Jennifer could not resist sharing her favorite bread recipe with us. Also known as New York Rye or Jewish Rye, the scent is so overwhelmingly mouthwatering that many eager noses have been burned just trying to get a whiff.

Yields 2 large loaves

Ingredients

1 ½ cups rye bread pieces (see Preparation)
3 cups Rye Sour (see below)
1 package dry yeast
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp caraway seeds
4 cups bread or unbleached flour, approx.
1 egg, beaten, mixed with 1 Tbsp water

Preparation

Soak in water half a dozen crusty slices of a previously baked loaf of rye (store-bought is fine). Squeeze dry. Set aside 1 ½ cups for this recipe; the balance can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.

Using the plastic dough blade, place the bread pieces and the sour in your food processor work bowl. Pulse several times to make certain the two are thoroughly blended. Add the yeast, salt, and 1 Tbsp caraway seeds. Pulse, and leave for a minute or two for the yeast particles to dissolve.

Add the flour, ½ cup at a time (pulse quickly after each addition), until the batter becomes solid and is carried around the bowl by the force of the blade.

Keep the machine running and knead for 45 seconds. If the dough is too dense for your machine (this is likely for smaller mixers), turn it out onto a floured surface and proceed by hand.

Place the dough in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured work surface. Divide into 2 pieces and form either round loaves or long plump ones. Place the loaves on a baking sheet that has been dusted with cornmeal.

Cover the loaves with wax paper and put aside to rise for 30 minutes to proof three-quarters in volume (not the usual full proof of double in volume).

Preheat the oven to 450˚ (if using a convection oven, 400˚) 20 minutes before baking, and prepare 1 cup hot water to pour into a pan on the bottom shelf a few minutes before putting in the loaves. This will create the steam needed for a beautiful, crisp crust.

Cut the top of the loaves into a pattern with a razor blade or sharp knife. Try a tic-tac-toe design or diagonal cut across the top. Brush with the egg-water mixture. Sprinkle with remaining caraway seeds.

Place in the hot oven. Midway through baking, turn the loaves around so they brown evenly. The loaves will bake to a deep brown in about 40 minutes. Turn one loaf over and tap the bottom crust to determine if it is done. If it is not hard and crusty, return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Place on a metal rack to cool.

[Ed: Try not to burn your nose as you inhale the luscious scent.]

Rye Sour
Yields 8 cups

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 cups rye flour, stone-ground preferred
3 1/2 cups hot water (120˚-130˚ degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
1 Tbsp caraway seeds
Length of cheesecloth

Tie the onion pieces into a bag made with the cheesecloth. Put aside.

In a large bowl measure the rye flour and water. Stir to mix. Sprinkle on the yeast and work it into the rye mixture. Add the caraway seeds.

When the mixture is thoroughly blended, push the onions down into the center of the sour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put aside overnight (no more than 24 hours). Do not refrigerate.

Lift out the onions, scrape the sour off the cloth, and discard the onions.

The sour can now be used as part of the sponge in all sour rye breads, or refrigerated for later use. (May be kept alive in the refrigerator for several weeks with occasional stirring and feeding.)

Recipes adapted from Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads. Copyright © 1995 Bernard Clayton, Jr.  Tested for The Gilded Fork™ by Donna Marie Zotter. Photo by Donna Marie Zotter.

Originally published March 2005, a time when Jennifer could still eat gluten

This week I’m live from Broadway in New York City. We have had so many great food experiences here in NYC I just had to tell you about them. We visited old haunts and some newer ones like Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles. Come with me as we take a journey around Midtown Manhattan. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next week from Chicago.

ReMARKable Palate #237: Finger Lakes Wines with Steve Shaw

This week, we speak with Steve Shaw, owner and winemaker of Shaw Vineyard in the Finger Lakes Wine Region of Upstate New York. We met at a lunch at Savoy Restaurant in SoHo to taste Finger Lakes wines paired with seasonal winter foods. Steve spoke a bit about his Cabernet Sauvignon to those gathered, adn then he sat with me to tell me about what drew him to the wine business and what he sees for the future of the Finger Lakes.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Our first Brooklyn Cookin’ Workshop this past October was such a huge success, we decided to do it again this summer! I’ve teamed with Chris Marquardt from Tips From the Top Floor, one of the most popular photography shows on the web, to develop this parallel track workshop. Chris leads the photographers, sharing tips and tricks of photography in general, and food photography in particular. I lead those interested in cooking as we explore the kitchen, learning foundational cooking techniques, and several great recipes that help us practice these techniques. Then every once in a while we get together to shoot the food we made, and then enojy the fruits of our collective labor.

This is the perfect (and rare) workshop where couples can learn together, even if they have different interests.

