in refrigerator when done. Enjoy!!!

Burgers Anyone?!?

This is for all you fast food junkies out there. Yes, I must admit I do like to get the occasional fast food burger, but the only problem is the options out here in New Jersey/New York are very limited. I know McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's have been around a long time and are well-respected, but when I'm looking for a great tasting burger these are not the fast food joints that I'm thinking about. The burgers I want, unfortunately, are about 3,000 miles away.

I'm from California, and I must proudly confess, they have the best fast food burger places. Without a doubt. Take a look at this Jack in the Box burger. This is the Ultimate Cheeseburger; my all-time favorite. Cheesy, greasy, meaty... delicious. Now how yummy does that look?

If that's not your cup of tea, how 'bout Car's Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger. This burger is piled high with onion rings, bacon, cheese, and barbecue sauce. Does it get any better than that? Just take a look at that burger and you will/must agree with me (pictured on left).

Another West Coast burger I often think about (why, oh why, can't they open up on the East Coast) is the In N Out Double Double (animal style). Their burgers are never frozen so you get the freshest tasting fast food burger possible. The fried onions, special sauce, cheese makes this burger incredible. Just looking at this burger makes you want to jump on a plane and fly out to the sunshine state (pictured below).

Now if you are are looking for the ultimate greasy burger then look no further than Tommy's Famous Burgers. Their famous Chili Burger is the ultimate greasy, meaty, where are the napkins delight!!!

I hope I haven't made everyone too hungry by sharing these photos. Just remember, if you are ever out on the West Coast and you are craving a delicious burger then do try out these places. You won't be disappointed!!!

Funny and Interesting Food Quotes (3/14/10)

"And I find chopsticks frankly distressing. Am I alone in thinking it odd that a people ingenious enough to invent paper, gunpowder, kites and any number of other useful objects, and who have a noble history extending back 3,000 years haven’t yet worked out that a pair of knitting needles is no way to capture food?" ~Bill Bryson

It sure is fun trying, though!!!!

It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate – you know someone’s fingers have been all over it.- Julia Child.

Expanding on Sharpen Those Knives...

Jason G is right on about the sharp knife thing. Once you experience professional-quality sharp knives you'll never want to go back to the knives in your drawer! However, certain safety and maintenance tips are warranted.

Never store knives in a drawer. This is is a cruel booby trap for anyone who reaches into the drawer, the knives will bump around in there and the blades will dull.

Always let others know in the kitchen where your knives are. Don't put objects on top of them (like towels, and don't ever drop a knife into a sink full of water with the intention of washing it later.) Also a booby trap.

Never reach out and catch a knife if you drop it. Sounds like common sense, but you'd be surprised how hard it is to fight that reflex.

When carrying a knife, always point the blade downward toward the floor, and announce to others that you are holding a knife.

Reiterating what Jason G said- use the honing steel frequently. Every time you use it. This will keep the edge sharp, like new.

Safe cutting!
Toni V

Sharpen Those Knives!!!

Have you ever used your "supposedly sharp" and expensive kitchen knives while slicing onions or chopping tomatoes and sworn you were using a butter knife? Now don't take me the wrong way. Butter knives have a good and rightful place in our kitchen. That's right, they are great at spreading butter on sliced bread, but they have no business being in your hands while cutting and slicing. In all honesty, having a dull knife can make prepping food dangerous if the knife slips and nicks or cuts you. I'm sometimes guilty of having dull knives too and it really does make cooking much harder than it has to be. If you don't want your nice knives to be the equivalent of a butter knife then you must take care of them and that involves sharpening them!!

Depending on how often you use your knives you may have to sharpen them quite a bit. That

will depend on you. Two must-have items in your home should be a knife sharpening steel and water stone (pictured). The steel should be used every time you

use your knife. Running your knife a few times along the steel rod keeps the sharp edge on the blade nice and straight. At least every few days you should sharpen your knives with a water stone. You can check out videos on youtube which are very helpful in showing how this is to be done. It's not hard at all; just time consuming.

If you don't have the time to sharpen your knives with a stone or you simply don't have one, don't worry. You can bring your knives to a professional knife sharpener who will do an excellent job. Ask for their prices. You should be able to get a good deal.

