If you have family gathering ’round the table for an Easter feast, might we suggest taking full advantage of spring’s bounty? The flavors and colors arriving to market right now offer a refreshing change to our dulled winter palates. This month’s wine pairings were inspired by the book from our friends Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, What to Drink with What You Eat.

Fresh peas, lamb, beets and rhubarb…the flavors of spring. Colorful and bright, this month’s dishes are perfect for Easter dinner or any spring celebration.

APPETIZER
Mascarpone and Beet Napoleons with Walnut Oil
Suggested pairing: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
(See pairing notes below)

SOUP
Spring Pea Soup
Suggested pairing: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

MAIN COURSE
Roman Roast Leg of Lamb with Orzo
Suggested pairing: California Zinfandel or Cabernet

DESSERT
Anise Panna Cotta with Spiced Rhubarb
Suggested pairing: Moscato d’Asti or Late-Harvest Riesling

PAIRING NOTES

This month our pairings were inspired by the new book from Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, What to Drink with What You Eat (click to buy it — we highly recommend it!). This must-have addition to your food library makes it simple to pair wines with your meals, and makes it all quite simple and easy to understand. You can listen to our interview with Andrew and Karen on Food Philosophy #34, where they talk about the inspiration for this tome that is taking the food world by storm.

Mascarpone and Beet Napoleons with Walnut Oil &
Spring Pea Soup

Varietal: New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Reasoning: Sauvignon Blanc is best paired with acidic foods, and a light-to-medium bodied New World wine like this is a nice balance for the acidity and sweetness of the beets. The citrusy nose will also nicely complement the lightness of the pea soup.

Roman Roast Leg of Lamb with Orzo

Varietal: California Cabernet or Zinfandel

Reasoning: Both of these California reds are a great match for the roasted lamb and garlic flavors. If you prefer bold, big, full-bodied reds, go with the Cabernet. If you want a more fruity, jammy pairing stick with the Zinfandel.

Anise Panna Cotta with Spiced Rhubarb

Varietal: Moscato d’Asti or Late-Harvest Riesling

Reasoning: The sweetness and bubbles of the Moscato d’Asti will complement the richness of the cream while offering a contrast to the tang of the spiced rhubarb. You can also pair this dessert with any sweet wine based on the Muscat grape. If Muscat wines are a bit too sweet for you, try a late-harvest Riesling instead.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

We are of two minds when it comes to New Year’s Eve: We either want to be dressed to the nines at a fabulous ballroom-esque gala, or gathered with friends in a casual setting at home. This year we’re opting for the latter, so we’ve put together a menu perfect for a casually elegant night in. For further tips, we’ve crafted test kitchen dossiers on both Cocktails and Hors d’Oeuvres for this month, so take all the notes you need to. Don’t forget that the rest of our Entertaining section has further tips on decor and the trimmings. Now get that celebration started, and say adieu to another year!

Cocktails, finger foods and dessert. Is there any better way to ring in the New Year?

COCKTAILS

Provocachic™ Cosmopolitan
Lemongrass Martini
Love Potion: Family Edition
Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

LIGHT HORS D’OEUVRES (2 to 3 servings per person)

Minted Pea Puree Canapes in Puff Pastry Vol au Vents
Dilled Crab Salad on Artichoke Bottoms
Celeriac Prosciutto Rolls with Lemongrass Vinaigrette
Cucumber Cups with Caviar and Champagne Onions

HEAVY HORS D’OEUVRES (2 to 3 servings per person)

Thyme Focaccia with Kalamata Mascarpone Spread
Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp with Sweet Chile Dipping Sauce
Spicy Beef or Chicken Satay
Cheese Board

DESSERTS

Amaretto Tiramisu
Chilly Drunken Orange “Creamsicle”
Flan de Champagne (Champagne Flan)

SETUP NOTES (from our Entertaining section)

One of the most impactful ways to make a statement to your guests is by presenting your feast in a sumptuous display. Depending on the size of your space, you have several options: We suggest setting up a main table, and if space allows, several side tables, which will enable you to disperse the food setup around the room so all your guests do not gather (and clog) one area. If your space is smaller, you may not be able to avoid this, in which case we recommend staying with a single table setup.

For the main table, you want to craft an array of goodies that appeals to the eye, and the best way to achieve this effect is to create a series of levels on the table for your various dishes and platters. This creative effort instantly transforms any menu into a formidable display, and creates a variety of eye candy for the guests who approach.

Find some sturdy elements you can use to build levels on which to place serving dishes. We have used upside-down pots, bowls, boxes, and bricks in our displays. All of these will be covered with a cloth, so it doesn’t matter how attractive they are — they just need to provide a solid foundation. Cover them with a large cloth, then use smaller cloths bunched around the levels to make an attractive nest. If you are particularly creative, you can accent the table with decorative items like branches, dried flowers or candles, provided their scents and/or leaves do not interfere with the food.

We suggest keeping all elements requiring chafing dishes on the main table, as you will more easily be able to monitor them. We also recommend staying with a flat surface for side or accent tables, as they are easily bumped. You can use these for crudités, breads, cheeses, or cold hors d’oeuvres.

BAR SETUP NOTES (from our Cocktail Party dossier)

This is the critical component. For a cocktail party, you will need to decide whether there will be a bartender or self-serve setup. If it is the former, and the barman is a professional, he will likely have a repertoire he prefers to serve. For our purposes here, however, we will assume a self-serve setup.

At its most basic, your bar should include the following items:

Liquors
Gin
Vodka
Rum
Whiskey (at least Bourbon and Scotch)
Vermouth
Tequila (Reposado)

Accompaniments/Mixers
Tonic water
Club soda
Coke
7-Up
Sour mix
Common fruit juices – fresh, or those not from concentrates (i.e. lime, cranberry, grapefruit, etc.)
Lime wedges
Lemon wedges
Cocktail olives (you may want to keep the juice in a small glass container for dirty martinis)
Ice (app. 1 pound per guest per hour (for about 3 servings)

[Mixologist's Notes: Though troublesome, buying a bunch of fun ice molds and making your own ice with mineral water would also be a nice touch. Also, carbonated mixers in cans are easier to chill and manage.]

Accessories
Wine glasses (champagne, red, white)
Cocktail glasses
Cocktail shaker(s)
Stirrers
Cocktail napkins

[Mixologist's Note: You may also wish to consider disposable plasticware shaped just like the cocktail and wine glassware and/or champagne flutes.]

For those who might prefer wine to cocktails, it is best to include an assortment of red, white, and sparkling wines (see Alder’s favorite $10 wines for some suggestions).

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

Note: This article is a companion to our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook. With 13 dinner party menus, and the tips you’ll find in this and our other entertaining articles, we’ve done a lot of the work for you. Sally forth!

There is a certain art to being a good host, and it is one that is cultivated after what is likely trial-by-fire. You have learned that even the largest catastrophes can be met with a sense of humor, flexibility, and a little creative flair.

But how do you get to that happy place? The answer is not to be found in the bottom of a martini glass (ok, not always). Instead, it is to be found in planning well, being able to think on your feet, and putting the comfort of your guests at the top of the priority list. Even if your recipes turn out quite differently from what you had planned, your guests will remember how delightful you were as a gracious host.

Remember: Elegant does not have to mean complicated. There is beauty inherent in doing things simply, but doing them well, and it doesn’t require lots of frill and fuss. To use a cooking analogy, if you create an ornate dish with mediocre ingredients, the results will still be, well, mediocre. A simpler dish with top-quality ingredients, however, will stay in the memories of your guests long after the plates have been cleared.

That is the entire premise of our Mise en Place section, where you can find elegant menus that are not overly fussy, but that evoke beautiful flavors and use the art of food styling to elevate your presentation. (In fact, that section was the predecessor to our cookbook, which has more meat to it.) Such little touches turn an ordinary dinner party into a memorable occasion, and when combined with ambiance and good company, you can’t go wrong.

What will keep you most calm during all of this, of course, is good planning, which is why we have created a list of tips that we use to plan, as well as some templates for your organization. (Yes, we really, really want you to use them.)

If you wish to become better versed in the rules of dining etiquette, we highly recommend the grande dame of such endeavors, Emily Post. Her Advice for Every Dining Occasion is invaluable for understanding what fork to use for which course, and how to handle such dilemmas as inebriated guests, etc. It is somewhat hard to find now, but if you can get your hands on a copy, save it forever.

Guest Lists

Clearly, this is a critical part of being a good host, as your guests can make or break an event. Does the crowd consist of a group of fun-loving friends, or is it perhaps a small group of serious colleagues from the office?

When we create a guest list for our own parties, we try to ensure it includes at least several people with wonderful personalities who can liven up the room, as well as assist in making sure no one is left sitting by him/herself.

Obviously there are times when you will not have much choice in selecting the attending crowd, as it may be a party specifically for colleagues or a certain social group. In said case, prepare for the Party Hound, the Wallflower, the Drama Queen, and the rest. If you know in advance how to handle these colorful personalities, you will be less stressed when confronted with their expected behavior.

It is best to give as much advance notice as possible, understanding that most people have schedules as full as yours. Your invitations should be in hand at least two weeks before the party to give people time to respond, but if this isn’t possible, don’t panic. Thankfully there is now the possibility of e-mailed invitations through sites like www.evite.com, so there is no worry about delays from sluggish postal systems. However, for guests who haven’t quite gotten the hang of the electronic age, or for those with a true sense of aesthetic appreciation, there is nothing quite like a handwritten invitation. We like Kate’s Paperie and Papyrus for unusual, luxurious invitations.

We always request an RSVP for our events with at least four days of advance notice, whether for a cocktail party or sit-down dinner, as there is really no other way to finalize how much food to prepare. You can always count on a few people to just show up, as well as others to be no-shows; this is inevitable, but if you are well-prepared, these “surprises” should not put a damper on the affair. If it makes you more comfortable, request a confirmation a full week in advance.

