Entries from September 2007 ↓

via Eater’s Plywood Report

Chikalicious, which bills itself as ‘New York’s first’ dessert bar, is getting a younger sister across the street in the form of one Chikalicious Pudding.

in the washingtonpost.com

Chef Rock is already a brand name and a charitable foundation, in the rough draft of his dream. “I’m going to have a few cookbooks, hopefully. Definitely a product line. And my own culinary apparel: Food industry apparel will never be the same. There are definitely sauces and vinaigrettes I’d like to bottle. Knives, maybe. All chefs like their knives,” he says.

in the New York Times

“Food can be very transformational and it can be more than just about a dish,” she said. “That’s what happened to me when I first went to France. I fell in love. And if you fall in love, well, then everything is easy.”

 Epicurean Tours

All our travel programs are small to ensure a highly personal experience that cannot be gleaned from guidebooks or purchased from conventional, “mass market” travel agencies. Participants travel with a small group of like-minded individuals who want to explore a region through its artisan food and wine. In partnership with experts, chefs and winemakers, we offer a “behind-the-kitchen-door” or “behind-the-wine-barrel” perspective - special access that enables travelers to enjoy lunch with the chef or a tasting with the winemaker.

a photoset on Flickr

Home cooks share their secrets. Janet Fletcher, Chronicle Staff Writer

The article reminded me of my early days of cooking at home.  At first I stuck to things my mom showed me, basically filipino dishes.  Then into college I slaved away following all the details of cookbooks, even freaking out over how long to bake a lasagna by calling my brother to check my cookbook while I was at my boyfriend’s(now husband) apartment.  These days I’m pretty much just into farmer’s markets and seasonal produce and when I cook I use recipes as a guide having long ago chucked the precision for meals.  There are some good looking recipes at the end of the article and lots of advice from the home cooks.

With a baby on the way,  I embarked on a whole new world of prepared meals.  A couple of weekends ago I ventured into Deeelish. Basically you select several meals, which usually feeds about 6, I decided to split with a friend since we’re both two adult households.  For about $5 a serving you get a pretty delicious meal.  You go to this really nice prep kitchen where all the meal plans are layed out with all the ingredients, seasonings, and recipe.  After you assemble, you bring the bags to get vaccumed sealed at one station which then gets stored in a fridge as you continue assemblying meals.  You move around to the various stations based on your meal selections.  You can take breaks for coffee, tea, or drinks with snacks.  I have enjoyed all the meals we’ve had so far.  The food reflects the season and span a variety of cuisines.  For some meals side dishes are even included.

 I really like the fact that they buy their produce and meats locally.  The instructions for storing and cooking are straightforward too.  They can pre-assemble everything for an extra $4 a meal.  Also another service I thought was great is you can have meals shipped Fedex to a vacation home.  So you have the luxury of really good food without the inconvenience of grocery shopping, preparation and its clean up while on vacation.

These weeks’ Top Chef sends us to Cooks.com for a Recipe for Banana Pudding

I hereby designate Friday as “Food Porn Friday:” go to town…

Alinea Image Gallery - Cuisine

The Secret World of… | Food Wine and Dining

Sensuality, indulgence, appetite, flavor, aesthetics, complements and contradictions, manners, imagination, memory and emotions, subjectivity and solipsism, truth, lies, denial, generosity and betrayal, harmony and friendship, closure, new selves – dining embraces all of these things. And all within a setting of elegance and ceremony. Course following course of sumptuous dishes and splendid wines, the finest tableware and accoutrements, conversation fascinating and intimate, the courtly deference of restaurant staff, even perhaps the admiration of other diners. How could you not succumb to such an atmosphere?