Come to think of it... my knives are a bit dull right now and if I don't sharpen them soon my new chef/boss will be wringing my neck. To make sure they are extra sharp I will bring them to Chelsea Market, here in Manhattan, and have them professionally done. There is a woman there who has a "mobile cart" (www.samuraisharpening.com) who does great work. Even better she charges only $5 per knife. Not a bad deal in return for some very sharp knives!!!

La Taverna

OK Guys, I have to tell you all about where I spend a lot of my time.

There's a place in South Brunswick, NJ (the Dayton section) called La Taverna. Here's the scoop. A few years ago, a rich old lady bought it, who had a lot of money to blow. Basically, this place was a hobby to her. So, she dumped a lot of money (like $2 million) into restoring and decorating the place. She turned it into a colonial era tavern that brings you back about 250 years the second you walk in the door. About 2 years ago a group of incredibly friendly Italian guys bought it from her, and now it's the perfect place to hang and feel welcome.

It's beautiful. It's got this colonial, old-world feel, with exposed brick and absolutely gorgeous stained glass art. That, in addition to the wide selection of beers on tap, makes it the perfect place to spend a Saturday night or weekday happy hour. (They have special happy hour menu).

There's a decadent bar menu for you nibblers out there, which includes a selection of sandwiches and munchies One of my favorites here is the buffalo wings- the sauce is the perfect tangy mix of spice and, well, butter. Also awesome is the mussels al brodo- served with a lovely garlic wine sauce or a red sauce, you're guaranteed to ask for more bread for dipping! The menu is also loaded with Italian inspired entrees. I highly recommend the chicken abruzzi and the zuppa di pesce. Oh, and always ask about the specials before you order! Every day there's at least 3 or 4 of them. Basically, the menu is an awesome combination of pub-style comfort food and old-world Italian cuisine.

I have to tell you, the place draws an awesome mid-week evening crowd. Just look at my friend, John Smith (yes- that's really his name!) having a good time.

So, come on in, raise your glass, and toast the end of another workday. Or celebrate the weekend. Or just enjoy the people and decor. The place really is beautiful, and worth the visit.

http://www.latavernarestaurantandbar.com/

General Tso's Chicken

As I've stated in a previous post, I sure do love chinese food. If my tummy is not calling out for cashew chicken, then it's most definitely calling out for General Tso's Chicken. Again, thanks Gary (my late brother), b/c if it weren't for you I'd still be eating spareribs only. Who is General Tso? I don't know, but would love to know. Please, respond with any thoughts :). Anyway, when cooked right the dish has an amazingly sweet and spicy sauce that glazes succulent and tender crispy chunks of chicken. Now how good does that sound? I've often had this dish served to me gummy and tasteless, tasting not sweet nor spicy, but follow this recipe and you will be sure to impress all your family and friends. Enjoy!!!

Side Note: Often times, when making chinese dishes, the recipe calls for many ingredients. Don't be alarmed and immediately get flustered. It's not as hard as it may seem. Also, many ingredients you may already have in your pantry and some of these items, such as soy sauce, cornstarch, and white vinegar are used sparingly so you can get many uses out of them. Most importantly, remember... it's just food. Have fun!!

Ingredients:

Marinade and Sauce

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 TB soy sauce

3 TB sugar

2 TB cornstarch

1 1/2 cup water

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast; cut into 1 inch pieces

vegetable/canola oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 TB fresh ginger, grated

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

green onions (optional) for garnish

Coating and Frying

3 large egg whites

1 1/2 cups cornstarch

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 cups (about) veg/canola oil

Directions: (Serves 4)

For the Marinade and Sauce: Whisk the hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and water in a bowl. Combine 6 TB of the marinade mixture and the chicken and place in a zip lock bag; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Heat a couple of TBspoons of oil in a large skillet/wok over medium heat until hot. Cook the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the hoisin mixture (the rest will be used in the next step) and simmer, whisking constantly, until dark brown and thickened; about 2 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

For Coating and Frying: Whisk the egg whites in a dish until foamy. In another bowl, combine the cornstarch, flour, baking soda, and remaining hoisin mixture. Work it until it looks like coarse meal. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat chicken dry. Toss half of the chicken with egg whites until well coated then dredge the chicken in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer the coated chicken to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Heat the oil in a large pot for deep frying over medium high heat until the temperature reaches roughly 350 degrees. Fry half of chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes. You may have to turn pieces over to ensure even browning. Return temperature back to 350 degrees and then repeat for rest of chicken.