In the case of a sit-down, plated dinner party, it is absolutely essential that guests RSVP, as well as show up on time. The worst possible thing a guest can do is interrupt the flow of a plated meal.

The best way to avoid this scenario is to state clearly on the invitation:

Formal, yes, but you’ll be thankful. And if a guest does arrive late, seat him and have him begin with whatever course you are serving — it is not your obligation to go back and prepare anything he has missed.

Our Favorite Mantras

As we also stated in our Survival Guide, there are a few mantras we use when putting on our aprons to prepare a feast for guests. We suggest memorizing them.

• Remember to take deep breaths; freaking out never helped any situation, no matter what the
disaster.

• You are not attempting to reinvent the wheel. You are throwing a party.

• Think on your feet. There is always a solution, so get as creative as you need to. No one else
needs to know — they only see the final result.

• If you absolutely run out of time, or cannot find an ingredient, we will not send you to culinary
purgatory for purchasing pre-made items. Do try, however, to keep such items to pastries,
crudités, and more complicated dishes like terrines and pâtés.

• Do not pickle yourself with cocktails before attempting to cook. Not only will your palate be
deadened, but flames, knives, and alcohol are never a good mix. Trust us on that one.

• Repeat after us: “A little Type-A goes a long way.”

We posted this dinner party on today’s TasteBuds blog, with plenty of tools to get you ready for entertaining. Enjoy!

At last, the season of entertaining and gathering indoors is upon us. I like to think of it as the modern version of gathering round the hearth; a shared table gives us common ground, and humans, after all, like to be nurtured.

Now, there are some who can entertain at the drop of a hat. My huge Scottish-Italian family, which includes 25 people for an intimate dinner, is fully stocked with catering equipment and an industrial slicer. But I realize that for some, a dinner party for 8 can cause hives, so I’m here for you.

My favorite menus at this time of year have to include pumpkin, so this Harvest Celebration Dinner Party, from our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook, is resplendent with my beloved orange squash and other autumnal goodness. Easy easy to prepare, this menu is perfect for welcoming the new season.

I pulled together some of our best resources to help ease some of the angst, because our goal is to do as much of the work for you as possible. We’d rather you spend most of your time enjoying yourself and the company you’ve invited into your home. Below you’ll even find beverage pairings to make things supremely easy for you.

If you’re looking for help with some of the broader details, here are a few how-to articles:

Planning 101: The Power of the List — A little Type-A goes a long way
The Magic of Ambience — A how-to for decor, from table displays to music and lighting
The Good Host: Grace Under Fire — How to pull it all together without tearing your hair out

Now all you need to do is get to it! If you want to riff on the menu a bit, feel free to peruse the full list of Gilded Fork recipes for ideas, which includes a great list of cocktails.

If you have questions, please feel free to post them below and I’ll do my best to answer you quickly. This is a great starter kit to get you moving, so get into the kitchen!

FIRST COURSE

Pumpkin Bisque
Suggested pairing: Hard Apple Cider
(see Pairing Notes below for further details)

SECOND COURSE

Red and White Salad with Candied Pecans, Figs and Chèvre
Suggested wine pairing: Pinot Gris

MAIN COURSE

Seared Duck Breast with Figged Port Demi-Glace
Suggested wine pairing:

DESSERT COURSE

Pumpkin Flan with Ancho Chile Brittle
Suggested wine pairing: Late Harvest or Ice Wine

BEVERAGE PAIRING NOTES

Below you’ll find the explanations for beverage suggestions, which have been crafted for our cookbook by Lenn Thompson from LENNDEVOURS.

Pumpkin Bisque
Pairing: Hard Apple Cider

Reasoning: There are a ton of options here, but why not do something a little different at your next dinner party? Nothing says fall like apple cider, and hard cider’s tart apple flavor and bubbles will complement this rich bisque. Shun the supermarket brands and look to local orchards. Many produce hard sparkling cider. Plus, these are lower in alcohol than most wines, making them the perfect opening drink.

Red and White Salad with Candied Pecans, Figs and Chèvre Varietal: Oregon Pinot Gris

Reasoning: Clean, refreshing fruit flavors — think pears, apples and citrus — with hints of vanilla and almond make Pinot Gris a great choice for this salad, which features a variety of flavors and textures. Italian Pinot Grigio is made with the same grape, but they tend to be one dimensional and uninspired. Look for Pinot Gris made in Oregon, which tend to be good values as well.

Seared Duck Breast with Figged Port Demi-Glace
Varietal: Merlot

Reasoning: When we say Merlot, we don’t mean the over-blown California renditions. Look for a balanced Merlot — maybe one that has some Cabernet Sauvignon and/or Cabernet France blended in. That means Bordeaux — or, if you want to drink closer to home — Long Island.

Pumpkin Flan with Ancho Chile Brittle
Varietal: Late Harvest or Ice Wine

Reasoning: A decadent custard desert like this deserves an equally decadent, luscious wine. Late harvest (or ice wines) can be made from any grape, but most often you’ll see them made with Riesling, Semillon or Vidal Blanc in the northeastern U.S. You want one that has intense fruit, decided sweetness but also a zing of acidity. Many of our favorites come out of the Finger Lakes region of New York and these wines tend to be more affordable than those made in Canada.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

OK, now that Mom has been pampered, it’s time to spoil Dad a little bit. Since he usually gets stuck with a tie, why not prepare him a delicious, manly meal? This menu is full of the bold flavors men love, and you’ve got plenty of time to plan, so no excuses! Wine notes are included below, so ready thy aprons and glasses, and let’s offer a toast to the Big Guy.

Nothing says “I love you” to a man like grilled steak. We’ve added some wonderful accompaniments to this main course, all of which are simple to prepare and perfect for a Summer day.

FIRST COURSE

Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp with Sweet Chile Dipping Sauce
Suggested wine pairing: Pinot Grigio
(see Wine Notes below for further details)

SOUP COURSE

Salmorejo
Suggested wine pairing: White Sancerre

MAIN COURSE

Steak with Champagne Braised Cippolini Onions and Sage Butter
Suggested wine pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

DESSERT COURSE

Coffee Granita
Suggested wine pairing: Coffee Liqueur or Port

White Chocolate Cinnamon Crusted Tuile Cookies

WINE NOTES FROM VIRGINIA WINE TIME

Many thanks to Paul and Warren from Virginia Wine Time for their pairing recommendations. You can read more of their articles from the Daily News Record, a Shenandoah newspaper.

Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp with Sweet Chile Dipping Sauce

Varietal: Pinot Grigio

Reasoning: Pinot Grigio is a versatile grape which flourishes in many climates.  We love an Alsatian Pinot Grigio because it has a sweet refreshing, crisp and sometimes citrusy profile, which will pair well with the lemongrass and cut the spiciness of the hoisin sauce.

Salmorejo

Varietal: White Sancerre

Reasoning: A chilled White Sancerre, made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape, pairs well with Salmorejo, or any dish with lots of acidity from tomatoes or garlic, because the tart finish will match the acidity of the soup.

Steak with Champagne Braised Cippolini Onions and Sage Butter

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon

Reasoning: Cabernet Sauvignon grows well in warm climates and benefits from a long growing season, so the sugars have time to develop. Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic pairing with a buttery steak. The berry and cherry flavors and sharp tannins will be tamed by the bold flavors and textures of the beef. Aged cabernets can have notes of tobacco, leather or cassis.

Coffee Granita with White Chocolate Cinnamon Crusted Tuile Cookies

Varietal: Coffee Liqueur or Port

Reasoning: The dessert already has coffee liqueur, so this would be a nice after dinner match. Alternatively, try a nice vintage port with a nice sweetness and not too much acidity.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

The term smörgåsbord refers to a buffet-style table with a variety of dishes from which to choose. In Swedish, the word smörgås means “sandwich,” but we’ve put a lighter twist on things for this menu: Our summer smörgåsbord features refreshing dishes intended to stave off the heat. We’ve also kept our pairings very simple with inexpensive sparkling wines, as the palate seems to crave fruitiness and bubbles this time of year.

Light flavors and textures make this menu perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. For best results, dine outdoors!

Shrimp & Avocado Canapés
Roasted Asparagus with Tarragon Butter Sauce
Festive Fennel Salad
Silky Spring Beet Soup
Olive Oil Poached Sablefish with Citrus & Thyme
Fig Tart with Vanilla Crème Patissière

PAIRING NOTES

When it gets warm out, our palates naturally turn to white and sparkling wines for refreshment. With this particular menu, we recommend serving a less expensive Prosecco or Cava, as they are lighter and fruiter (less yeasty), and pair with a wider range of foods. We also see no need to serve expensive sparkling wines (i.e. Champagne), especially if you plan to invite a large group of people. Keep it simple!

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

Why dine out when you can revel in the privacy and intimacy of a home-cooked dinner for two? We’ve crafted a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner for two with dishes that are a non-fussy, yet elegant, with sumptuous aromas and textures certain to go straight to the heart of your special paramour.

Note: This menu is featured in our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook.

HORS D’OEUVRES

Foie Gras Mousse with Fig Syrup served on Crisped Toasts
Suggested wine pairings: Brut Champagne or German Riesling (see note below)

FIRST COURSE

Pear and Prosciutto Salad with Toasted Walnuts
Continue with wine from hors d’oeuvres

MAIN COURSE

Poussins en demi-deuil (Hens in Half-Mourning)
Suggested wine pairing: Pinot Noir (French Burgundy or California)

DESSERT COURSE

Poached Pears with Chocolate Raspberry Sauce
Suggested wine pairing: Vinsanto (fortified Italian dessert wine) or Sauternes

A NOTE ON WINE PAIRINGS

One of the challenges in suggesting wine pairings is that we may have the perfect wine to match a particular recipe, but your local wine merchant may not. As a result, we are pairing this month’s recipes based on varietal (Riesling, Pinot Noir, etc.), so you at least have a guideline.

