Sage Advice!!

Holiday Butter Chicken

2011-11-28T12:18:00.001-08:00

ButterChicken

Makhani Murg

From Simply More Indian

Serves 4

Watch me make it on YouTube!
Be sure to posts your comments!

2 chicken breasts

1 teaspoon of ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

½ teaspoon red chili powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon of tandoori powder

¾ teaspoon of salt

¼ cup of ghee (clarified butter)

¼ cup crispy fried onions

1 cup of warm water

½ cup of raisins

¼ cup blanched almonds

1 cup of cream

1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. Prick the chicken pieces with a fork and setaside. Combine the ginger and garlicpastes, red chili powder, turmeric, tandoori powder and salt in a small bowl. Rub this mixture into the chicken and let sit for 30 minutes in therefrigerator.

2. In a large, deep saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons ofthe ghee over medium high heat. Add the crispy fried onions and thechicken. Sauté until the chicken isgolden brown, about 5-8 minutes. Add the1 cup of warm water and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until chicken istender.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter in askillet over medium high heat. Add theraisins and blanched almonds, and sauté for 1 minute, then set aside.

4. Add 1 cup of cream to the chicken and cook,uncovered on low heat until absorbed. Add the Worcestershire sauce, sugar cardamom and nutmeg.

5. Add the reserved raisins and almonds.Serve.

Want to learn how to make the best Green Coconut Curry with Chicken? Check this out!

2011-11-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Recipe of the Month for November:

Green Coconut Curry with Chicken

Hell yeah!
This is one of my top comfort foods.
Right up there with Tomato Soup
and
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Click here to watch me make it on YouTube
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel
and share it with friends!

Stay tuned for December's
Recipe of the month:
Butter Chicken

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Green Coconut Curry with Chicken

Add more or less curry paste depending on your spice tolerance

2-3 tablespoons of your favorite green curry paste
2 Kaffir Lime Leaves
1 ½ cups Coconut Milk
1 ½ - 2 lbs. Chicken Breasts, cut into cubes
1/2 cup plucked Basil leaves, unchopped
2 teaspoons of Fish Sauce
1 teaspoon of Sugar
1 tablespoon of tamarind sauce
¼ cup medium diced fresh pineapple
1/2 cup Onion, medium diced
1/2 cup medium diced red bell pepper to garnish

1.    In medium saucepan, heat ½ cup of coconut milk, and stir in curry paste and lime leaves. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add your cut up chicken and onions, stirring and coating it thoroughly, allowing the curry to penetrate the chicken.
2.    Stir in remaining coconut milk into saucepan. Increase heat to high boiling. Allow to boil for about 5 to 10 minutes or until reduces about 1/4.
3.    Reduce to simmer. Add fish sauce, Tamarind and sugar. Toss in your chopped red pepper, diced pineapple, fresh basil leaves and serve.
4.    Serve over cooked jasmine or basmati rice.

*Kaffir Lime Leaves: The glossy, dark green kaffir lime leaves, which are used in cooking, have a unique double shape and look like two leaves that are joined end to end.
Dried kaffir lime rind and leaves, which have a flora-citrus aroma, can be found in Asian markets. Fresh leaves, which have a more intense, fragrant aroma, are sometimes
also available. Source – epicurious.com

*Tamarind: used to season full-flavored foods such as curries and seafood dishes. The tamarind is the fruit of a tall shade tree native to Asia and northern Africa and widely grown in India.
The large (about 5-inch-long) pods contain small seeds and a sour-sweet pulp that, when dried, becomes extremely sour.
Tamarind pulp concentrate is popular as a flavoring in East Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines much like lemon juice is in Western culture. Source – epicurious.com

Chinese 5 Spice Ribs

2011-02-17T19:23:00.000-08:00

I'm becoming a bit of a rib fanatic. I'm also falling back in love with my business partner's slow cooker that I conveniently keep forgetting to return. Once the weather is consistently warm again, I'll be using my Big Steel Keg to start slow cooking ribs over an open flame once again!! Can't wait!!
In the meantime, this is one of my newest recipes that I made over this past weekend. My favorite type of cooking is that where I'm totally experimenting with new ideas and flavors. This time I got lucky!!