There are still a few spots left. Learn more about the workshop and register at www.tfttf.com/bk2010

Brooklyn Cookin’ – Be a Chef! Be a Food Photographer! And bring someone to share… from Chris Marquardt on Vimeo.

Theme: Food Photography & Cooking
Date: July 16-18 2010
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Price: starting at $699
Language: English
Instructors: Chris Marquardt (photography) & Mark Tafoya (cooking)

http://tfttf.com/bk2010 – This workshop is for couples, or for friends who share different interests. One’s a cook, one’s a photographer. And finally they can share a great workshop experience together. Personal Chef Mark Tafoya (http://culinarymedianetwork.com) and photographer Chris Marquardt (http://chrismarquardt.com/) share their knowledge about their respective fields with the workshop participants to make them great Chefs and perfect Food Photographers. Extend your horizon and upgrade your knowledge.

Here’s my AUDIO PODCAST from this past year’s workshop, inlcuding words from many of the participants.

And the Podcast we did for TIPS FROM THE TOP FLOOR.

“I can not say enough about how much I enjoyed the cooking workshop — learned a lot and use what I learned all the time: Pork Adobo, poached pears, and having fun in the kitchen!”
-Jacqui North, 2009 Participant

“Mark was great. He is so patient, understanding and knowledgeable. Very easy to talk to.. He showed us how to pick out the proper cuts of meat and ripe vegetables. He was very helpful to anyone who asked him questions, even if they were not in the class. He was a very understanding instructor and made cooking seem simple. This was my first cooking class and Mark made me want to take another one.”
-Sally Lovers, 2009 Participant

“Mark adds so much more to his classes than “just” his expertise and love of cookery. Mark can take you through the full culinary experience, from sourcing the ingredients at local markets through to magazine-cover presentation at the dinner table. His style is informal and entertaining, but still professional and extremely knowledgeable. And if you get the chance to be out and about with him in New York City, his knowledge of the area is encyclopedic!”
-Martin McNeil, 2009 Participant

To Register, CLICK HERE

ReMARKable Palate #226: The Red Wines of Long Island

On this week’s show, we take a trip out to the east end to visit 4 different wineries in Long Island. We tasted a couple dozen red wines in one day from just about every producer in Long Island, and got to meet the folks from the Merlot Alliance, as well as get tastes of Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and even BlauFrankish!

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

ReMARKable Palate #220: Innovative Japanese Cuisine

This week, I go from Maui to New York City as we speak with 2 restaurateurs about their modern Asian style eateries. First, I chat with Chef DK Kodama of Sansei and other restaurants all over the state of Hawaii about his modern Pacific Rim style cuisine, and his support for local farmers in the state of Hawaii. I then speak with James Du, co-owner of Akai Lounge on New York’s Upper West Side, which is doing it’s part to offer innovative sushi and interpretations of Japanese classics.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

I travelled to Hawaii as part of The “So Much More Hawaii” Press tour sponsored by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and my travel expenses were paid for by the HTA. My meal at Akai lounge was a complimentary tasting menu. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

ReMARKable Palate #219: Food and Photography

This week, I bring you special audio from the participants in my
Brookyn Cookin’ food and photo workshop. You heard me talking about it the past months, well it finally took place this past weekend, with Chris Marquardt from Tips from the Top Floor co-teaching with me. We speak with the participants, and then afterwards I speak with my good friend and fellow food blogger Jaden Hair from www.SteamyKitchen.com about doing the food photography for her own cookbook.

photo by Chris Marquardt.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

It’s one of the events that I look forward to every year, like Memorial Day or the first week of my CSA, The NASFT Fancy Food Show is one of the highlights of the summer in New York. This is the 55th Annual Summer Fancy Food Show, and despite the downturn in the economy, this is the second largest show ever. It’s the food world’s debutante ball, as thousands of specialty food companies show off their newest products as well as their old favorites, to retailers and restaurateurs from around the country. Luckily, they do allow people from the food press to attend as well, and I get some of my best content there every year.

Since I’ve been bringing you my “Quick Bites” lately, short videos shot with my handheld Creative Vado camera, I figured I would do a post each day of the show to share with you my “Quick Picks”, those products or people that I find interesting. This is by no means exhaustive, nor representative of the thousands of exhibitors at the show, just a few of the standouts that caught my eye and my camera, and those that are short enough to include in a quick show.

This the 5th year that I’ve been coming to the show, and while there are many faces, products, and countries that are familiar by now, there are always surprises, and discoveries to be found, even from the old standbys.

As always I’ll have more videos to share as well as audio for my ReMARKable Palate Podcast, with more in depth interviews of some of the people and food stories that I find fascinating.