Our enthusiastic recommendation is for you to simply take a copy of the menu to the wine store, show them what you’re serving, and ask for recommendations based on a price range. We rely on this method regularly, as our wine merchants make it their livelihood to continually taste wine and expand their knowledge base, so we make good use of their expertise. If you are in a rural area and/or do not have a local wine merchant, these suggestions should at least help you to choose a wine in your supermarket or other local store.

If you think three bottles of wine may be too much for two people, and would rather choose one or two bottles, keep in mind that you could serve Champagne or sparkling wine for all except the dessert course. You will want a dry champagne, such as a Brut (see our Champagne dossier for more information on the varied levels of sweetness).

It is also not absolutely necessary to serve a dessert wine if you are not partial to sweet wines. You can simply serve dessert, then move on to coffee afterward. (We recommend that you resist the American urge to serve coffee with dessert, as it can interfere with the flavors of your sweet finish.)

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

Photo: C.C. Chapman

Game meats have a tendency to be off-putting to the average eater; perhaps it is a “savage” connotation derived from the image of wild hunters with bows and arrows. In the U.S., most cooks prefer to procure food that is in a secure (and very sterile) package of Styrofoam and plastic wrap. Yet it is difficult to ignore that wild meats and fowl have been a staple of human consumption from (quite literally) the beginning of time; after all, the first Thanksgiving turkey was not a Butterball.

Given my Scottish heritage, game cooking was treated as a point of pride in my grandmother’s house, where it was not unusual to find rabbit, lamb, or venison cooking on the stove. This did not thrill me.  And given the headcount of six males in my immediate family, my youth was filled with early-morning memories of Dad and The Brothers heading off before sunrise for a hunting adventure. Often they would return empty-handed, but once in a while they would come home triumphant, sporting a deer carcass or various game birds. This did not thrill me, either; the flavor of the meat was so…“gamey” that consumption was not an option for me. My palate has become more adventurous through the years, however, so game has become a happy addition to my palate’s repertoire.

Thankfully, you no longer need to be an avid hunter — or an incredibly adventurous eater — to enjoy the taste of game at your home table; there is now a variety of reputable purveyors from which to choose. With the proliferation of artisan animal husbandry in the United States, game meats and fowl are becoming ever more popular from restaurant menus to the home kitchen, and their flavor is far more mild than the kind my father and brothers brought home. It is also likely that game’s low saturated fat content has led to the growth in its popularity.

In the hands of talented purveyors (and the modern, web-based mail-order system), a wide variety of game is now available in every part of the country. The most well-known purveyors are Hudson Valley Foie Gras (foie gras and duck), D’Artagnan (numerous game specialties, foie gras, truffles), Sonoma Foie Gras (foie gras) and ExoticMeats.com (everything under the sun, including alligator and rattlesnake). These companies are specialists in the realm of game sourcing, storage, and aging, so you are virtually guaranteed the highest possible quality of foodstuffs for your meal preparation.

The more popular varieties of game and fowl available include rabbit, venison, and quail, but others such as ostrich and buffalo have also gained a foothold with the dining public. Following are the more commonly found varieties of game birds and meats:

Fowl:

-        Quail
-        Duck
-        Pheasant
-        Wood Pigeon
-        Squab
-        Poussin
-        Ostrich
-        Partridge
-        Wild Turkey

Meats:

-        Rabbit
-        Wild Boar
-        Buffalo
-        Venison (deer meat)
-        Yak
-        Elk
-        Caribou
-        Kangaroo

Of course, for the home cook, the intimidation factor of this list can be overwhelming — such animals seem so — exotic. The sourcing is no longer an issue, but what does one do with them once the package arrives?

Fear not; the process is not as daunting as you might think. Again, in its previous incarnation (from the wild), game meats had to be marinated for days to remove that notorious “gamey” flavor. Modern meats are much more delicate and palatable from the start, so the preparation is more akin to the treatment of everyday meats and poultry.

An important caveat, however, is that game tends to be quite lean, so it cooks and dries out more quickly. Most of the time, there is no need to cook it past medium-rare, as any further stage will result in a dry, tough piece of meat.

Before the growth of domestically-raised game, marinades and barding were the saviors of the kitchen. Here is a classic marinade from my grandmother’s cooking notes which includes burgundy and port wines:

Recipe: Roast Venison

Today, however, marinades are used much as they are in regular cooking — as an infusion of flavor. Barding is the process of covering the top (or entire) bird with bacon or pork fat, enabling a constant basting to take place during roasting. This is still done for flavor, but domestically-raised birds often have enough fat content to stay juicy on their own.

When preparing game (or regular) birds, herbed butters are a wonderful way to add flavor and juiciness to the meat and its skin. No recipe is needed — you can simply use what is on-hand in your pantry, or see our Harvest Spiced Butter from last month. For fowl, sage is a wonderful accompaniment, and in the Test Kitchen we simply add some herbs to unsalted, room-temperature butter, add salt and pepper to taste, and rub the flavored butter all over the outside of the bird, as well as under its skin. (Incidentally, this elevates Thanksgiving turkey to a wonderfully delicious level of flavor.)

Two of our favorite game birds are quail and squab; both are petite enough for individual servings at dinner parties, and their flavor is tender and succulent. Quail is the smallest game bird available, and adapts quite well to a variety of cooking methods, including marination, broiling, or saucing. Our good friend and chef Jean-Louis Gerin from Restaurant Jean-Louis in Greenwich, CT has generously shared one of his favorite recipes with us:

Recipe: Boneless Quail stuffed with Poultry Quenelle

Squab, traditionally known as pigeonneau, is actually a young pigeon that has not yet learned to fly. Its name has been changed in the U.S. given the unpopular image of pigeons, but it is a frequent menu item in most fine-dining establishments. Its meat is dark, rich, and tender, but it must not be cooked past medium-rare or it develops a rather liver-esque flavor. Chef Mark Tafoya has created a delicious recipe to tempt our palates:

Recipe: Roasted Squab in Apple-Cinnamon Glaze

Of course, one cannot discuss game birds without mentioning the ever-flavorful, satisfying taste of duck. Our friends at Hudson Valley Foie Gras have sent us a mouthwatering recipe for Magret de Canard (duck breast) that sings with the promise of rich, fruity flavors balanced with a peppery zing.

Recipe: Magret de Canard au Poivre

We will continue to look at a variety of game meats and fowl throughout the month (along with our über-favorite indulgence, truffles), but we hope these will keep you busy in the kitchen until next week’s installment. A la cuisine!

Photo: Kelly Cline

Originally Published November 2005

As with most skills worth learning, bread baking requires a dedicated piece of your time: Time first spent on learning and understanding your ingredients, then on understanding the spectacular organic and natural processes that take place between those ingredients to yield your baking dough. With this understanding, you are then left to pure instinct.

Oddly enough, the instinct is the easy part. Trusting your instincts is where most cooks fear they will go wrong — they won’t. It is the touch of the dough — the way it springs against your touch, and the way the smell of sugars caramelizing promise that the crust is forming properly — that will guide you toward perfection. For your efforts, every sense is rewarded. But beyond those ethereal and aesthetic pleasures, perfectly baked bread will above all else inspire you. Bread is, in every respect, the staff of life.

That’s not to say bread isn’t easy. In many respects it is, particularly when yeast isn’t involved. Quick breads and cake breads instantly come to mind and, of course, every seasoned cook has a small repertoire of recipes at hand. Effortless and essential, quick and cake breads deliver home-baked freshness to your table, without compromising your time to get it there.

There is only one secret to achieving moist, light quick breads. Stop working your dough — or batter, if you prefer — before you think you should. Because there is no yeast to stretch the gluten, and your leavening agent is mostly chemical (in the form of baking soda or baking powder) and mechanical (in the form of creaming butter and sugar or eggs), one stir too many and the irreversible process of hardening the gluten begins. You want your ingredients thoroughly combined, and any nuts or fruits well distributed, but a few good stirs should do the trick.

For wonderfully different cake-like bread that is both sweet and savory, Susan Herrmann Loomis created a dried fig and hazelnut bread (cake aux figues et au noisettes) inspired by a meal in the garden of the Musee de la Vie Romantique in Paris’ 9th arrondissement. She demonstrated it to me during a wonderful week in Louviers, France at her home On Rue Tatin. A quick bread in the traditional sense, this is a delight when served in small slices as an aperitif, with a chilled glass of Savenniere or a flute of champagne.

Recipe: Dried Fig and Hazelnut Bread

The aroma wafting from a kitchen where bread has been set to bake is one that is undeniably intoxicating. Even with a quick bread, your kitchen is a delight to the senses. This is, in large part, due to the multitude of processes that occur beginning with the fermentation of the yeast, and then the development of the dough. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I want you first to understand the core components to the bread-baking puzzle. It is upon this that everything else is built. If you miss something, chances are you will miss it here. Technique is, after all, a simple exercise of following instruction. Methode, on the other hand, is the art of building and developing flavor. With the confidence of a basic knowledge in place, and your instincts intact, you will be well on your way to creating fine home-baked breads.

Method:

Bread baking, in the truest sense of the word, begins with the most basic of ingredients: flour, yeast, salt and water — yet, depending on the methode and technique employed, the flavors will range from delicate to robust

Ingredients:

Flour

Flour is the essence of bread, and wheat the grain of choice from which bread flour is milled. Wheat contains more gluten than other grains, which is a necessary organic component to the fermentation process.

Designated by the amount of gluten protein it contains, most bread baking flours you will encounter have between 9.5 and 13.5 percent gluten (9.5 to 11.5 percent gluten in all-purpose flour; 11.5 to 13.5 percent gluten in bread flour). Artisanal bakers often select from a variety of flours milled from a variety of wheat. From hard wheat to soft wheat, red wheat to white wheat, winter wheat to spring wheat, each strain contains different qualities, all of which account for the distinguishing flavors and textures of bread from one bakery to another.

As home bread bakers, we are often limited to the types of flours our local grocer carries. Fortunately, most of the recipes you’ll encounter will work well with any brand of commercially available bread flour, and in most instances, with all-purpose flour. The primary difference between brands and types is in the ability of the flour to absorb water, which translates in the amount of time you will have to mix, or knead, the dough.