Chinese 5 Spice Ribs

People who know me well know that I am a spice freak!!

I’ve been playing around with my latest spice combination, Chinese 5 spice with different meats.

This spice rub works well on cuts of meat that have a good amount of fat on them, such as ribs, duck, and roasts. Five-spice powder is a mixture of five spices, sometimes more. They’re meant to encompass all five flavors of sweet, sour, bitter, savory, and salty.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons of sesame oil

3 tablespoons of honey

2 teaspoons of Chinese 5 spice powder

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

1 teaspoon of minced ginger

2 pounds of pork ribs

2 cups of beef broth

¼ cup of tomato sauce

2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce

Half an onion, coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste after cooking


Ribs marinaded overnight.

Combine soy sauce, white wine vinegar, sesame oil, honey, 5 spice powder, garlic, and ginger in a bowl or large storage bag. Mix or shake well. Add ribs to marinade, and refrigerate overnight, turning the ribs over a few times.


This amount of liquid will reduce as it cooks

After your ribs have marinated, place them along with the marinade in a slow cooker, insuring that the liquid comes at least ½ - 3/4 of the way up the side of the ribs. You may have to cut the ribs into 2-3 portions to facilitate cooking. Cook the ribs for 6-8 hours. You know the ribs are done when they’re falling off the bones.

Remove the ribs from the liquid and cover with foil. Using a hand held blender or counter top blender, whiz your sauce with a little salt and pepper until smooth. Spoon some of the sauce over the ribs before service.


Ribs should be sticky & extremely tender

**Resist the urge to lift the lid off your slow cooker multiple times. This allows valuable moisture and heat to escape.

Comfort food!!

2011-02-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

Feeling down, cold or just need a big food hug? Homemade Tomato Soup to the rescue!! I make this soup, A LOT! (don't read into that...) It's just so tasty. And if you haven't experienced smoked paprika yet, get yourself down to The Cookbook Company, or Lina's Italian Grocery and pick some up. This stuff is life altering. This recipe is From “A Taste of Canada” by Rose Murray.

Homemade Tomato Soup with Blue Cheese Garnish

2 tablespoons of butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon of dried oregano
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
1 ½ teaspoons of smoked Paprika
Pinch of cayenne
1 can (28 oz/796ml) diced tomatoes (undrained)
4 cups of chicken broth
½ cup of crumbled blue cheese

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; cook the onion and celery until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring often.
Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat; stir in the paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add the tomatoes and broth.
Return to the heat and bring to a boil; reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Return it to the saucepan, and heat gently to serve. Add a small amount (or large if you’re a blue cheese fan) of the crumbled blue cheese to each bowl right before serving.

Makes 4-6 servings

Some like it hot!! Cucumber Chili Salad Recipe

2011-02-01T14:16:00.000-08:00

www.inter-course.ca
This is by far one of my most requested dishes. And guess what? You're getting it for FREE!! Aren't you special!!

This dish is fresh tasting, crunchy, spicy and healthy (mostly). I have yet to serve it to someone and have them say:"Eh, it's okay!"
People freak out over this one!! And the best thing of all, all the ingredients are easy to find!! Score!!

Cucumber Chili Salad

Serves 4

¼ cup of torn mint, leaves only
1 small red Thai chili, finely chopped (do not increase amount if doubling recipe)
¼ cup rice vinegar
1 ½ T brown sugar
1T fish sauce
3 cups thinly sliced long English cucumbers, cut into semi circles.(skin on or off, your choice)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped shallots or red onion
1 red bell pepper, diced
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Sprinkling of Nigella seeds (optional)

__________________________________________

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and taste for seasonings.
Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, and add dressing.
Allow time for the flavors of the salad and dressing to combine, about 10-15 minutes.
Garnish with the peanuts.

nigella seeds
[ni-JELL-uh, nee-JELL-uh]
Also called black onion seeds , these tiny, angular, deep black seeds have a nutty, peppery flavor. They're used in India and the Middle East as a seasoning for vegetables, legumes and breads. Nigella seeds are sometimes erroneously referred to as black cumin, an entirely different species. They can be found in Middle Eastern and Indian markets.