To serve: Warm the sauce over medium-low heat until simmering; add the crisp chicken and toss to coat. Add some green onions for some nice color. Serve over white rice and enjoy!!!

****A couple of pointers to ensure success!!!

Read over the recipe a few times before starting. It really helps to have an understanding of what's needs to be done next and so on. I remember in Culinary School, I had to write each recipe for that day down into a notebook before coming to class. It really helps to have knowledge of all the ingredients that are going to be used and what the steps are to complete the dish. Ultimately, there shouldn't be any surprises.

Also, have all your mise en place in order... Whoa!!!!! What did I just say? Mise en place is a french phrase meaning to have "everything in place". Before you start cooking have everything that you need ready to go. Have all your ingredients measured out and have all your pots ready to go. This will make such a difference and will make your cooking experience so much less stressful.

Most importantly, have fun. It's just food :).

A Great Find in New Jersey

Well, I'm moving to New Jersey next month so one would think I'm saying goodbye to so many great restaurants here in the city. While that may be true, New Jersey will not take a back seat to anyone. Case in point: I love delis. Nothing beats a nice hoagie (sub sandwich/hero; whatever you call it depending on what part of the country you're in). Now most of you might think the best delis, such as Carnegie's and Katz, are synonymous with New York. Well, if you think that you haven't experienced Harold's New York Famous Deli (located in... that's right New Jersey).

This is the quintessential New York deli. Huge portions; yet, tasty and quality food. I went there a few weeks ago and now have the address permanently programmed in my iphone gps. Everything there is big and is meant to serve at least two or more people. I ordered a plate of french fries that came out crispy, golden brown, and piping hot. It was a mound-full and sadly I barely made a dent in it. Next, I ordered their giant Super Italian Hero (pictured) that was enough for 3 meals during that week. This succulent sandwich included ham, genoa salami, capicola, and provolone cheese. It was garnished with lettuce, tomato, onion, oregano and oil + vinegar. Does it get any better than that?

The restaurant is quite large with an entire wall-long glass window that shows the kitchen. It's amazing watching the food that comes out of that kitchen. Now don't be alarmed checking out the prices on the website as I first did. Remember, each item is meant to be consumed by two or more people, so you should plan on going there with a group of people or expect to take home a large doggie bag as I did :).

Harold's Famous New York Deli

3050 Woodbridge Ave.

Edison, NJ 08837

www.haroldsfamousdeli.com

Cashew Chicken

Man, do I love Chinese food. To think, there was a day that I would only eat spareribs, but thanks to my late brother Gary, I'm now willing to try so many things. Cashew chicken has always been my favorite and I would always get it when I lived in San Francisco (such great Chinese food). The sauce was the perfect balance between savory and sweet and the cashews were never mushy. So I decided it was about time that I try to make a comparable, if not better, cashew chicken dish at home. Now don't get scared... it's not that hard to make restaurant quality chinese food at home. Sure, there are sometimes quite a few ingredients and a little bit of slicing, dicing, and chopping, but the end result is sure worth it. This Cashew Chicken recipe is really quite easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious. Enjoy!!!

Cashew Chicken (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 TB cornstarch
2 TB vegetable or canola oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 scallions, white and green parts separated, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 TB rice vinegar
3 TB hoisin sauce
1 cup baby corn, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup water chestnuts
1 red bell pepper, medium dice
3/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions:

1) Toss chicken with the cornstarch in a bowl until well coated. Season with 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
2) In a large skillet or wok, heat the oil over med-high heat until very hot. Cook half of the chicken, tossing often, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3) Add more oil and remaining chicken to wok along with garlic, the white parts of scallions, red bell pepper, baby corn and water chestnuts. Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return first batch of chicken to wok and add the vinegar. Cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
4) Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup of water; cook, tossing until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove wok from heat. Stir in scallion greens and cashews. Serve with rice if desired.

An absolutely delicious dish. Prep time takes about 30 minutes and total cook time maybe another 20 t0 30 minutes. Truly worth the time. If you like, serve over a bed of white rice. The chicken will be really moist and flavorful with the water chestnuts, baby corn and cashews adding contrasting textures to the chicken. The red bell pepper and green scallions add nice color to the dish. Enjoy!!!

