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Posts Tagged ‘Chef’

Le Chef – A Movie Meringue

Posted in From My Point of View - Personal commentary on Movies and Books, tagged , , , , , , , , on June 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Le Chef

Le Chef

I’ll bet you think I was looking for an alliteration for the word movie? No! Or did you think I used the word meringue because it’s French?  Well,  that’s partially true because the title wouldn’t be very interesting if I said Le Chef is a Movie Mulligatawny Stew! I actually picked the word meringue which came to me during the movie because a meringue is light and fluffy has very little flavor of its own and is so full of air that when you put a spoonful in your mouth…poof, it just disappears! NO SUBSTANCE!  And that pretty much sums up Le Chef, the movie.

The movie is built on clichés and contrivance, creating artificial drama out of thin air much like a soufflé  and unfortunately this one falls flat.  Oh there are some funny lines, after all it IS a French comedy, light and fluffy, desperately trying to live up to the name given these rom-com flicks in France itself, Soulfflés!

The first scene of the movie shows Jacky, the untrained professional chef getting fired for dictating to the customers, what to eat and what to drink with it.  If you want red wine, then you can’t have the veal! Oh my,  shades of Big Night!  I thought I knew where this was going, but then it moved onto the age-old dilemma of the artist and the businessman and whoops it was déja vu all over again and I was watching Jon Favreau’s Chef!

Like a fast food meal at Mickey D’s this French feast was not a 5-course meal and was over in 80 minutes! 

Dieu Merci!

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DAY #7 – Why Don’t You Just Pluck It?

Posted in Amuse-bouche du jour, BY THE WAY, Everyday Food, Smooth or Crunchy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Not all Foodies excel in the kitchen, some just love good food and they eat out all the time.  They love gourmet food, they  follow certain chefs but they may not do much cooking or baking at home.  However, if the Foodie on your list cooks and bakes, this handy-dandy little kitchen tool will make a great gift!  And inexpensive too – just $10.39!!

I know you’ve seen those famous chefs on television crack eggs with one hand swiftly and efficiently but how about the rest of us?  And what if you’re cooking for someone who is watching their cholesterol intake and wants only egg white omelets?  Or your recipe calls for eggs and then extra egg yolks?  

Well lookee here…You need to buy a PLUCK.  A PLUCK is a cleverly-designed egg separator. Think Sunny Side Out! Extracting the yolk from healthy egg whites can feel as tricky as pulling a rabbit from a hat. Pluck makes it easy by separating the two with a simple squeeze and release of its silicone chamber. Now everyone from bodybuilders to soccer moms can just pluck that caloric yellow stuff right out.  Pluck’s clear tip plastic and silicone bulb come apart for easy cleaning by either hand or machine.

Squeeze Me

Squeeze Me

Can you imagine how easy this makes separating a yolk from the white?  No more tiny bits of shell floating in the gooky yolk  or the sticky white!  I think this is a terrific kitchen toy for a Foodie.

Available online through Amazon and in stores such as Bed, Bath and Beyond.

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JULIA CHILD – Wise Words from the Magician in the Kitchen

Posted in Amuse-bouche du jour, BY THE WAY, Everyday Food, From My Point of View - Personal commentary on Movies and Books, tagged , , , , , , , on August 15, 2012| 2 Comments »

English: American cook, author, and television...

English: American cook, author, and television personality (August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today Julia Child would have been 100 years old!  I wonder what she would have cooked for breakfast? This post is in honor of a great lady, a wondrous cook and wise woman.  I was never a fan of her food. I don’t own any of her cookbooks not even the famous Mastering the Art of French Cooking!  I like French food but I guess as a young 20 year old bride I was more concerned with mastering cooking first and learning more about Italian dishes than French.  

However, I have always admired her quick wit and sharp to the point remarks.  So in honor of that laudable characteristic of hers, I am posting some of her famous remarks.

1. “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”

2. “Cooking is like love; it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”
3. “If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”
4. “The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bon appetit.”
5. “I think every woman should have a blowtorch.”
6. “Fat gives things flavor.”
7. “Maybe the cat has fallen into the stew, or the lettuce has frozen, or the cake has collapsed. Eh bien, tant pis. Usually one’s cooking is better than one thinks it is. And if the food is truly vile, then the cook must simply grit her teeth and bear it with a smile, and learn from her mistakes.”
8. “I think one of the terrible things today is that people have this deathly fear of food: fear of eggs, say, or fear of butter. Most doctors feel that you can have a little bit of everything.”
9. “I always give my bird a generous butter massage before I put it in the oven. Why? Because I think the chicken likes it — and, more important, I like to give it.”
10. “I think careful cooking is love, don’t you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who’s close to you is about as nice a Valentine as you can give.”
11. “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces — just good food from fresh ingredients.”
12. “Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?”
13. “I just hate health food.”
14. “Learn how to cook — try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.”

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Tasty Tidbits Tuesday – Gemelli with Asparagus and Sausage

Posted in Tasty Tidbits Tuesday, We Called It Macaroni (Pasta recipes), tagged , , , , , , on November 2, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I found this recipe in a magazine and thought it sounded delicious.  It was part of an article  by Donatella, renowned Italian chef in New York City.  Tonight I invited my friend, Dilara to dinner and this is what I served.

2 bunches of asparagus or broccoli

1 # gemelli or fusilli

1/2 cup pine nuts

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

1 medium onion, chopped

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 Tsp Kosher salt

1 cup whole milk ricotta

1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

10 fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Bring large pot of water to boil with 1 TBS salt

Cut top 2 inches from asparagus stalks.  Cook in boiling water for 3-4 minutes just until tender.  Transfer to colander and run under cold water to stop cooking.

Bring asparagus water back to boiling.  Add pasta and cook until just tender to bite. While pasta is cooking, spread pine nuts on baking sheet and bake until golden.

Meanwhile, in large skillet cook sausage and onion in until meat is browned and onion is tender.   Drain fat.  Add asparagus tips, all but 1 TBS pine nuts, the cream, and salt;  simmer two minutes.  When pasta is almost done, use a skimmer or long-handled strainer to transfer to skillet, reserve cooking water.  Increase heat to high; toss until pasta is well-coated, about 30 seconds.  Add Parmigiano and toss again.  Transfer to platter; top with reserved pine nuts and basil.  Serve with additional ricotta.  Makes 6 servings

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