Myths, Phobias and.....let's just say Inexperience!!

2010-11-30T20:45:00.000-08:00

www.inter-course.ca
I'm starting to document the myths, attitudes and phobias that I'm running into in my job. I'm not really sure where to begin. I'm just going to verbally spew it out and hope it all makes sense. People's names have been withheld to protect the culinarily-challenged.

Myths and Old Wife's tales - The Onion
-I think no other vegetable, ingredient if you will, has been so misrepresented and misunderstood.
We all use onions. We all have varying degrees of experience with them. We all know what they do.....they sometimes make us cry. And for that, we have built up an extremely complicated relationship with them. They are the base for many soups, stocks, sauces and preserves. You just can't get that body of flavor without them in your dish. But to get there, you have to endure the onion's (especially red and white onions) defense mechanism. People are so afraid of crying that they've come up with a myriad of "tricks" that will ward off the bulb's effects. Here are just a few:

"Cut your onions underwater". I think this is my favorite "trick". This was suggested by a woman in one of my classes several years ago. I've found a few websites that also recommend this method, but I'm just not on board with it, considering that the onions are most likely going to be sauteed in oil soon after. Hot oil and watery onions? No thanks. The suggestion was followed up by "yeah, but how do you dry off the onions afterwards?" Mmmm, maybe not drown them in the first place?
"Put a spoon in your mouth while cutting!" The idea is that you'll cry less if you breath through your nose. But it's your eyes that are reacting to the gas release (sulfur) from the onions. It's a built in protective mechanism. I've tried this one, but I don't think I'm the best test subject, as I cut onions all the time.
"Light a candle!" - I'm guessing the logic behind this is that the flame will absorb the sulfur in the air and thus cut down on the amount making it up to your eyes and nose.
"Wear goggles" - Some people swear by this, while others have tried with no success.
"Chew gum" - Again, this works for some people, but not others. The fact is some onions are stronger than others, and you can never really know until you've begun.

**My advice: Put on your big boy or girl panties and do it anyway! Frequent onion chopping decreases your sensitivity. Any crying is going to pass shortly,and if this is the biggest problem of your day, I'd say your day is going pretty well.

Touch your food!!

This section saddens me, yet at the same time frustrates me. Given my extensive experience with teaching the public how to cook, I feel like I've earned the right to speak about this topic.

People, touch your goddamn food! That's right, I said it!! Touch your food!! DON'T mix up your salad greens if you just handled raw protein. But if you've just combined washed fruits and vegetables and nothing else......what the hell are you worried about?
It never ceases to amaze me how so many in our society view food as predatory bacterial matter first, and nourishment a distant last. If it hasn't been X rayed, gamma rayed, washed in polytetrahydromononucleo-whatever, then it isn't fit for human consumption. If the guy behind the sneeze guard at the food court who's making your sandwich isn't wearing a breathing apparatus that redirects his exhale towards a machine that sterilizes it, re-scents it with potpourri and vents it to the skyscrapers roof top........then he's guilty of trying to poison the population at large. (sarcasm). Food safety is like liquid Tide.....it will never be good enough, or strong enough. People will continue to find something so remotely unsafe about natural food, and the chemical companies will continue to feed this paranoia, that one day we'll all be eating red dots of unknown matter, made by DuPont, promising us a day's worth of all our dietary needs. Feeding fruits and vegetables that your grew yourself and feed your children will be considered child abuse because they didn't get treated at some chemical plant. (sarcasm)

Food Seduction!! Sauteeing for Success!!

