Eat Like A Greek
I wasn’t raised in a traditional Greek family, with two Greek-speaking parents; nevertheless, my Mom and her family made it their quest to infuse us with a love for all things Greek. My Dad graciously allowed it to happen, although, over the years, he’s made every attempt to stick a Scottish label on us, but not much sticks to Greece (pun intended). Somehow, I managed to make it through thirty years of life before I realized my “Greek” family originated from Italians. So four generations ago, the grandparents of my grandparents left Italy and made their lives in Greece. And so, I willingly embrace all things Italian.
My Mom did a good job of incorporating American food in to our lives. I’m pretty sure she did it so my Dad wouldn’t starve. And though he loves her cooking, he doesn’t fully appreciate the more colorful aspects of Greek cuisine. Thankfully, I inherited my Mom’s palette and have no food fears. Well, except for lima beans, and badly cooked okra. Oh…and liver.
At an early age, I learned to eat first and then ask, “What is that?” When a plate was set in front of me, regardless of the smell, texture, or look of an item, I was required to take a bite. This small obedience was, as I look back over my life, one of the best gifts my Mom gave me. If not for that little rule, I would have missed out on so many wonderful and exciting flavors from many different cuisines.
When I was eighteen, my family, in different variations, spent the summer in Greece. We lived many days on the beaches of Glyfada, Tolo, and Vouliagmeni, only coming out of the sea for a few hours to eat a delicious lunch. We ate fresh fish, village salads, crispy potatoes, slabs of cheese, lemony horta, and loaves of fresh bread. With wet hair and wet bathing suits, sand between our toes, and sunburned skin, we took pleasure in eating the simple but scrumptious food. Bread was for dipping, lemons for squeezing, fingers for licking, and forks were, well, forks were optional.
The other night I saw an episode of FoodTV’s Chopped: When Chefs Collide (Episode 3.1). In the appetizer round, the chefs were tasked with creating an appetizer out of Manila clams, kumquats, and croissants. The Greek chef, Peter Giannakas, Chef and Restaurateur of Ovelia Psistaria Bar, New York, NY., was eliminated in the first round. He created a dish that, according to the judges, was difficult to eat. They also commented about the flavors of his dish; however, since they were too afraid to get their hands messy, I question whether or not they actually tasted the dish. As the chef was eliminated, he said to the judges, “Don’t be afraid to eat.” I laughed so hard I nearly cried. My Mom would be proud of him.
Thanks to her, and the generations of Greeks who came before me, I am not afraid to taste – even if it means getting messy or trying new flavor combinations. I believe my love for cooking is in the genes, seasoned by my Mom, and whipped in to shape by hours of practice. For that I am thankful and, Lord willing, I will have many more years to eat like a Greek.
Masters Vindicate Chefs
This season Bravo TV premiered a new show, Top Chef Masters. There are many television food shows with "chefs" competing against each other: Bravo’s Top Chef, Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen, FoodTV’s The Next Food Network Star, Chopped, two versions of Iron Chef, Throwdown, and more.
I’ve learned quite a bit watching the chefs compete: timing, bravado, teamwork, back-biting, creativity, failure, skills, and great taste combinations. You take what you learn, duplicate the good and make every effort to avoid the bad.
And then along comes Top Chef Masters. It’s ALL good. What a refreshing difference. The competitors are all professional chefs with proven skills and over-the-top talent. It’s truly inspiring to see the good-fellowship, humbleness, deep respect, and courage they display for the competition and each other.
If you haven’t watched Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, you’re missing a great experience. The competition has just passed the first round of the final challenge, so you still have a chance to catch a few more shows. You’ll be glad you did.
For Love of Sopressata
While standing in front of a deli counter at the Granville Island Public Market in Vancouver, B.C., I fell in love with sopressata. The deli guy handed me a piece of the dark, red meat and the lively aroma reached my nose even at an arm’s length. It was thinly sliced and I couldn’t resist the desire to hold it up to the light to peer through it – a red and white stained glass window. The flavor exploded as it landed in my mouth: pork, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a crunch of peppercorn. I licked my fingers and ordered a pound. And there began my fascination with sopressata.
The dried, cured sausage is soft, not hard, somewhat like a pepperoni and often called a salami. In Rome, a cheerful, old butcher told me that in some parts of Italy it is known as a “poor man’s” salami – made from the leftover cuts of the pig. So far, my favorite “slice” came from a little storefront shop on Corso Italia street, in Piano di Sorrento, in the south of Italy. It just so happens that the best focaccia I’ve ever tasted came from the same shop. The memory of those flavors is still vivid.