Unbleached flour is the preferable choice among flours. Its yellowish tint is created by the presence of beta-carotene, which during the baking process contributes to a better aroma and better flavor, not to mention the visually alluring creaminess to the crumb. Of course, any nutritional benefits conveyed by the presence of the beta-carotene are lost with the high heat used in baking.

Yeast

Instant yeast or active dry yeast are probably the two most widely available yeasts, and absolutely suitable for home bread baking. Instant yeast has 25% more living yeast cells per teaspoon than an equal amount of active dry yeast. Instant yeast, though you may see it packaged as “rapid-rise” or “fast-rising” is, contrary to its name, rather slow to awaken. And in bread baking, in most cases, slow will better suit you.

Active dry yeast is grown on larger grains of nutrients that have to be dissolved first in warm water. For most, this extra step is simply a nuisance. But it is quite easy: warm water, sprinkle the yeast on the water, wait 2 to 6 minutes and then move on. Instant yeast, on the other hand, comes in such small grains that it instantly hydrates when the dough hydrates. Consequently, it can be added directly to the flour.

The yeast cells go to work digesting the sugar present in the flour. This process creates carbon dioxide and ethanol as by-products. The carbon dioxide molecules attach to the gluten in the flour, stretching the proteins as the gases expand. The number of viable yeast cells, along with the temperature and dough environment (warmth and moisture) determines your rate of fermentation. The process of fermentation is commonly known as the first rise.

What you must understand about yeast in the fermentation process is that yeast feeds on the sugars present in the dough, converting the sugar to carbon dioxide and ethanol as a digestive by-product. The ethanol evaporates during baking, while the carbon dioxide leavens, or raises, the dough. Too much yeast will leaven the dough too quickly, exhausting the available supply of sugars. This leaves you with an alcohol aftertaste, as the yeast turns on itself, creating a less desirable by-product, glutathione, which is responsible for the ammonia-like taste in the dough.

Instant, as well as active dry yeast, will keep best in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Once the package is opened, the yeast will begin to absorb moisture from the air and slowly come to life. The longer it is exposed to air, the more potency the yeast will lose. If necessary, you can freeze yeast in an airtight container. The freezing will not kill the yeast, and most likely any reduction in potency will be minimal.

Tools:

Though I have a penchant for any tool or piece of electronic wizardry that reduces the time of manual labor for me, when it comes to bread baking, they are little more than a luxury. Kneading is one of the most time-honored aspects of the bread baking process, and it is the only way to understand the feel of the dough. While electric stand mixers work equally well, and only in some cases does a food processor suit the task, in the end, you will turn out the dough onto a floured surface and complete the task of kneading.

The tools you select to do your kneading or mixing may vary from recipe to recipe, depending on the type of bread dough and the additional ingredients you plan to add. Regardless, kneading has three primary functions: distribution of the ingredients, development of the gluten and initiating fermentation.

As for the other tools you might want to have, the most basic of kitchens will be well-equipped. Shaping and proofing baskets, bowls and cloths are wonderful luxuries to have, but they are absolutely unnecessary. From the most expensive French bannetons (bentwood willow baskets popular for shaping breads during the proofing stage) to the dollar store bread baskets, or to the stainless-steel and glass mixing bowls you may have on hand, adapting a basket or bowl for proofing needn’t consume you with worry.

The same goes for couches, or the linen proofing cloths for freestanding loaves. You can adapt a white, old tablecloth by lightly misting it with spray oil and dusting with flour to prevent your dough from sticking.

Baking Stones

Much has been written about the virtues of baking stones. Logically, yes, they do retain and radiate heat much more effectively than sheet pans, and are most likely to replicate the hearth ovens of artisanal bakeries. Are they necessary? No. Will they make a difference in the resulting quality of your bread? Perhaps, but only marginally.

Flavor is developed in the fermentation process, which a baking stone will never improve upon. At best, a stone will promote more even baking and give you a slightly more crisp crust. Depending on the quality and performance of your oven, a stone may be a good investment. In most cases, you can improvise to accommodate for your oven’s shortcomings.

Fermentation and Proofing:

Most breads are fermented and proofed at room temperature. You would do well when you read “room temperature” in a bread recipe to think “warm place”, and by “warm place” think about 73 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature promotes a slower rise, than say a commercial proofing oven or the proofing function of a professional-grade home oven appliance. But, in the case of bread making, a slower rise will do more to develop the flavor of your bread, allowing the organic process of fermentation to slowly take place.

I find my kitchen environment — indeed, my home — to be too cold. During the winter months, I place my proofing bowl (a glazed ceramic pottery bowl I found at the National Apple Harvest last year) on my counter beneath my under-cabinet lights. These lights produce a nice warm bath for the bowl. The proofing bowl, tucked back on the counter under the lights, keeps the bowl out of any drafts circulating about the kitchen. A small room, with a sunny window and a door to close the heat in, will often warm to a desirable temperature, and is another option for the home baker.

In the summertime, when warmth isn’t necessarily the problem so much as humidity, I’ve had my best results when I turn my oven on to the “warm” setting just until preheated. This allows the oven to warm generously. Then I turn it off, and keep the door closed. Done about an hour before I am ready to begin my bread, I find that when my dough is ready for fermentation and the first rise, the oven is warm and the perfect environment for proofing.

Baking:

Many processes take place during the baking stage. The critical piece, however, occurs in the oven where three elemental processes occur: the gelatinization of the starches, the caramelization of the sugars, and the coagulation and roasting of the proteins. Each will affect the quality of your final product.It is the baking process where heat must be directly radiated into the bread to facilitate these processes, which is why so many advocate baking stones. Steam is the other functional component. Whether you choose to use a baking stone is a personal decision. However, when it comes to baking hearth breads, the use of steam is not optional.

Steam delays the onset of gelatinization (or the thickening of the dough mass transforming it from dough to bread), allowing the bread additional time to rise in the oven (also called oven spring). It also provides an attractive glaze or shine to the bread. Steam is valuable to the baking process only in the initial stages, during the first half of baking time. After that, the bread needs a dry environment in order to develop a properly crisp crust.

To steam, many advocate pouring water onto the oven floor or misting the walls of the oven. For a variety of reasons, including the damage you can cause to your lights, glass doors and the oven floor itself (in a gas oven, of course, you may dowse the pilot) resulting from the severe temperature differentials, I have learned to avoid misting all together. A better method is to place an empty heavy duty pan or cast iron skillet on a lower shelf or oven floor during the preheating process. Before placing the bread in the oven, add hot water (the hotter the better so as not to rob the oven of its heat) to the pan. Added care is required here to prevent being burned from the steam it will create.

Once the steaming is underway, keep the oven door closed. Opening will cause the heat and moisture to escape, affecting the outcome of your bread. Once you are halfway through the cooking process, you may want to rotate your bread to get an even bake. At this point the steam will have evaporated; it is safe to open your oven door.

Cooling:

I hate this part. Unfortunately, it is critical to the baking process, and rendering of a quality loaf.

When a loaf comes out of your oven, the internal temperature is (at a minimum) 180 F. Depending on the size of the loaf, it may take several hours to cool to room temperature. During this time the bread will continue to evaporate moisture, drying out and correspondingly elevating the flavor. Above 160 F the dough is still technically gelatinizing, which is why cutting into a properly baked, but still hot loaf will seem doughy or under-baked. The starches, though fully saturated and swelled with moisture, still need to set. The trapped steam, evaporating through the crust or reforming as moisture and absorbed by the crumb of the bread, must be allowed to dissipate for outstanding results. Interrupting this process will produce a soggy, seemingly improperly baked loaf.

[Ed: But it's just so hard!]

As difficult as it is to wait, patience here is greatly rewarded. A cool loaf will yield its maximum flavor and a rich crumb texture, with a crisp crust to deliver that sumptuous divinity as old as creation. If it is warm bread you prefer, gently reheat cooled slices of bread wrapped in aluminum foil in a preheated 350 F oven.

Technique:

Aromatic yeast breads can be made with relative ease and only a small amount of actual hands-on time. I’ve selected a Ciabatta as a terrific example of basic bread baking technique. Basic technique, yes. Anything but ordinary results.

Recipe:  Lavender, Honey & Walnut Ciabatta

Another delightful experience with a commercial yeast dough is found in Armenian-style flatbread. Developed from an enriched, stiff dough and using commercial yeast rather than natural yeast, a relatively simple formula makes bread and crackers that are perfect for your table’s breadbasket.

Lavash, though usually called Armenian flatbread, also has Iranian roots, and is now eaten throughout the Middle East and around the world. It is similar to many other Middle Eastern and North African flatbreads known by different names, such as mankoush or mannaeesh (Lebanese), barbari (Iranian), khoubiz or bhobz (Arabian), aiysh (Egyptian), kesret and mella (Tunisian), pide or pita (Turkish), and pideh (Armenian). The main difference between these breads is either how thick or thin the dough is rolled out, or the type of oven in which they are baked (or on which they are baked, as many of these breads are cooked on stones or red-hot pans with a convex surface). Some of the breads form a pocket like a pita bread, and some, like the injera of Ethiopia and Eritrea, are thicker and served as sponges to soak up spicy sauces.

The key to crisp lavash crackers is to roll out the dough paper-thin. The dough sheet can be cut into crackers in advance or snapped into shards after baking. The shards make a nice presentation when arranged in baskets. Because the dough is so stiff, it is easier to knead by hand than in a machine.

Recipe: Lavash Crackers

The most common technique for developing deeper flavor and better texture in the finished loaf is to start with a sponge or a sour — a starter. A starter is typically a mixture of flour, liquid, and commercial (store bought) yeast that is allowed to stand for anywhere from a few hours to overnight before it is mixed with the balance of the dough ingredients.