2010-09-18T13:20:00.000-07:00

www.inter-course.ca
When it comes to dating, cooking has always been a secret weapon of mine. Of course, the woman has to earn it. I don't give away my "A" game to just any girl. If there is genuine chemistry, and she's interesting, then I can't wait to cook together. Read what I just wrote again. "Together" is the operative word here. This allows me to get a sense of who she is, what her idiosyncrasies are, her food habits and phobias. Is she freaked out by my sharp knives, or does she see this as a new opportunity to learn and have fun? Does anybody else think that an open mind is incredibly sexy?

Okay, let's talk about what's going on below the surface of things when you and your date are cooking together? What are we communicating? I believe that we communicate that we are a provider, a leader of sorts. We're saying "I'm confident and you're lucky to be with me right now" and "I can sustain myself and those who are important to me." And isn't cooking together far more interesting than another lame dinner date idea? I NEVER, EVER suggest going out for coffee or dinner on a date. It's much too much like a job interview. You're basically asking for each others resume. LAME!!

I just read this on a facebook page:"The power of feeding someone...it's like touching you without touching you!" Gastronomic Viagra baby!!

Guys, my clients are 98% women. I started my business in part to gain confidence talking to women. I am now constantly surrounded by beautiful women, not only in my business life, but my personal life as well. I make it a point to be seen with attractive women. My passion for food comes across, and I believe that's what makes me interesting. When I cook for a private group of women, I have all their attention, because they know I'm going to treat them great and feed them amazing food. They all tell me how sexy it is to watch a confident man cook. Again, read that last sentence over! What's the key word? CONFIDENCE. Who isn't attracted to confidence? I exploit that attraction to food and cooking by being a bit cocky, a bit naughty and always very playful.

Imagine this great scene: You and your date are in your kitchen, or hers. You're slicing and dicing side by side. You playfully tease, poke each other, try and make the other mess up or fumble. What are you doing? You're increasing the level of attraction and interest. Cooking together is the FOREPLAY!! Be fun and interesting, but be CONFIDENT!! I freely admit, I don't have this whole dating thing figured out. I still have my issues, but I do know and use the power of food.

You single men out there reading this should sign up for my singles cooking class. Women sign up in large numbers.

Ladies, I recommend you use the same technique when inviting a guy over for dinner. Remember, don't cook FOR him, cook with him. Make him work for it. Tease him by saying silly things like "silly boy, that's not how you slice an onion. Here, let me show you the right way!" And remember, he has to help with the dishes too. Make up some excuse that your dishwasher isn't working or whatever.

Check out www.inter-course.ca for more information on private cooking classes.

Choosing the right cutting boards!

2010-07-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

www.inter-course.ca
Click here to watch my video post on YouTube about cutting boards.

After knife wear, a chef's best friend is his or her cutting board. We tend to be high maintenance when it comes to what we choose to slice and dice on. Applewood? Cherry? Teak? Bamboo? Plastic? Marble? (Don't even think about it!!) The choices are as endless as the price ranges.

A few things to keep in mind:

Size matters. That's right boys; forget what your wife/girlfriend/partner might have told you. If you're cutting your food on a postage stamp, cooking likely isn't much fun, is it? Food is falling off the side, maybe into the sink or onto the floor. On the flip side, having a ginormous cutting board in a tiny bachelor pad-sized kitchen makes no sense either. Your counter space will dictate the size of your cutting board. I take the 2 board approach: plastic for proteins (straight in the dishwasher afterward), and some sort of wood for everything else. The surface on which you cut your meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables is as important as the knives you cut with.

Size - The size of a cutting board is pretty important. Small cutting boards are convenient for clean up and cutting small things quickly (for example a garnish or some cheese). However, every kitchen should have at least one large cutting board. How large? As big as your sink. It's important to be able to wash your cutting boards thoroughly, so it's important that the cutting board fits into your sink. When buying a cutting board, the bigger the better (as long as it fits in the sink). Why? The larger surface area gives you more space to work with. It helps with posture too. You won't be cramped up trying to fit everything on the board, move the food into position, and drive the knife at the same time.