Chef Mark and I were invited to a tasting yesterday with Maximilian Riedel at Riedel’s showroom in NYC. We had heard from some colleagues that this would be a fun experience, but we had no idea what was in store for us.

Prior to this interactive workshop, I had heard that wine glass shape made a difference, but I was dubious — was this simply another note of wine snobbery in an industry already rife with posturing? Imagine my surprise.

A true showman, Maximilian is a CEO with true passion for his product, and it shows in every vessel Riedel creates. An 11th generation glassmaker, he is the grandson of Claus Riedel, the first designer to recognize that glass shape affected everything about a wine, from its bouquet to its balance and finish.

Fortunately, we were treated to more than a list of information — we experienced the difference in real time. We tasted wines in glasses designed just for their level of acidity, body and bouquet, then tasted them in the “wrong” glasses — from Pinot Noir in Chardonnay glasses to all the wines in plastic cups. The differences were palpable, and it was actually a relief to put the wines back into their proper glasses for a final taste.

Next week you’ll hear the full experience on Food Philosophy, as I was permitted to record the entire session, and I hope it will really give you a sense of our journey of discovery. For me, the relationship between wine and glasses is forever changed (I might become annoying at dinner parties, but I’m only trying to help).

In the interim I wanted to share some images from the event, as well as a photo of “Eve,” the latest in Riedel’s line of decanters. Their pieces can easily be called artwork, and I find them very sensually satisfying. For Riedel, the wine is the centerpiece (their R&D division is essentially the Napa Valley and its winemakers), so their glasses can barely be felt on the lip as one prepares for that first sip of elixir. I found the whole process to be one of sensual indulgence, and invite you to try it for yourself to see the difference.

Chef Mark took some quick video from his digital camera, so pardon the lighting, but we didn’t want you to miss out on this piece. You can hear the gurgling as the elixir winds its way through the decanter, and get a real sense of Maximilian’s passion for his subject.

We’ll be shooting a more in-depth, HD video with Maximilian in the spring, so keep your eyes peeled (and palates ready) for that! (Note: You can also see our Facebook photos from the day here and here.)

What’s better than cooking, eating, drinking and talking food and wine with people who love (ok, are obsessed with) the subject as much as you? Not much!

We had our first food blogger playdate back in September in the Martha Stewart test kitchens, so Chef Mark decided to arrange another because these gatherings are just so much fun. This time we headed to Chelsea, where our wonderful host Tommy threw open his doors so we could run amok in his beautiful kitchen.

Our fellow bloggers and food friends arrived with cameras, wines and spirits (both physical and otherwise) ready for action. We welcomed Jaden Hair from Steamy Kitchen, Anu Karwa from Swirl Events, Olga Massov from Sassy Radish, intrepid food writer Betty Fussell, Grace Piper from Fearless Cooking, and we even had an uber-techie, Charles Hope, from blip.tv — who arrived right from the airport after attending SXSW and headed straight for the wine. Last, but certainly not least, Carrie Oliver from Oliver Ranch brought the pivotal piece to the table: a selection of gorgeous meats for us to do a blind beef tasting.

The first part of our afternoon was dedicated to testing and photographing recipes from our upcoming cookbook, so we cooked and scrambled to finish that up before the others arrived. Our dishes served double-duty for the night both as props and delicious sides.

Jaden was wonderful enough to help us with some photography tricks, so we can’t wait to see how those shots came out! I’ve included some snaps from the gathering (please forgive — some were taken with my iPhone, and are thus a bit blurry) to give you a peek. There’s a link at the bottom of the post to more photo albums online.

Carrie guided us through a blind tasting of different meats to help us (and thus you) better understand the differences, from the intense grassy flavors of Holstein to the buttery richness of Kobe-style beef. Everyone seemed to have a different favorite, and a lively discussion ensued regarding the labeling used for beef (Grade A, Choice, etc.), grass-fed vs. corn-fed, and what to look for in purchasing meats. Look for more details on our upcoming CMN video.

After the tasting, we began the other tasting — of delicious sides and wines. Anu brought a selection for us to choose from, including a tart, appley (my new word) Pinot Bianco from Alto Adige. We sipped those along with a Cauliflower Puree from Grace Piper, which we dressed with shaved Oregon truffles and a drizzle of olive oil, Pumpkin Bisque with Creme Fraiche and a Honey Port Reduction from our upcoming cookbook, bruschetta made with black garlic courtesy of Jaden, and a Radicchio & Endive Salad with Chevre, Candied Pecans and Figs, also from the cookbook.