Starters are where most people stop. They see hours or days and think ‘too much work’. But, as in bread making, the actual hands-on time is minimal. Starters are no different. And, here, with this seeded rye, the 15 minutes of effort transform this bread into a remarkably complex and deeply flavorful bread. The aroma is heavenly; the flavor is endless.

Whatever you do, don’t read up on rye bread and rye starters until after you’ve tried this recipe. Rye flour and rye starters are deemed to be the trickiest of all in the bread baking world. But before you buy into that notion, bake this bread first. You’ll never understand what the fuss is all about.One note about the rye starter: If you’re not going to make rye bread on a regular basis, it is best to build a new starter every time you want to bake it. Retarding a rye starter is more difficult than a white starter. More than a week in the refrigerator, and it will become too sour.Rye ferments much faster than other flours. Though this is a joy to experience — watching the bubbles and the seething sticky goo and enjoying the slightly sour aroma even dormant — it will continue to ferment. This requires constant attention, feeding, stirring and restoring. Trust me; I’ve tried. It’s not easy. You can freeze the starter, but once it thaws, you must be prepared to tend to it for 1 or 2 days until it is ready for use. Trust me when I say, just start with a new starter!

Recipe:  Seeded Rye Bread

Inevitably, baking bread loaves or even buying an expertly made artisanal specimen results in leftovers. Even the fiendish of bread lovers will rarely finish an entire loaf. And, while breadcrumbs are always an appropriate option, why settle for crumbs when you can have a whole course? This savory bread pudding is the ultimate culmination of your bread baking efforts: leftovers transformed into savory elegance. Use this dish as a side or as a main course vegetarian meal.

Recipe: Savory Bread Pudding

Resources and Sources:

Breads from the La Brea Bakery by Nancy Silverton. Copyright 1996 by Nancy Silverton (Villard Publishing)

Essentials of Baking. Copyright 2003 Weldon Owen Inc. and Williams-Sonoma, Inc.

Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads by Bernard Clayton, Jr. Copyright 1995 Bernard Clayton, Jr. (Simon & Schuster)

The Bread Baker’s Apprentice by Peter Reinhart. Copyright 2001 by Peter Reinhart (Ten Speed Press)

Dossier by Donna Marie Zotter

Originally Published in March 2005

If you’ve been a Gilded Fork reader for awhile, you know that in addition to being the producer of videos around here, I am also a personal chef. More and more people are taking advantage of personal chefs these days, but others just may have some questions about just what is involved in having a personal chef prepare meals for their family. So I thought I’d share with you about what a personal chef does from day to day.

Problem is, I don’t exactly lead the typical life of a personal chef! Unlike most, I have reduced my personal chef business to about half of my week. I spend the rest of my time traveling to distant lands and doing video and audio shows about the foods there, creating recipes for the Gilded Fork recipe archive, and doing consulting work for our corporate clients. I guess it’s the hallmark of this Brave New World of Social Media/New Media/Entrepreneurial whatever you want to call it that people can create careers in specific niches and make a decent living at it.

I often joke with friends that if you’d told me 10 years ago that in just 10 years I’d be doing the PERFECT job for me, I wouldn’t have been able to describe what I do now, but here I am in the PERFECT job for me! It combines my 3 great loves in life: food, travel and performing.

So what does that mean on a day to day basis? It means that I cook for a few different clients on a weekly or biweekly basis, and for the rest of my clients, it means that I cook special dinner parties and cooking classes on occasion.

For a “weekly” client (one which I cook for every week) here’s how the day usually goes: It starts the night before, when I sit in front of the computer to put together my paperwork for the next day’s service. Paperwork? Wait a minute, I thought you were a chef, not a clerk! Yeah, since when I cook for weekly clients, I’m making all their dinners for a week or for two weeks, I have to be organized. I’m making up to 8 or 9 different dishes, between main dishes and sides, and I have to be organized to know just what ingredients and what amounts I’ll need. Luckily, I have software that allows me to do it in a pretty organized fashion.

I plug in the recipes for the dishes we’ve agreed upon for the service, and I get a shopping list organized by store location for easy shopping the next day. I also print out a menu with reheating instructions for my clients, labels for my containers, and copies of the recipes. Although we chefs are clever folks and know quite a few recipes, it certainly helps to have copies for reference, since unlike restaurant chefs who cook the same dishes day after day and know them by heart, we cook different recipes each day. (A couple years ago, I actually went into the database and counted, and found out that I had cooked over 600 different recipes that year!)

So with my paperwork readied the night before, I get up in the morning and prepare to cook. Now, you’ll hear other personal chefs talk about how they get to the supermarket by the time it opens, and to the clients house by 9 AM…not this night-owl chef! I usually leave my apartment by around 10 AM to get to the client’s by Noon. I take an insulated bag with my knife roll tucked in the bottom and head to the market.

I do my shopping in a flash, rushing through the produce section with my list in hand, quickly grabbing what I need and moving along. Most of my shopping comprises fresh fruits and vegetables which will be going into the 8 or 9 dishes I’ll cook that day. From the produce section, I rush to the meat counter, where the butchers know me and get ready for me to rattle off my meat order for the day, which they prepare while I head to the grocery section for dry goods I’ll need for the day.

I round out in the deli section, where I pick up cheeses, milk, and dairy, and then pick up my meat order on the way to the checkout.

Now, I’ve become somewhat of a notorious figure amongst the checkers at the Whole Foods Market I frequent. They know me as “That crazy chef guy” who has a VERY particular way he likes his groceries packed. Since I’m in Manhattan and usually hailing a cab to my client’s place, I need the groceries packed in as compact a way as possible, without damaging any of it. So I insist that they pack things in my bag in the order I place them on the counter, from heaviest to lightest. Once my big bag is filled, I put the rest into my reusable canvas bags.

Once the shopping is done, I hail a cab and hightail it to the client’s place. I got perishables!

Once there, the first task is to preheat the oven, start water boiling, and to unpack the groceries. In my case, the hardest part of my day is over, the running around! Now, I start on what I call my “battle plan”, the order in which I’ve decided to cook each dish.

Since I’m doing so many recipes, and they need different cooking times, I usually start with the recipes that take the longest to cook, or to cool down, and work my way to the quicker ones, or the ones that don’t require any cooking, like salads. I try to do related prep tasks together, like chopping garlic and parsley in batches, the way a restaurant chef would do his mise en place. I usually find that I can have about 3 active dishes going at a time. While I have one dish simmering on the stove, I can have a second roasting in the oven and be doing prep for the third.

In some cases, though, recipes can collide in midstream, and I’ve found myself with all 4 burners occupied and not enough hands to keep them going! Just yesterday, I was making a bolognese sauce, an alfredo sauce, and an asian stir fry all at the same time. As I flicked the wok to keep the vegetables moving, I whisked with the other hand to keep the cream for the alfredo sauce from scalding! At one point, I was sure that I would make a mistake and flick vegetables into the cream sauce, or perhaps spill roux or parmigiano into the stir fry! Luckily, that didn’t happen!

As the dishes come off the stove or out of the oven, perhaps the most important task happens. I have to cool each dish quickly to get them to pass through the temperature danger zone (TDZ) and package them. We personal chefs use a number of methods of cooling, from ice baths, to fans, to stirring. The important thing is to get the dishes fully cooled in under 2 hours. They have to be cool enough to be packaged without having any condensation develop on the lids, which can create crystals and the dreaded freezer burn on dishes that are put in the freezer.

Once cooled and packaged, I put my pre-printed labels with the name, date and heating instructions on them so that the client will know exactly how to prepare them so that they serve up as if I had made them a la minute. I finish cleaning up. As you can imagine, a service can create a whole mess of dirty dishes, so I try as best as possible to clean as I go. I finish up, sweep and mop the floor, and leave the kitchen as I found it (sometimes cleaner.)

By this time it’s usually around 4 PM or so, and I’m ready to get off my feet. I sling my bag with knife roll over my shoulder, now much lighter, and head out the door to the subway, and home to my dog Stiva and a waiting cocktail!

Here’s a video I shot with the folks at About.com showing you just how I manage to do it all in one day. Check it out!

You can see the full video and post at About.com

I walked into this year’s Fancy Food Show with trepidation. I made sure I had a good breakfast, because I expected there would not be much to sample on the show floor that would fit within my current parameters of gluten- and dairy-free (among other things). Color me happy, because everywhere I looked, there were great big, blue signs saying “Certified Gluten-Free.” It seemed that every row had one, and some were completely allergen-free. I felt like a kid at Christmas.

I tasted a lot, and made Madeline taste what I could not, and though as usual there was a lot of mediocre, there were some serious standouts. All of their sites have store locators, so please indulge yourself in textures and tastes that will absolutely delight you. I promise.

Divvies: www.divvies.com

Oh, chocolate. Even though I’m not a huge chocolate eater, sometimes I just want a little something sweet (I’m looking at you, ladies). Lately, however, I’ve had to remove dairy from my diet in order to heal.

I’m also a sucker for beautiful packaging. So when I stumbled upon the Divvies booth, I was a little overexcited. As is typically the case with outstanding allergy-free products, there was a personally compelling story behind it all. Founder Robin Sandler’s son often spent birthdays and Easter celebrations without chocolate due to his extensive food allergies, and was unable to partake in the comfort of sharing food, as so many of us do. So she decided to do something about it, and created Divvies, a completely allergy-free bakery in South Salem, NY from which everything is designed to be shared. There are giant popcorn boxes with scoops and individual bags, trays of cupcakes, cookies and…wait for it…chocolate mint crunch bars.

Lori has just released her first cookbook, so look for more on her on an upcoming Food Philosophy podcast. There might just be a cookbook in it for you. You can order her products online via the web link above.

Gilbert’s Gourmet Goodies: www.gilbertsgourmetgoodies.com

It is often with hesitation that I bite into a gluten-free cookie. Usually they’re crumbly, taste like beans, or just aren’t worth the bother. Not these. Gilbert’s Goodies dairy-free chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and chocolate cookies are soft and luxurious like a normal, soft-baked cookie. I nearly lost my head for a minute.