The thickness of the cutting board is dependent on your height as well as your kitchen counter height. If you get a really think block and place it on your counter, you may have to bend your shoulder and elbow at awkward positions when you cut. This will lead to muscle aches and pains and maybe even damage. Get something with dimensions that feel comfortable to you.Once an appropriate size of cutting board has been chosen, the question of buying plastic or wood comes up. Which is better for the knife? Which is safer? What's the best value? These are some questions that come up when choosing between these two materials.

Surface - Most wood boards are made of a hard wood like maple or pine which may give your kitchen a much more attractive look than plastic boards. A good, sharp knife will cut into a wood board to some degree, so be forewarned that the cutting surface of your elegant wood cutting board will look worn, especially if you are heavy handed. The grain of the wood also helps keep the food from slipping.

A plastic board will usually have a roughened surface to aid in keeping food from slipping off. Most people would say that a plastic board's appearance leaves much to be desired, but it's size, shape, and weight make it extremely handy around the kitchen. Unfortunately, no matter what a manufacturer claims about how gentle the plastic is on knives, there is no substitute for cutting on wood to keep your knives in tip top shape.

Because plastic boards are nonporous and nonabsorbent, it is easier to clean off stain causing fluids than from a wood board. Simply scrub and rinse. Of course, don't let juice from freshly chopped beets stay on your board and dry for cleaning the next day - stains will occur. However, most sharp knives will eventually carve grooves into the plastic surface where stains can form and bacteria can collect. The small fissures make it very difficult to properly clean the baord without giving it a bleach washing.

A properly oiled wood board will also help resist staining to some degree, but prompt washing is always the best policy to follow.Oiling a wood board once every couple of weeks is a great way to maintain the board. Oiling protects the board from soaking up too much moisture and cracking or warping. It also protects against the absorption of some bacteria. Use an edible oil that has no taste, but don't use vegetable oil because it will turn rancid over time. Mineral oil is a popular choice. Wood boards can also be sanded to return the surface to a smooth finish. Beware that after sanding the board should be washed, dried, and set out for several hours to eliminate bacteria that may have been released from the interior wood.

Grooves - Grooves are often carved into the edge of the cutting board to catch juices. Cutting boards with large grooves serve better for carving than for cutting. I recommend having a seperate carving board for carving and serving than the board you normally use for slicing and chopping for preparation.

Feet - Some cutting boards have feet. This limits your cutting surface to one side of the board. With wood boards, feet are not necessary since placing the board on a wet towel or shelf liner will firmly cement the board to the counter. Depending on the weight and texture of the board, this trick can also work on plastic boards. Often, wood boards with feet work well as attractive carving boards or cheese boards.

Over the sink boards - For the space limited kitchen, manufacturers offer both wood and plastic boards that can be placed or hooked over the kitchen sink. Over the sink boards also make clean up easy when dealing with messy fruits or vegetables that make produce a lot of juice, like tomatoes.

Bacteria - It is often said that plastic is easier to clean than wood, but this is not necessarily the case. Foods that stain are much easier to clean off plastic, but if you're concerned about bacteria, plastic may not be the material you want to choose to use.

Plastic cutting boards have a nonporous surface that provides no place for bacteria to dwell. However, bacteria can just as easily live on the surface and after using the board for a while, your knife will probably chew up the fine surface of the board providing plenty of hiding spaces for bacteria to survive even through vigorous washing. This is troublesome to deal with and it is wise to scrub the cutting board down immediately after using. What about those plastic boards that have built in antibacterial chemicals? These only serve to inhibit bacterial grown that causes stains and odors - they do little to kill food-borne bacteria. If they did, you'd be ingesting poison agents every time you used your cutting board. Vigorous scrubbing with hot water and soap and an occassional cycle through the dishwasher is probably your best bet when it comes to plastic. (Be careful, some low quality boards may warp in a dishwasher.) Unfortunately, even a dishwasher's high temperatures may not be enough to kill all the bacteria. You're sure to kill the vast majority of them, though. Pouring bleach (diluted in water) over the board is also a good way of purging the board of bacteria. Once you've got the board clean, keep it dry. A few hours of complete dryness will kill the remainder of the bacteria. Make sure you prop up a corner of the cutting board if you're leaving it on the countertop so moisture won't be sandwiched under the board.

