Cooking Events at Cook's
Emporium
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We are fortunate to
have talented instructors that gladly share their expertise in
delightful ways. Please join us in our kitchen every Saturday
morning this spring!
Cooking demos begin
promptly at 10:00am each Saturday. Class fee of $5. Pre-registration
is not needed. Please note that seating is on a first-come basis. We
suggest early arrival for best
seating.
Saturday - April 10,
2010 - Strawberry Cream Crepes with Margaret Welder. As
satisfying as they are to eat, it can also be just as satisfying to
make these delicious crepes yourself!
Saturday - April 17,
2010 - Indian Cooking with Rama Sridhar. How fortunate we are
to live in a much more diverse culinary era. We invite you to
explore Indian cooking with Rama this morning.
Saturday - April 24,
2010 - Risotto with Joe Geha.
Rice and more rice! Joe will
present creamy Arborio rice in two recipes: a Milanese risotto,
featuring spring asparagus, followed by Lebanese rice pudding (riz'b
haleeb) flavored with rose water and a sprinkling of orange-zested
pistachios.
Saturday - May 1,
2010 - Tulip Cookies and Mascarpone Mousse w/ Fresh Berries
with Andrea Moore. It's May Day and these couldn't be more
appropriate treats to share with your friends and family! Absolutely
delicious!
There
are more demos scheduled for this spring -- check out the details on our
website!
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KNIFE SKILLS
CLINIC
Thursday,
April 22, 2010 - 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Learn basic knife skills, as well as the
different blade shapes and their uses while Clark Stone, Wusthof®
representative, prepares something for you to sample. Each
participant will receive a FREE Wusthof® paring knife.
Pre-registration and pre-payment required. Please contact us
to reserve your space as soon as possible. Space is limited.
Cost is $40.00.
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Simple Supper
Strategies
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It's a transition moment in the day, the late afternoon hunger
pangs, the clock ticking, and the realization that you and a few
others around you have expectations that there will be something to
eat shortly. First of all, alleviate any guilt for not having
planned the entire week ahead of time, or not starting the slow
cooker in the morning, or forgetting to pull the meat out of the
freezer to thaw - we're not here to spout that gospel, however
worthy a thought pattern that it is. We're talking about real
people, real days, and real strategies for surviving suppertime on a
real-time basis without having to be a logistical genius! 
Relax - Use supper prep time to
transition yourself from a busy day. If you're alone in the kitchen,
enjoy the quiet; resist the urge to fill the void with TV or radio.
If the family is around, use the opportunity to catch each other up
on the day with conversation (instead of texting!). Put your kids to
work and surreptitiously teach them how to cook. Not surprisingly,
some of the best bonding goes on in the kitchen.
Quick Cooking Foods - We're not
talking processed foods here, but rather, choose foods that
naturally cook quickly - keep those at the top of your idea list.
(See our Picks for the Perfect Pantry below). Pasta is faster than
rice, most seafood is faster than chicken or beef, and "above
ground" vegetables are faster than "below ground" root
vegetables.
 Quick Cooking
Techniques - Stovetop cooking is faster than oven roasting or
baking. Invest in a good all-around skillet where you can sauté,
stir-fry, or even pan grill in a jiffy. The microwave is great, but
for more than one or two people, the time investment nearly matches
the time it takes on the stovetop. Steaming is faster than boiling.
Dice potatoes, carrots - any root vegetable - into smaller pieces
with a sharp knife; they will cook much faster.
Use All-in-Ones - Dishes prepped in
one pan, a stovetop oven or a wok, make clean up just as easy as the
preparation. Cook the dish in layers beginning with the longest
cooking items first. Many stovetop pans are beautifully crafted and
double on the table as the serving dish. That same pot will slip
into the refrigerator, then back to the stovetop the next day - now
that's all-in-one
cooking!
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The Perfect Supper
Pantry
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OK, perfection is
overrated, but you can give yourself a few advantages with a
reasonably stocked pantry. Based on your eating preferences, your
personal profile may vary, but here's a starting point. Think of
your "pantry" not just as the back cupboard, but also your
refrigerator and freezer.
Double
Down on Fresh - Make the most of your trips to the market.
Buy double of fresh/perishable items and give yourself a head start
on another day. Here are just a couple of examples:
- Buy two heads of broccoli, cut, and steam them both. Use half
that day; freeze the remainder for a quick jump on a stir-fry
later in the week.