Much like me, Liz Gilbert was an avid cook who developed food allergies later in life. And, like me, she found the offerings out there less than appealing, so she got to work in the kitchen. Her cookies have no wheat, gluten, peanuts, nuts, soy, milk, corn, corn syrup, transfats or preservatives, and gawd are they good. I could kiss her for her efforts, because those bites of cookie made all the bad go away.

Aunt Gussie’s: www.auntgussies.com

I haven’t had an English muffin in months. I’m a total hog for English muffins. And while I was an avid whole-grain bread eater before, I’ve found that much of the gluten-free breads out there are essentially Wonder Bread without the wheat. White, tasteless — blech. So I was delighted to meet David Caine of Aunt Gussie’s Cookes & Crackers, because his whole grain rosemary focaccia bread and English muffins were gorgeous without anything else on them. Gorgeous.

The best part? His company didn’t start out making gluten-free products — his mother made him do it. I need to shake that woman’s hand.

Against the Grain Gourmet: www.againstthegraingourmet.com

Pizza? Certo. Baguettes? Mais oui. Bagels? I was verklempt.

Though it contained dairy, I did have to sneak a few bites of dough from Against the Grain Gourmet, as the yellow color drew in my eye like a handsome cabana boy. The mozzarella added such flavor that I wanted to snarf the whole tray of samples. The texture was light, airy and a bit firmer than conventional baguettes, but the flavor made up for what I miss in a baguette.

I made Madeline try the pizza, as too much cheese would have sent my body to bad places, but given how she was raving about the pesto pizza (sans pine nuts) for the rest of the afternoon — and her unabashed love for cheese — I’m going to take her word for it.

[Note: You can see a variation of this menu in our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook, which features our fabulously famous Lavender Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze.]

Mom is a very special woman. You know it, we know it, and on Mother’s Day it’s time to show it. Though she would likely be satisfied with mud pies, we’ve gone slightly more elegant with this beautiful yet simple dinner menu. This way she can relax with a glass of wine while you get supper on the table – and you can spoil her for a change. (We’ve included notes for the wines below, too.)

A cacophony of Spring dishes is the way to win any Mom’s heart. With vivid colors, bright flavors, and simple preparation, this menu is a sure winner.

SALAD COURSE

Fennel, Orange and Zereshk (Barberry) Salad with Fig Vincotto
Suggested wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc
(see Wine Notes below for further details)

SOUP COURSE

Carrot and Ginger Soup
Suggested wine pairing: Gewurtztraminer

MAIN COURSE

Sautéed Duck Breast with Green Peppercorn and Morel Cream Sauce
Suggested wine pairing: Cool-climate Merlot

DESSERT COURSE

Apricot Ginger Flan
Suggested wine pairing: Late harvest or Ice-style wine

WINE NOTES FROM LENN THOMPSON

Many thanks to Lenn Thompson from LENNDEVOURS for our Mother’s Day wine pairings. He has provided recommendations by varietal to make it easier for you. Simply take this menu into your local wine store for their recommendations.

Fennel, Orange and Zheresk Salad

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Reasoning: Sauvignon Blanc is always a pair for citrusy-herbal salads because their flavor profiles are often similar, and their crispness can stand up to the acidity in citrus fruit.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

Varietal: Gewurtztraminer

Reasoning: Any time a recipe calls for ginger, I reach for a bottle of gewurtz, which literally means “spicy” in German. Rich and ripe with stone fruit and pineapple flavors, but racy, floral and minerally-crisp at the same time, it complements and enhances this flavorful spicy-sweet soup.

Duck Breast with a Green Peppercorn and Morel Cream Sauce

Varietal: Cool Climate Merlot

Reasoning: Pinot noir might seem the more classic pairing, but this medium-bodied, flavorful merlot, with its smooth, well-integrated tannins, red plum and cherry fruit character and subtle earthiness will take this hearty dish to new heights.

Apricot Ginger Flan

Varietal: Late Harvest or Ice-Style Wine

Reasoning: Too many sweet wines are heavy on the palate, but this one, made with frozen gewurtztraminer and sauvignon blanc grapes manages to be rich, unctuous and complex — all with a zing of palate-cleansing acidity. Lychee, honey, apricots, candied orange peel and sweet vanilla mingle on the palate. Perfect for this flan, it’s just as good on its own.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

Our mission is to celebrate the sensual pleasures of food. We’ve outlined that premise in our mission statement, but in short, we travel the planet exploring culture, history and tradition via the plate to learn the passion behind the flavors that excite us. Our audio & video programs, recipes, articles and interviews showcase the best of what we’ve discovered in an unending quest to fulfill our food desires.

Begun as online magazine The Gilded Fork® in 2005, we expanded into multimedia in 2007 when we launched the world’s first all-food podcast channel, which eventually became the Culinary Media Network®. We have now returned to our original name (reason here), as we kinda dig the Gilded thing.

There is tons for you to enjoy on this site from our years of traveling and tasting, so we’ve put together a little overview below — there’s a whole lot of content. Even further below is a glimpse at who we are with links to all our contact information. We’d love to hear from you, as it is in the sharing of our passion and excitement for food that we find the most gratification, so we invite you to comment on all of our posts. Doing this work for a living is fun — but it’s in sharing it with you that we find the greatest rewards.

Here’s what you can find on this site:

• TEST KITCHEN: Our virtual Test Kitchen is the heart (hearth?) of this site, with detailed profiles on ingredients from apples to zucchini, including their history, cooking how-tos and recipes. We also have complete dinner party menus complete with wine pairings and oodles of chef’s notes to make it easy. Our entire recipe collection is also listed by category for you to explore.



• PODCASTS: Our podcasts look at various aspects of food in both audio and video formats, with shows including ReMARKable Palate, Food Philosophy, This Week in Food (formerly CHIC) and the Culinary Roundtable. You can see the archives for each individual show from the “Shows” drop-down menu in our navigation bar. Our CMN Travels video series features destinations around the world, from Indonesia to Colonial Williamsburg. Nominated for a Tasty Award in 2009 & 2010 for Best Food Travel Series: Web, our videos feature interviews with chefs and purveyors, food from street eats to 5-star restaurants, wines, spirits and historical venues. You can see all the posts, video and otherwise, from each destination from the “Travel & Places” drop-down menu in our navigation bar.



• COOKING CLASSES: Launched in 2010, our new Gilded Fork Cooking School features online cooking courses and how-tos. Chef Mark’s Knife Skills 101 is now live, along with other courses on entertaining. There is much to come in 2011, including Jennifer’s pet project, Bachelor’s Boot Camp.



• GILDED FORK COOKBOOK: In 2009 we released our first cookbook, The Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home. Featuring a year of dinner party menus complete with extensive Chef’s Notes and beverage pairings, this cookbook is your ideal companion for inviting friends and family to dine in.



• GOURMET GIFTS: Our Gilded Fork Gourmet Boutique features some of our favorite finds, including Tondo balsamic vinegar, DoubleShot coffees, Allure Estates olive oil, Keres Spices and Sugardaddy’s brownies. We make it a point to know our vendors personally, as we want to find the best that’s out there and share it with you. In most cases we’ve also got an interview or article featuring our purveyors.



• Other Culinary Musings: Our blog posts, articles and interviews include our varied thoughts about cuisine and what’s happening in the world of food. We often share recaps of the events we attend, things that excite us personally, and even the things that make us rant.

We also offer consulting services in audio/video production, blog/web site creation and social media, from tutorials to strategic development and execution.

Here’s a brief glimpse at who we are, with links to our full bios:

Jennifer Iannolo
CEO / Editor-in-Chief

As a committed food philosopher, Jennifer founded The Gilded Fork in 2005 to celebrate the sensual pleasures of food. After spending a decade in the food industry and launching Relais & Chateaux’s Ecole des Chefs program with some of the world’s greatest chefs, she was eager to explore the passion that inspires people to choose food and wine as a metier. She was then introduced to one Chef Mark Tafoya, who was doing this newfangled thing called podcasting. Jennifer is a graduate of NYU’s Stern School of Business, and was featured in the New York Times bestseller Secrets of the Young & Successful. Full Bio

Chef Mark Tafoya
Executive Chef / Executive Producer

There are few people on earth who get as excited about food as Chef Mark. A dedicated culinary explorer, he is always ready (with camera in hand) to discover the next destination. As a personal chef, he is eager to express these discoveries in new flavors for his clients via his ReMARKable Palate Personal Chef Service. A former Broadway actor, Chef Mark began his podcast in 2005 to meld together his love of food and performing. When he met Jennifer, they put all of that together in one big pot and stirred. Chef Mark is a Yale graduate, and has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Bon Appetit magazine. Full Bio

Madeline Shores
Food Editor

Madeline is the keeper of sanity and organization around here, and helps to get us back on course when we are creatively running amok. An avid food blog stalker, she also takes care of our weekly blog roundup. We like her so much we’ve put her in charge of the soon-to-be-unveiled virtual test kitchen, so we hope she won’t make the elves cry. Madeline also really loves cheese, food writing and long walks on the beach. Full Bio

Kalle Guinn
Editorial Assistant

A recent shift from business suit to chef coat has immersed Kalle into the culinary world head-first. As a line chef and culinary school student, she finds that every day brings a new food adventure. And as our editorial intern, she explores and shares the pleasures of food with our Gilded Fork readers. When she is not ranting, raving or eating, she enjoys running, music, reading, and thinking about what to eat next. The conversation never ends, and that is the fun part. Full Bio

Chef Monica Glass
Pastry Princess

Unbridled passion is what has driven Monica to become a rising star among American pastry chefs. What started out with an internship to explore life in the kitchen has turned into a career, and Monica is now Pastry Chef at Eric Ripert’s 10Arts restaurant in Philadelphia. Most of the desserts featured on this site have come from the mind and palate of this talented young lady, dubbed the “Pastry Princess” when Jennifer could not stop swooning over her recipes. A graduate of Penn State, Monica is excited to launch her new blog in 2010, so get your palate ready for sugar and smiles. Full Bio