Wood cutting boards deal with bacteria in the opposite way that plastic boards do. Wood boards actually absorb the bacteria into the wood. After the surface of the wood has been cleaned and dried, the bacteria near the surface dies. It turns out the wood near the surface forms a hostile environment for bacteria to live in. There are lots of bacteria living in the cutting board, but about 1/8 in. below the surface. This is deep enough that a heavy handed chop into the wood is unlikely to release bacteria (unless the wood splits). If your cutting board fits in your microwave oven, heating up the board in the microwave for 30 sec. or so will completely cleanse the board of bacteria, inside and out. As with plastic boards, prop a corner up to keep moisture from collecting.

Price - In general, plastic cutting boards are less expensive than wood cutting boards. For $10, you can purchase a set of cutting boards for cutting poultry, fish, and meats, or you can divide them up by size. For the same $10, a set of three wood boards will be serviceable, but noticeably lower quality. A good wood board can run upwards of $100, although a $10-20 board should make a great cutting surface. If you have expensive knives and don't mind oiling every couple weeks, then get a modest wood carving board. If you're on a budget, like the convenience of multiple cutting boards, and can stand dealing with vigorous scrubbing and the occasional bleaching, then plastic is the way to go.

Bamboo - A "new" entry in the cutting board market are bamboo boards. Bamboo is an extremely hard grass that is easily grown and naturally replenishing resource. It doesn't have to be replanted after chopping down and is strong, durable, and pretty. Boards constructed of bamboo are fast (the hard surface makes it easier to work the knife) and durable. The boards absorb less liquid than maple wood and are typically easier to wash since the knife cuts won't be as deep or plentiful. Like other wood boards, they should not be soaked in water or placed in the dishwasher. The downside of bamboo boards is cost. Currently, the most expensive cutting boards that I know of, bamboo boards will run almost $200 for a large board

Cooking is an art, much like painting. To produce good art, we must rely on our instincts and feelings as much as our knowledge of materials & methods

2010-05-09T16:30:00.000-07:00

www.inter-course.ca
I realize the irony of hoping people in my public cooking classes don't follow my recipes. They've paid money to hear me talk, and teach. They expect to receive something on paper. The biggest challenge for me is to show people that their handouts are just a guide. They are not scripture. This is not the only way to make a dish.
As mentioned in my previous post, use my recipes at home and try them a few times. You're going to get used to it, and gradually you're going to start changing it up. You're going to put your own flavor on the dish. Pretty soon, it's no longer you making my dish. You've just created a new dish that's all yours.
Cooking for me has always been very instinctual. I'm the artistic, right brain learning type. For many others, like my roommate who is very left brain oriented, it is a scientific process that must be followed to the last milligram or milliliter. It's often difficult for these two approaches to understand each other. This has been my lesson for many years. How do I teach someone who learns so differently than I do? Well, quite frankly, I lie to them.

When they ask if they can put in just over 1 tablespoon of something, I say "Hell no !!" or I'll tell them "you must have exactly one cup of chopped herbs for the recipe to work!" And they totally believe me. I figure this reassures them, and helps them achieve results they want. Secretly I hope they eventually realize that I'm teasing them, and that they realize how un-important having exactly this or that much is.

So remember, when it comes to cooking....chill out!! The process or the way you put the dish together is far far more important than having exact measurements.

Touch your food in that special place!!

2010-05-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

Michael Pollen said it best:
"As a culture we seem to have arrived at a place where whatever native wisdom we may have possessed about eating has been replaced by confusion and anxiety..." -The Omnivore's Dilemma.

I love my job! I love what I do. I mentioned previously that one of the biggest compliments an instructor can receive is:"I use your recipe all the time!" Another satisfying moment in my teaching is seeing that "a ha!" moment in people's eyes when a concept or technique resonates deeply within them. They totally get it! They understand the how or the why of something. This is a great jumping point for them to the next technique. I'm happy for them, and they often proudly brag and repeat what they've just learned to others.