Though I often recreate the meals I’ve eaten in restaurants, I’ve not yet had the courage to try my hand at curing, mostly because poisoning my friends and family with botulism is a very real possibility. On his blog, Notes from the Food World, Michael Ruhlman posted a recipe adapted from his book, Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing, for making sopressata. Ruhlman, a food god, is also the author of The French Laundry Cookbook, that I previously blogged about. Like a professional athlete, Ruhlman makes it look so easy. But I’m a smart girl and I know my limitations, so for now, until Ruhlman wants to invite me over to make it with him, I’ll stick to buying sopressata wherever I can find it.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The first time I cooked a turkey it was less than tasty. The breast meat was dry, the gravy was flavorless, and the little white pop-up thingy failed to work. Needless to say, I had to find a way to make it work and brining has served my turkeys well for the past ten years. I am a convert. The only thing I change is what goes in to the brining solution. This year, instead of making my own, I bought a lovely jar filled with herbs and aromatics and I added salt and sugar to the brining solution. And…I couldn’t do it without my trusty thermometer. Remember: thigh meat should reach 170F.
Sour Cream Yeast Rolls
My nephew, Eric, requests these rolls. They’re ridiculously easy to make and there is rarely any leftovers. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving…I’m sharing the recipe with you. I also call these “Naked Lady” rolls because men seem to love them. I’m just sayin’. I found this recipe in a cook book called Treasured Recipes: Food Editors’ Favorites. It was contributed by Betty Straughan of The News Review, Roseburg, OR.)
1 package (2.5 tsp) active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 cups sour cream
2 Tbl granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
5.5 cups Bisquick
1 Tbl fresh dill (minced
1/2 cups parmesan cheese (shredded)
Soften the yeast in water. Let stand while combining sour cream, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add 2 cups Bisquick, then yeast mixture. Mix well. Stir in 3 more cups Bisquick. Turn dough onto board dusted with 1/2 cup Bisquick. Knead to form a smooth ball.
Shape dough in to small rounds the size of a walnut. Place close together in a buttered 9×13x2-inch pan. Let rise until doubled in bulk. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and dill.
Preheat oven to 375F. Bake rolls 15 minutes, or until done.
Note: Rolls can be made ahead of time and frozen. When ready to serve, thaw rolls and reheat in oven at 200F.
Hell’s Kitchen Left Me Cold
I’ll admit it. I am a fan of most things Ramsey. But too many strange things happened in Hell’s Kitchen this year and it’s left me feeling cold.
If you dig cooking competitions on TV, you should watch Bravo’s Top Chef, where cooking skills are a necessity and it’s not about finding the best entertainer. The contestants’ cooking skills are tested under tough circumstances, and if they don’t know their food…well, their time on the show is short and they’re told to pack their knives and go home. The contestants are often thrown together to work in teams, and the trick is to be a team player and to capture the spotlight. Never underestimate the ego of a chef.
There are three other similar shows: The Next Iron Chef, The Next Food Network Star, and Hell’s Kitchen. Michael Symon was chosen from eight contestants to be the next Iron Chef and the challenges were brutal. It’s not a regular show on the FoodTV Network for good reason: only few hold the title of Iron Chef. The competition is fierce and the reward is culinary immortality. Okay, so that’s a little extreme, but you get my point. I was hoping Chef Symon would win for his mad skills, but I also think he’s kinda hot. And well, hot does count for something.
In the Next Food Network Star, not only are culinary skills challenged, but also teaching skills and stage presence. You must have that certain *something* that finds its way through the camera lens and out to the viewer. And the reward is your own show on the Food Network. You don’t get a restaurant, but you do rub shoulders with some of the best in the game.
And then there’s Hell’s Kitchen. And at the center of it all is the enigmatic Gordon Ramsey. There’s no doubt the man knows his way around the kitchen, but it’s difficult for anyone else to be in there with him. There’s only room for Ramsey’s ego. As difficult as it is to be around him, I’d work in his kitchen any day. He can yell at me for hours and in the end I’d walk away with culinary skills and restaurant knowledge to rival the best. So on the show you fill a kitchen with a bunch of colorful, over-eager wannabe restaurateurs battling against each other to be the senior chef at one of Ramsey’s new restaurants. And then, if that’s not enough, you toss in one giant cup of Ramsey and stir. The winner of each challenge is not always clear, and often, it simply comes down to the whim of Ramsey. Frustrating…but it is his show and his restaurant.
This seasons’ competitors were not fun to watch. Highly annoying is more like it. Their culinary skills were weak and they didn’t play well with others. I was waiting for a hero to emerge, but alas, there was none. If he wants us to watch next season, he’s gonna have to pick better contestants or the show will continue to lose credibility.