Lemon-Herb Marinated Chicken with Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

On the tail end of a brutal, snowy winter, we just had our first sunny, 50 degree weekend. What's a better way to celebrate than to invite friends over for some great food!

Dying to make some fresh and colorful food, here's what I came up with:

Lemon-Herb Marinated Chicken with Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

*Both dishes are flavored with the same fresh herbs and extra virgin olive oil. This creates a nice continuity of flavors. The chicken is lemony and fresh-tasting. The ratatouille is a colorful and flavorful alternative to run-of-the-mill vegetable sides.

Lemon-Herb Marinated Chicken


1 whole chicken cut into parts

Marinade:
Juice of 2 lemons
2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and roughly chopped
several sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Fresh black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine lemon juice with rosemary, thyme and basil in a medium mixing bowl. Drizzle olive oil in while whisking to create an emulsion. Season with salt, fresh black pepper and cayenne to taste.

Pour the marinade over the chicken parts, and brush or rub over the chicken to completely cover. Set aside, covered in the refrigerator, for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the grill. Wipe excess marinade off the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Grill approximately 10-15 minutes on each side, until done. (Keep a close eye- fat from the chicken may cause grill flare-ups. You don't want to burn the chicken).

When done, remove from the grill and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Cover to keep warm.

Oven-Roasted Ratatouille

1 large eggplant
2 zucchini
2 yellow summer squash
2-3 red bell peppers (depending on size)
4 large tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked
Several sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
Handful of basil leaves, chiffonade (or tear by hand)
Salt
Fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 deg F

Cut all vegetables into a nice large dice, approx 1 inch pieces. Place in roasting pan large enough to hold them.

Toss vegetables with the olive oil, enough to coat them all. Add the herbs and toss.

Season well with salt and pepper. You may want to taste to make sure there's enough salt.

Cover with foil and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. Uncover and roast for an additional 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the vegetables are soft and cooked through.

*You can make this dish at least an hour or so in advance. The longer it sits, the better it is! Place in the oven to reheat a few minutes before serving.

Welcome Everyone!!!

Hi everyone. My name is Jason and I'm happy to be able to contribute towards this blog and talk about a personal passion of mine... food!!! Like Toni and John, I too am a career changer. I left the classroom, having taught various age groups over the last several years, to pursue a dream I've had for many years. I reached a point in my life where I knew a change had to be made and I decided to go for it. A year has past since that life-altering decision and so much as happened. I attended a prestigous culinary school in NYC and made two great friends along the way and am now gearing towards starting a culinary position at a very exclusive country club in New Jersey.

Why would I leave the classroom for such a hard and fast-paced career in a hot kitchen? Am I crazy? No... I simply have always had a passion for food. First and foremost, I love to eat food and of course, I love to cook food for others to enjoy. To me, that is happiness. Having others enjoy food that you make does bring a smile to my face. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment.

That's everything you need to know about me. Now you're probably asking yourself, "What can I expect out of this blog?" Right? This blog is going to not only be about food (recipes, pictures, etc.), but also a place where you may find funny/interesting stories or experiences we have had along the way that, not only might bring a smile to your face, but may also help you to identify with.

So please enjoy our blog. Help yourself to our tasty recipes that will be coming shortly. Most importantly, have fun (it's just food)!!!

Jason G

Welcome!

Welcome to Food for Every Day!

Let's face it. Food is love. Food is awesome. Food is a part of our every day lives!



I always had this deep down dream of being a chef. Just over a year ago I decided to leave my comfortable corporate job and attend culinary school. This was a massive life-altering decision. Although tough as hell, there's something to be said for going back and doing it all over again- getting out from behind the desk and going after the dream job.


So I attended the weekend program of a rather well-known school in NY City. Now I'm "living the dream" as they say. I've finished school, and am now working a satisfyng (yet, entry level) job in a wonderful restaurant in central NJ. I've learned and gained so much over the past year, not only about food, but about myself and life as well.



Along the way, I also gained two awesome friends who made similar career changes- Jason and John. Since finishing school the three of us are constantly sharing food info, thoughts, experiences, and recipes. We thought it would be fun to share them. Enjoy!