The seed has been planted.

ALERT! RANT AHEAD!

Okay, you've been warned!

I'm going to try and be polite about this. I take strong issue with those who see food as bacteria-laced substance that needs to have the shit cooked out of it before it's safe, instead of something that could possibly be delicious, tender and even -gasp- nutritious! Is food that tastes good simply luck? Society has become so incredibly paranoid about food poisoning, that we have become hostage to this fear. And the giant food corporations are very aware and exploit this. Giant corporations create commercials for products suggesting that peeling and dicing potatoes is too labor intensive; or my particular favorite: the young couple giving up on reading the instructions on a bag of rice, instead going for the packaged microwaveable rice option. Peeling potatoes and cooking rice is now too difficult, and apparently you're too stupid to figure out how to cook rice on the stove.

END OF RANT

I'm not telling you anything new here. I'm sure many of you have seen Food Inc. and Fast Food Nation. I'm just the latest chef on a soapbox. Food is not the enemy folks! It does not conspire your demise while you sleep. If I were to anthropormophize food (I used to read dictionaries as a kid when I was bored), I'd say it just wants a chance to be tasty without the drama. Some try to dissuade my zealous attitude with the "I'm just not a good cook!" defense.

**buzzer sound** Sorry, not good enough!

I'm not a very good dancer.........yet. But I've just signed on for dancing lessons with a friend who is very patient, and loves dancing. The intention, the willingness to learn, and the ability to laugh as you screw up is a great place to start. As my mom is prone to say:"No lesson is lost if you learn something from it". You mess up the stirfry the first time......oh well! The next time you try it, you'll have the trigger of the previous experience in your brain that, hopefully, will prevent the same mistake happening again, and the dish will be that much better. As a side benefit you'll gradually be putting your signature on that dish. Bonus right?? And one more thing: People LOVE it when someone cooks for them. It's a great negotiating tool! People will buy you beer, wine, whatever if you'll just cook for them!! Overwhelmingly people will not care how it turns out. They're so grateful that someone else is doing it. AND, my unspoken rule is if I cook, I don't do the clean up. (I hate doing dishes!)

Next post will be my top 10 cooking tips...

The Food Police work for me now!!

2010-04-29T10:14:00.000-07:00

www.inter-course.ca

Calgary weather is a psychotic mistress. You know how it is....things are good between the two of you for a while, then WAA-BAAM! she goes crazy on you!

I figured this was a good opportunity to put some distance between the two of us, and type up another post.

RECIPES

It's not a simple task to write a recipe. What is clear and concise in my brain has frequently confounded others who are cooking from them. As a professional, we are accustomed to having very little explanation with recipes. This is how we are trained. The industry assumes we know what a fine mince looks like, or thinly sliced, caramelized, zested etc...

I soon learned that people in my cooking classes don't think they way I do. I figured everybody did. A lesson in patience and clarity was required.
I can judge the success and clarity of a recipe based on the amount of questions people ask me about it. Some recipes I never get questions on, others I get inundated with. In the case of the latter, it's back to my computer where I review how the recipe is laid out and the description typed. A cooking instructor receives no better compliment then when we're told that people use their recipe(s) over and over again.

Alter your favorite recipe as soon as possible.
Let me tell you something.....if you think that favorite or new recipe you just tried cannot be altered, you are sadly mistaken. If you think only parsley is going to work at the end......what qualities do you attribute to other herbs that would so drastically change your dish? Parsley is the default herb!! It is the substitute for a better tasting herb!!
Recipes are not scripture. Now that I think of it, I'd lay money on the bet that religious scriptures have been altered over the centuries, but that discussion is for another blog.

Once you have tried a new recipe, following it verbatim, you have earned the right to alter it. And alter it you should. Do you want it spicier, saucier, crispier, creamier? CHANGE IT!!
Ask yourself what the worst thing that could happen. If you can handle that, then give'r.

“Practice as if you are the worst, perform as if you are the best.”