- Buy double the amount of boneless chicken breast, beef steak,
or pork tenderloin. Cut all of it into stir-fry-able strips.
Freeze half in a large single-layer zipper bag; it will quickly
defrost on another day and be perfect for fajitas, a pita pocket
sandwich, or a stir-fry.
- Buy double the salad ingredients, wash, spin-dry, and store
all for two days of fresh greens. Add dressing only at serving
time.
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Stonewall
Kitchens
Robert
Rothschild | | |
An Interview with
Giuliano Hazan
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 Giuliano Hazan comes by his
love of Italian cooking honestly as the son of famed cook, Marcella
Hazan. With this pedigree, Giuliano has distinguished himself in his
own right as the author of four cookbooks, a guest cook on TV, and
as the winner of the International Association of Cooking
Professional's (IACP) award for Cooking Teacher of the Year in 2007.
Giuliano Hazan was kind enough to take our call and answer a few
questions about weeknight meals and a few other curiosities. Here's
his take:
(1) When you get
home from work and are hungry, what do you fix for yourself?When I
return home from a teaching trip, what I most look forward to is a
comforting, satisfying dish of pasta with either a simple meat sauce
or a fresh tomato sauce. I'm not just saying it because my recent
book is on pasta. It's because pasta has always been one of my
favorite foods, and probably why two of the four books I've written
are on pasta. (2) What
items do you recommend always having in the pantry/refrigerator for
quick meals?Basics such as good extra virgin olive oil,
sea salt, onions, garlic and butter. In addition, things such as
Parmigiano-Reggiano, capers, anchovies, parsley, pancetta, and cream
are always useful. Ripe tomatoes don't keep very long, so good
canned tomatoes are good to have on hand, though sauces with canned
tomatoes are not usually as quick to make. (3) What is your secret to creating great
flavor in your recipes?Apart from obviously using quality
ingredients, it is paying attention to what you are doing! The fewer
steps there are in a recipe, the more important each step
becomes. (4) When did cooking
capture your interest? Was there a particular aspect of cooking that
you focused on first? What culinary interest captures your attention
the most today?I began cooking in earnest when I left
home because . . . I was hungry! I missed the food I was used
to eating at home every day. Though I love to share the food I
prepare with others,  it is usually the prospect of enjoying a
good meal that motivates me to cook. (5) What would you recommend for the
perfect culinary trip to Italy?With obvious bias, I'd
recommend a week at our school in northern Italy! For six days you
will immerse yourself in Italian food, wine, and life through field
trips to gastronomic locations not even the locals know about. And,
of course, there are the hands-on classes in a luxuriously restored
Renaissance villa where you will also lodge.
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Smart Fast
Meal Tips
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Tip #1: Establish a "household
rule" - if you use the last of it, mark it down on the grocery list.
Keep the list in a consistent location.
Tip #2: Keep a loaf of your
favorite bread or a stack of pita pockets in the freezer for a
sandwich solution to supper. Get creative about what to put in your
sandwich - open the refrigerator and put those condiments to work in
changing something ordinary into extraordinary. If you like, pan
grill, or use your griddle to heat your concoction to
perfection.
Tip #3: We
use the inside of cupboard doors to our advantage! As you discover
quick supper or recipe favorites, make a sticky note (a physical one
and/or a virtual one) of the recipe's ingredients and basic
instructions. A quick look inside the cupboard door (or virtual
desktop) as you head out the door may provide just the spark of inspiration you need, and will
be handy when it comes time to cook.
Tip #4: Have a standing pantry plan
or two for surprise guests. Keep a few cheeses and unique crackers
around, or perhaps some great coffee beans and exquisite cookies,
dried fruits and nuts, or ingredients for a no-fuss pasta meal, a
frozen loaf of bread, and, of course, a good bottle of
wine.
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Q & A
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 Q: How can I keep from getting into a rut
with my weeknight menus?
A: First of all, ruts aren't all
bad. Finding something you and your family like and serving it often
is a good thing. But, we understand that even the best menu or dish
can become tiresome. Expand your repertoire with occasional
variation. Perhaps there's one night of the week that is less
hurried than another - use that as your "experimentation night" and
enjoy the change of pace. Always be "interviewing" recipes for
inclusion on your own personal "fast weeknight menus"
list.