Tiffany Li
Editorial Assistant:Pastry

Tiffany began her culinary journey as a food columnist, and then took a trip on the apprentice train for awhile as a sous pastry chef, with a layover in teaching and education. Growing up surrounded by enriching memories, vivid smells and wondrous tastes, it was only natural that Tiffany’s pursuits in life are so heavily entwined with food today. The underlying foundation to all her pursuits is her enjoyment of sharing her edible adventures with others, and her adventures lead her here, where she is assisting the Pastry Princess in bringing sugar and smiles to all our lives. Full Bio

Teresa Finney
Newsletter Maven

A passionate food writer by night (she does that marketing thing by day), Teresa spends most of her time perfecting her sought-after mac n’ cheese recipe, thinking about ways to incorporate cilantro into every dish she makes, and not fretting too much over the fact that she has yet to make homemade bread that actually rises. Twitter brought her to the Gilded Fork team, and she is excited to combine her enthusiasm for social media with her love of all things culinary, as well as take our newsletters to the next level with compelling insider info from the test kitchen. Full Bio

Amanda Olsen
Kitchen Gnome

Office gnome by day and foodcrafter by night, Amanda’s passions run amok in the kitchen. As an accomplished home cook, she can be found whipping up a coq au vin or a heady Bolognese on any given evening. Food preservation really gets her going, and she’s usually got home canned fruits in the pantry and bacon curing in the fridge. Full Bio

Kelly Cline
Food Pornographer

When it comes to sumptuous, swoon-inducing food photography, nobody does it better than Kelly. Jennifer discovered one of her photos in 2005, and that has led to 5 years relationship of collaboration and friendship. Now recognized as a leading food photographer, Kelly has been featured in national magazines, on the Food Network, and in numerous cookbooks. Her passion is so contagious that she is now a correspondent for FOX News in Seattle. But we found her first. Full Bio

Lenn Thompson
Wine Pairing Dude

Lenn is the creator of Wine Blogging Wednesday and the New York Cork Report, and when we need pairings for our entertaining menus, he’s our go-to guy. His work has been recognized in numerous media outlets, incuding a nomination for Best Wine Blog in Saveur magazine’s 1st Annual Food Blog Awards. Full Bio

First they came for the foie gras.

Now, the self-appointed police of all things have decided to attack…salt. Yes, salt. That mainstay of cooking, that critical ingredient to every baker on the planet, and flavor enhancer to every dish that comes out of a kitchen, professional or otherwise.

Brooklyn Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, potentially the most unintelligent man related to food (or government) in any form, proposes in bill  A. 10129 that “No owner or operator of a restaurant in this state shall use salt in any form in the preparation of any food for consumption by customers of such restaurant, including food prepared to be consumed on the premises of such restaurant or off of such premises.”

Mr. Ortiz is single-handedly trying to destroy the restaurant industry by “acting for the public good.” I won’t even get into what he’s trying to do to our palates.

What Mr. Ortiz fails to understand is that salt is an essential component of cooking and flavor enhancement. In baking, it is a chemical necessity. But such things are irrelevant to legislators of his ilk, who are trying to save us from ourselves. Alas, this is simply the latest in the government’s attempt to tell us what we can’t do, and to regulate our health by means of being an evil Nanny.

Chefs are rightfully up in arms, but it is we, the people, who need to take action. Many will shake their heads and wonder why the government is doing such a thing, but then they’ll go back to working 60-hour weeks and forget that our lives and liberties are eroding before our very eyes, as we anxiously await the next episode of Desperate Housewives.

We have become so lazy and complacent as a culture that the government now finds it appropriate to introduce such measures, so the blame rests solidly on our shoulders. We did this. And we are the only ones who can undo it. Lest you think I’m being hyperbolic, I encourage you to brush up on American history, and pay attention to the evolution of the Nanny State.

If you are outraged by the actions of Mr. Ortiz — and I hope you are, I encourage you to start writing, start calling, and let the New York State legislature know that this bill is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars, but an infringement on our rights of the most insidious nature.

Now, some of you might say “but too much salt is unhealthy!” I have news for you: Firstly, if a chef is using that much salt, he isn’t going to be in business for long, because his guests won’t eat his food. It won’t taste good. Secondly, too much of anything is unhealthy, and that’s where we come in: We are the ones consuming, so we must pay attention to what’s going in our mouths. Eat too much salt over a lifetime and it may have adverse effects — but we are the ones holding the fork.

If the idea of the government rationing your food makes you bristle, recognize that much worse measures are not far away. Unless we act now. A coalition called My Food, My Choice has gotten together to fight such inanities — I’m signing up right this minute.

New York State Assembly (look up your assemblyman): http://assembly.state.ny.us/

Felix Ortiz
E-mail contact

District Office
404 55th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11220
718-492-6334

Albany Office
LOB 627
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-3821

We originally featured this piece in our March 2006 coverage, but it’s always fun to revive great dinner ideas, and in this one, we decided to focus on the green theme that’s everywhere around St. Patrick’s Day without hauling out the tired old cliches of Corned Beef & Cabbage & the like. There is an updated version of this menu — complete with wine pairings and a Green Tea & Orange Mousse Cake — in our new cookbook, The Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home.

————

Dinner parties have a tendency to inspire angst. What to serve? How to serve it? Will the recipes be too complicated? Can I fit it all in? We decided it’s time for a deep breath. With recipes that are simple yet elegant, we’ve concentrated on crafting enhanced flavors in some familiar dishes, keeping colors bright, textures intriguing, and preparation simple.

HORS D’OEUVRES

Avocado and Crab Timbales with Tobiko Roe Vinaigrette

FIRST COURSE

Asparagus and Spinach Soup with Yuzu Custard

MAIN COURSE

Pistachio Crusted Salmon with Bailey’s Irish Cream Sauce

DESSERT COURSE

Pistachio Ice Cream (see note below)

A NOTE ON DESSERT

We went back and forth on this, and decided that in the end, we recommend simply buying a high-quality pistachio ice cream. It can be fun to make one at home, but you do have lots of other items to prepare for this dinner party, and we are certainly not averse to buying products when they taste wonderful. We are fond of Haagen-Dazs®, but if you have a local ice cream maker, his or her creations might be even more of a treat. The main goal of serving this particular ice cream is to echo the pistachios in the salmon, which is one of our favorite ways to craft menus.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

Note: This entire menu is featured in our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook.

Some call it Fat Tuesday, others Carnavale, but no city quite captures the essence of Mardi Gras like New Orleans. This month’s menu is spicy, rich and full of Nawlins flavor, so set a festive table, gather your friends and laissez les bon temps rouler!

Color. Texture. Spicy. Sweet. We never need an excuse to celebrate, but we took special advantage of this month’s opportunity.

FIRST COURSE

Bon Temps Crab Cakes with Rémoulade
Suggested pairing: Beer
(see Pairing Notes below for further details)

MAIN COURSE

Mardi Gras Chicken and Andouille Gumbo
Suggested pairing: Beer

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

DESSERT

Mardi Gras King Cake

COFFEE

Café Brulot

PAIRING NOTES

Rather than feature wine pairings for this particular menu, we think beer is a better match. Given the spicy, rich flavors in these Mardi Gras recipes, light ales or lagers will provide balance to the overall flavor and texture impact of the meal.

After dessert, go for a flaming cup of Café Brulot, the famous coffee drink of the Big Easy.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

I see the mastering of lesser cuts of meat as the mark of a true cook. Let’s face it: Anyone can serve a decent filet mignon — there isn’t a whole lot of cooking involved. Given both the skyrocketing prices of food and the deep-seated need for me to master those lesser cuts, I have set out to master the art of braising. All-Clad was kind enough to send me a 6-quart saute pan to test from their new Stainless with d5 collection, so it is my new plaything (initial thoughts at the end of the post). I do love a pan that can go directly from stove top to oven, as it makes the cooking and cleaning easier.

There is something inherently comforting about slow-cooked, caramelized beef, but it takes a bit of patience — not my strong suit. Nevertheless, I reminded myself ahead of time that such patience would result in a luscious dinner.

The last time I made beef-back ribs I used an ale and finished them on the stove top, and used a small soup pot. This time I decided to go with a lager and finish them in the oven in the All-Clad pan. In this case I used Foster’s, as it was the only beer I could find in a single serving, and one can does the whole batch.

The beauty of these ribs is that they are mighty cheap. I bought two packs (about 12 ribs) for a total of $3.00. These are not to be confused with short ribs, which have the meat on top of the bones. These have the meat in between the bones, and are much cheaper. Now, I might be braising these slightly differently from the way others do, but I look at recipes as a guide. Feel free to adapt, add different flavors, or whatever you like.

Step 1: Caramelize the ribs.
This is the most critical part of the whole process, so don’t rush it. You want to really get some caramelization on these ribs before they are submerged in liquid, because it’s a major part of your flavor component. It will take about 20 minutes. Lightly coat the ribs with Kosher salt and a bit of pepper, get your pan really hot, add some olive oil, heat until it shimmers, and place your short ribs in the pan. Leave them alone.

While that’s happening, pre-heat your oven to 375 F. Resist the urge to move the meat around too much — let the magic happen.

Step 2: Add onions & garlic.
You can also add carrots here, but I forgot to grab one at the supermarket. It happens. Reduce your heat and add the onions and garlic. You may want to wait until the last few minutes to add the garlic because if it burns it will ruin the whole dish. I probably should have been a bit more patient here with the onions, but I added the garlic simultaneously and didn’t want to burn it. (This photo is before the onions had done their delicious sweating.)

Note: Some recipes call for removing the ribs, draining the fat from the pan, and starting with fresh oil to sweat the onions, garlic and other vegetables. I disagree, because in this case there wasn’t too much fat left, and I wanted the flavor.