2010-04-27T22:35:00.000-07:00

www.inter-course.ca
I've been teaching cooking classes now for nearly 10 years. 10 YEARS!! This is the longest gig I've ever had. Starting off, I had no idea what I was doing. I actually felt really bad for people who had signed up for my courses, as they had no idea what they were in for. Somebody said I was a professional, posted the courses on a website, and POOF!! I was a professional.

"So this is how it works..." I thought. Turns out P.T. Barnum was right.
Of course, I'm exaggerating, sort of. I mean, at that point I had been cooking in various restaurants, hotels, and working at bakeries, chocolate factories and organic markets for 12 years. But I never taught a room of strangers.

It didn't take me long to adopt the mantra of "fake it till you make it!" I knew enough about cooking techniques and food that I could answer most of the questions thrown at me. A few made it past my "F.I.T.Y.M.I" armor, but I think I managed to fool most people into thinking I was a seasoned instructor.
My biggest learning experience came when my scheduled cooking classes started to get canceled one after the other. It soon dawned on me that I was the peacock in front of the crowd. "Look at me, and how marvelous I can cook! Don't you wish you were as good as I was?"

Lesson #1 - "Educate, Don't intimidate!" --Matt Lunny - original owner of The Stronghold Climbing Gym

Intimidated people don't open up their wallets. They can get offended, defensive, accusatory, and are tremendous venue for spreading bad reviews. I realized that in order to pay rent etc, I needed to re-shape my craft.
Now I'm a firm believer that when you set out an intention or desire into the cosmos, it gets answered. The trick is having the sense and quite often the humility to realize it. My intention was answered with an opportunity to work along side of someone I now view as my mentor: Hugh Carpenter. This man is extremely adept at weaving education, entertainment and passion into his cooking classes. And this man has a HUGE following. Umpteen cook books, a cooking school in Napa Valley and San Miguel, Mexico. His classes flow with the smooth delivery of a ballet performance.

THIS, I decided was who I was going to study and steal from!

Lesson #2 - Ambition bites the nails of success - Bono (U2)

The cooking school owner figured that since I spent some time traveling through Asia (Nepal and Thailand) that I'd be perfect to teach Thai classes. Up until then, the school had been bringing in a chef from Victoria. I suspect the school owner figured she could pay me less, while at the same time give me the opportunity to develop my craft. Part of me thought:"Is she nuts?" My ambitious side said:"Dude, shut the hell up and get going!"
So I began researching the history of Thai cuisine, Thai ingredients, Wok cooking, etc. I began taking mental notes of how celebrity guest chefs and TV chefs taught an audience. It wasn't so much what they were teaching, but the delivery that interested me the most. You walk a fine line as an instructor. If you're too dry and preachy, people tune out. Too goofy, people won't take you seriously. I began taking my dry sense of humor and injecting it into my demonstrations. When people are laughing, they gradually let their guard down. My goals became dissolving any apprehension, intimidating feelings or insecurities the class participants might be feeling.

How do I do this? Empowerment.

Lesson #3 - First master the fundamentals. Larry Bird, famous basketball player

Don't expect to be able to pull off a grandiose 4 course meal if you're still struggling with chopping an onion. It simply doesn't make sense. Give yourself a break! Focus on mastering the simple tasks first. Step by step your confidence will build and what was once a daunting task will seem rudimentary and basic.

Lesson #4 - In order to improve, we must continually go outside our perceived comfort zones. Me.

This can be a hard one for everybody and I am certainly no exception. Most days I want to sleep in, do work from my bed and drink coffee all day. I'm self employed. So, if I don't put in a good work day, I don't get paid, nor am I securing future work.
Like anything, when it comes to cooking in the kitchen, confidence comes from repetition. Success builds upon success. You master one technique, which gives you the strength to try something potentially new and daunting all over again.
You've mastered the art of thinly slicing and dicing onions. Move on to slicing up lemongrass for your curry dishes or stir fries, or cutting up a whole chicken into it's parts. Not only will the later save you money, but it will shore up your knife skills as a true knife champion!!

Next entry will be about recipes......