 Q: I forgot my pantry list at home. What am I
supposed to get?
A: Time to get hip and use one of
your mobile devices to your kitchen advantage. Write a text message
or an electronic note to yourself of the standard pantry items that
you'd like to keep on hand. Keep that message or note in your
device and add to it as needed. Consult your device for a reminder
of staples as you shop.
Q: I
can't find the recipe I want to use for supper. How can I keep track
of my favorites?
A:
Recipe cards are still valuable for remembering and recalling
favorite recipes. We keep a recipe binder for paper copies of our
favorite recipes, both online printouts and scans of printed
recipes. We also "e-file" recipes in our computer's folders with
customized sub-folders for easy retrieval.
Q: With thousands of recipes available
online, why should I buy a cookbook for recipes?
A: For a cookbook to be published,
there is a competitive review process that results in the "best of
the best" actually becoming a cookbook. Cookbook authors and
publishers must design, edit, and produce a high quality product to
warrant the expense of publishing; the result is a juried and
reviewed compendium of recipes that have met the test. Internet
recipes may, or may not be, tested, and may, or may not be, in an
instructive context that broadens the cook's expertise. We think
there's room for both great cookbooks and the Internet in the
kitchen.
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Cookbook Review
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Thirty Minute
Pasta, 100 Quick and Easy
Recipes by Giuliano Hazan. Photography by Joseph De
Leo. Copyright 2009. Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, an
imprint of Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, NY.
 We love pasta in any and every form and, in
fact, consider ourselves self-declared experts when it comes to
judging pasta dishes and recipes. In this, Chef Hazan's latest
cookbook, simplicity and flavor combine in the most delicious ways.
He sets the scene for thirty-minute pasta dishes with precisely the
right amount of context. He reviews pasta shapes and their distinct
purposes and traits, advises us on the basics of a great pasta
pantry, and expertly guides us through boiling pasta for perfect
results. The remainder of the book is dedicated to 100 recipes that
make you fall in love with pasta even more. The chapters are divided
into Pasta Soups, Vegetarian Pasta, Seafood Pastas, and Meat Pastas.
Each recipe is written with efficient time management in mind, i.e.,
the oil heats while the onion is being chopped; we're instructed to
boil the pasta at the proper time so that sauce and pasta get to the
finish line simultaneously, etc. We appreciated this sequencing and
attention to detail. The photography by Joseph De Leo lavishly
inserted throughout the book brought the pasta into the realm of
exquisite visual art. This cookbook is one of our favorite picks so
far this year!
Benissimo!
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Three
Thirty Minute Pasta Recipes
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Recipes excerpted from Thirty Minute
Pasta by Guiliano Hazan. Copyright 2009. Published by
Stewart, Tabori & Chang, and imprint of Harry N. Abrams Inc.,
New York, NY. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All rights
reserved.
 Penne with
Asparagus and Prosciutto
Penne
agli Asparagi e Prosciutto
View and
Print
If the pink and bright green colors of this
dish don't say spring, the flavors certainly do! Take advantage of
the seasonal bounty of asparagus with this recipe. The prosciutto
acts as a condiment with its salty flavor, while the onions lay the
foundation for a silky sauce. Definitely an addition to the
favorites list!
Spaghetti with
Raw Tomatoes, Herbs and Mozzarella
 Spaghetti
alla Checca
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Print
We have in our memory banks a wonderful late
lunch somewhere in the middle of Rome. It was one of those hot
August days when tomatoes were at their best. This recipe recreated
that moment with its simple, fresh ingredients - tomatoes, basil,
and fresh mozzarella. We closed our eyes and swore we could hear the
Trevi fountain in the background!
Linguine with
Shrimp and Porcini
L inguine
ai Gamberi e Funghi
View and
Print
This recipe turned out another perfect plate
of pasta! We used shitake mushrooms in place of the porcini, due to
a momentary shortage of porcini, but it turned out wonderfully
nonetheless. The shrimp and mushrooms huddled in the nooks and
crannies of the linguine and twirled onto our forks and into our
mouths with ease and
enjoyment!
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In this issue, we focus on some fast weeknight
meal strategies, and offer advice on setting up your pantry for
weeknight success. Giuliano Hazan's new book, 