Step 3: Add braising liquid, herbs & spices.
I added a giant can of Foster’s, some of the rosemary water I made the other day (not just for hair!), some ground coriander and a hint of Chinese five spice. (Add whatever spices tickle your fancy. For whatever reason, my mental mouth liked these.) Stir the liquid and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the yummy bits. These are also important for flavor.

Step 4: Cover and place in a 375 F oven.
Now go away. For about 3 hours. You can check on the liquid periodically (I do so about every 30 minutes), but let the meat do its thing.

When the ribs are finished, the liquid will have reduced considerably, and the meat will be falling off the bone. You shouldn’t need a knife to cut it apart. Note: This is when you should check the salt flavor in the dish. I tend to go easy on the salt in the beginning, because as the juice reduces the flavors become intensified, and too much salt will ruin it.

Step 5: Serve over something starchy and delicious.
Some people serve these with potatoes or rice, but I am a huge fan of egg noodles. I like the way they slide over my tongue and slither down my throat. Once I remove the bones and there is nothing but meaty goodness, I like to slather this over a pile of noodles and lose myself in silky, meaty goodness.

Verdict on the All-Clad Stainless with d5 saute pan:

My sentiments about cookware and sports cars are the same: I want sleek design and superior performance. This pan did not disappoint. All-Clad has incorporated some really smart design elements into this collection, including little touches that make for easier logistics, such as lid handles that can accommodate hands wearing oven mitts, cool handles on the pan should you forget said oven mitt (I have done so) and a pouring rim all the way around the edge. The pan is also quite light despite its enormous 6-qt. size.

Most important for me, however, is the even cooking across the surface of the pan. I had ribs inside and outside, and expected to have to move them around so the inner ones wouldn’t burn, but caramelization transpired in harmony for all the ribs. Glee.

Cleanup with this pan was also effortless, even with caramelized gooey goodness all over the pan and lid. I will be experimenting much more with this pan, so I’ll share further thoughts as they occur.

If you are hosting the Thanksgiving festivities this year, perhaps you’re feeling the need for a little twist on tradition. (Let’s face it: the same old menu gets boring after a few decades.) Chef Mark has featured Southwestern flavors for our version, imparting the tastes and aromas he savored as a young lad. (P.S. If you have a smaller gathering than, say, Jennifer’s twenty-five-ish guests, this is an ideal alternative to cooking a full turkey.)

A dash of chipotle, a touch of Hatch chile, and a whole lot of flavor accent Chef Mark’s twist on Thanksgiving dinner.

TURKEY

Southwestern Stuffed Turkey Breast
Suggested pairing: Pinot Noir
(see Pairing Notes below for further details)

TRIMMINGS

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Suggested wine pairing: Off-Dry Riesling

Calabacitas

DESSERT

Apple and Cinnamon Empanadas
Suggested wine pairing: Moscato d’Asti

WINE PAIRING NOTES

Since you might decide to use the entire menu above, or incorporate one or two of the recipes into your traditional menu, our wine pairing expert Lenn Thompson has offered several options for you below.  For more notes about Lenn’s other wine explorations, visit his LENNDEVOURS blog.

Southwestern Stuffed Turkey Breast

Pairing: Pinot Noir

Reasoning: Pinot Noir is a classic pairing with Thanksgiving dinner and it still works here. The red berry flavors and slightly tart acidity mimic the cranberry sauce that is so popular with turkey, while the light body won’t overpower the delicate turkey. Because of the chiles and spices, a plush, fruity style of Pinot Noir works best, so look to California or Oregon rather than Burgundy.

Chipotle Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Varietal: Off-Dry Riesling

Reasoning: Riesling is another tried and true Thanksgiving accompaniment. The balanced acidity of well-made off-dry riesling will balance the sweetness of the sweet potatoes, while the wine’s sweetness tames the flames of the fiery chiles. Top U.S. rieslings come from the Finger Lakes region of New York and the Pacific Northwest.

Calabacitas

Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc

Reasoning: If you are using the recommended autumn squash in this dish, the off-dry Riesling from above will pair nicely. However, for the summer squash version, the citrus fruit flavors will go well with the combination of summer squash, corn, beans, cilantro and tomatoes. A ripe, fruity Californian will work (as long as you avoid those that have been aged in oak) but an herbaceous bottle from New Zealand would work as well. Note: Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite foils for vegetable dishes.

Apple and Cinnamon Empanadas

Varietal: Moscato d’Asti

Reasoning: At the end of a long, filling Thanksgiving meal, steer clear of high alcohol, heavy dessert wines. Instead, pick up an always-affordable, slightly fizzy Moscato d’Asti. The light effervescence will balance the fried crust while significant fruit and floral flavors enhance the delicious filling. And, most Moscato is around 5% alcohol, so you’ll be able to enjoy the rest of your day.

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.

This menu was originally published in 2006.

After you taste the ethereal spiciness of homemade chai tea, you will be hard-pressed to purchase it in a store ever again. It only takes a few more minutes to make than “regular” tea, and it is worth every extra second. The wonderful thing about chai is that it is a mixture of spices you can custom tailor to your own tastes; use the quantities specified below as a guideline, and adjust them to suit your palate.

2 servings

Ingredients

1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon pink peppercorns
¼ teaspoon white peppercorns
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns (see Chef’s Note)
6 cardamom pods
2 cups milk
3 teaspoons high-quality loose black tea (or 3 tea bags)
2-3 tablespoons honey, to taste

Preparation

Place cinnamon stick and spices in zip-top bag or plastic wrap and crush with kitchen mallet or cast-iron pan. Add spice mixture to small pan along with milk, tea, and honey. Heat on a very low flame until steam begins to rise from the surface of the milk, stirring occasionally. Allow to steam lightly for 10-15 minutes until heavy streams of steam are rising from the surface. (If your tea bags break that is OK.)

[Chef’s Note: It is important to note that ¼ teaspoon of black peppercorns will give this mixture a significant kick. If you want to tame the peppery taste, reduce the amount to 1/8 teaspoon.

You do not want to boil the milk in this recipe. The creation of flavor relies on a slow, gentle infusion whose fragrance will make you swoon during the cooking process. We promise. If you do see small bubbles forming around the edge of the pan, the milk is ready to boil, so if you have not yet cooked the mixture for a full 15 minutes, simply turn off the heat and let it sit for the additional time, then continue with the instructions below.]

Strain mixture through a colander lined with a paper towel. Press on the spices and tea with a spoon to extract all the fragrant liquids.

Pour tea into cups and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

[Chef’s Note: Though tea bags might be the easiest route to take in this recipe, we really do recommend purchasing a high-quality loose black tea such as Ceylon or Assam. Teabags contain stale, dusty leaves that have been sitting on shelves since the time of Methuselah himself, and their bland flavor can detract from such a lovely creation. The bags fall apart in this recipe anyway, and you have to strain everything, so why not give yourself the indulgence of some fragrant, recently-dried black leaves?

If you prefer decaffeinated tea leaves, they can also be used, but we recommend increasing the amount of tea by 1 teaspoon to make up for the loss in flavor.]

Recipe by Jennifer Iannolo

The first cool autumn breezes are upon us, so it’s time to turn our thoughts toward indoor dinners and comforting dishes. With touches of tomatoes, figs, cheese and roasted poultry, this month’s menu is a chance to get our senses ready for the fall nights to come. Lenn Thompson has offered wine pairings below to make things easy.

Now gather round the table: It’s time to turn the oven back on at last and savor the first hints of fall’s bounty.

FIRST COURSE

Tomato and Nectarine Timbale
Suggested wine pairing: German Riesling
(see Wine Notes below for further details)

SOUP COURSE

Silky Blue Cheese Soup
Suggested wine pairing: Blanc de Blancs

MAIN COURSE

Boneless Quail stuffed with Poultry Quenelle, served with Sautéed Mushrooms
Suggested wine pairing: Pinot Noir

DESSERT COURSE

Fig Tart with Vanilla Crème Patissière
Suggested wine pairing: Moscato d’Asti

WINE PAIRING NOTES

Below you’ll find the explanations for Lenn Thompson’s wine suggestions. For more notes about Lenn’s other wine explorations, visit his LENNDEVOURS blog.

Tomato and Nectarine Timbale

Varietal: German Riesling

Reasoning: Riesling, particularly those from Germany, offer peach, apricot and citrus flavors that work well with the nectarines in the recipe, with tongue-tingling acidity that can stand up to the high-acid tomatoes. You could also go with a sauvignon blanc here, but they tend to be bolder and bigger, so they can overpower the dish.

Silky Blue Cheese Soup

Varietal: Blanc de Blancs

Reasoning: A rich, full-flavored soup like this one deserves an elegant, palate-cleansing pairing. Sparkling Pinot Blanc, like a Cremant d’Alsace, is light, citrusy and minerally, so it will cut the soup’s richness without competing with its flavors.

Boneless Quail with Poultry Quenelle

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Reasoning: Pinot noir is perhaps the ultimate wine for fowl. Typically, pinot will offer cherry and raspberry flavors, acidity and earthy notes that will all enhance the different flavors in the stuffing. If French Burgundy is too expensive, look to Oregon, which produces some of the best American pinots.

Fig Tart with Vanilla Crème Patissière

Varietal: Moscato d’Asti

Reasoning: Lightly sweet with gentle frizzante, Moscato d’Asti is floral and citrusy and not at all cloying or heavy. Plus, they tend to have lower alcohol (around 5%) than most dessert wines.

Photo: Kelly Cline

MISE EN PLACE

For those curious about the meaning of mise en place, it is a French culinary term for “set in place.” If you have ever watched a cooking show, or been inside a restaurant kitchen, you will notice that next to the cooking area, things are set up just so. Ingredients, sauces and critical elements are ready to be used, whether pre-cooked, pre-chopped, or ready as a garnish. This kind of organized setup enables a cook to focus on the actual act of cooking itself without distraction. Our intention with this section is to use the same approach at home, enabling you to host your own special occasions with flair.