Many thanks to everyone who helped to make this such a wonderful evening. We look forward to many more of these! You can see more photos on the blogs above and in the following places (I’ll keep adding these as more links come in):

My Facebook photo album

Grace Piper’s Flickr stream

Twitter IDs:

Jennifer Iannolo: @foodphilosophy
Chef Mark Tafoya: @ChefMark
Grace Piper: @GracePiper
Olga Massov: @sassyradish
Jaden Hair: @SteamyKitchen
Anu Karwa: @swirlwinesavvy
Carrie Oliver: @OliverRanch
Charles Hope: @CharlesHope

Chef Jean-Louis Gerin at James Beard House, Part 2

Jennifer Iannolo joins her friend Chef Jean-Louis Gerin as he serves a dinner at the James Beard House in New York. We go behind the scenes and watch as Jean-Louis and his team plate up the dishes. A production of the Culinary Media Network.

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Food Philosophy is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

RP164: London Lennies

I speak with Brad Haskel and Jeffrey Baruch, sommelier and head chef of London Lennies, a seafood restaurant in Rego Park, Queens, on the eve of their annual Crabfest.

Theme Song: “Go Fish”, by Big Money Grip, from the Podsafe Music Network.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Are you ready for summer cocktails? We certainly are!

If you are in or around NYC, please join us at Union Bar on Friday July 25th from 5-7 PM as we co-host a summer cocktail bash at “Cafe PureLeaf”. This special cafe within Union Bar will be celebrating a new line of bottled PureLeaf brewed teas by Lipton.

We’re going to give tea time a whole new definition, so put on your party shoes and come on over!

We’ll be doing some live taping for our Culinary Media Network shows, especially the bartenders mixing PureLeaf teas into some tasty libations.

Union Bar
200 Park Avenue South
(betw 17th & 18th)
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

The happy hour with drink specials will take place from 5-7, but we’ll hang around for a bit afterwards.

So come on out and have a drink with us — we can’t wait to meet you there! Be sure to let us know if you’re coming so that we can say hello, and thank you for being a Culinary Media Network fan!

A visual montage of some of the beautiful and mouth-watering displays of food products at the 2008 NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show.

A production of the Culinary Media Network.
www.culinarymedianetwork.com

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Today, it’s my annual wrap up of highlights from the Fancy Food Show. Each summer the NASFT, the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, hosts a huge show at the Jacob Javits Center, showcasing food producers from around the world. Many countries sponsor national trade pavilions to show off their traditional and innovative products, and also many entrepreneurial Americans take the opportunity to introduce new specialty products for the American Market. Today it’s a quick wrap up of a few of the products that caught my eye.

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

We attend the Benefit party for the Restaurants Against Hunger campaign, to raise funds for Action Against Hunger, an International agency devoted to fighting hunger in over 43 countries in the world. Their aid helps children and adults with severe malnutrition and in many cases brings them back from the brink of death.

Please take a moment to donate at www.actionagainsthunger.org

A production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Chef Samantha “Mama Red” Izzo from Simply Red Bistro in New York’s Finger Lakes region joins me for a chat about her compelling history. Her restaurant (and philosophy) is the perfect amalgamation of her childhood in South Africa, her bluegrass roots and a healthy touch of sass!

http://www.simplyredbistro.com

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/) and George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal (http://www.georgefletcher.com)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).

ReMARKable Palate #143: Finger Lakes Wine Region

This week, it’s all about the food and wine of the Finger Lakes Wine Country, just a few hours north of New York City. I attended a tasting at New York’s Astor Center, the state of the art tasting room above Astor Wines, where I got a chance to taste a number of Rieslings from the Finger Lakes paired with nibbles prepared by some of the region’s best chefs. In addition, we learned about many of the fun activities on offer in the region, from sporting, to car racing, and of course, the heritage museums of Central New York.

Websites mentioned:

www.schuylerny.com
www.hill-top-inn.com
www.corningfingerlakes.com
www.womenonlyweekends.com
www.theglen.com
www.gafferdistrict.com
www.wagnervineyards.com
www.glenora.com
www.theglen.com
www.rednewt.com

ReMARKable Palate is a production of The Culinary Media Network. www.culinarymedianetwork.com

Chef Mark and I sit down with Sirio Maccioni, owner of Le Cirque and Osteria del Circo, to talk about his family empire, his thoughts on modern restaurants — and what he told the Pope about his wife.

www.lecirque.com

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/) and George Fletcher’s Bourbon Renewal (http://www.georgefletcher.com)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).

Take a tour with me through James Beard’s former home in NYC. Suffice it to say that anyone with a mirrored ceiling in the bedroom is a hero in my book.

Music: Beau Hall (http://www.beaurocks.com/)

Food Philosophy is a production of the Culinary Media Network (http://www.culinarymedianetwork.com/).