coming soon: incredible India
March 22nd, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Happy lazy Sunday everyone! It’s nice to be vegging on the couch this bright sunny morning with a hot cup of coffee, watching the tube and a shimmering Biscayne Bay stretch beyond my balcony in the distance. Boy, it has been a crazy week… two kitchen interviews… a coming-out blurb in the Herald… birthday celebrations galore… and cross-continent BlackBerry messaging to put the finishing touches on my trip to India next month. Three weeks from today, I’ll be departing for Delhi to meet up with one of my dearest friends whom I met abroad in 2000 when we were both studying in Florence. More to come on that, including the itinerary and plans for reporting on food and culture while I’m over there for Kitchen Interviews. It stands to be a jaw-dropping journey. A huge shout out to my favorite Aunt Susan, travel agent extraordinaire, who hooked me up lickity split with flights.
But first, ahead this week on Kitchen Interviews (in addition to the thrill that will be preparing my taxes…)
Common Threads, numero due, Tuesday, March 24: From fly on the wall to official volunteer… On Monday, I’ll be helping the kids from William Jennings Bryan at the second Common Threads class at Johnson & Wales, under the capable instruction of Program Coordinator Melissa Cala. Not sure what’s on the menu, but I will report back!
Whisk Gourmet Foods & Catering, Wednesday, March 25: We venture into this comfortable Coral Gables nook for a Kitchen Interview with Owner Kristin Connor. Topics include its homestyle menu overflowing with fresh and healthy ingredients from local and organic purveyors, and how customers also savor the intimacy of the place, where kitchen meets office meets dining room…
“Sunday Brunch Buffet”: All you can read of the week’s food headlines you may have missed, Sunday, March 29: I’ll be starting a new weekly round-up feature called “Sunday Brunch Buffet,” highlighting what I think are the most interesting and notable headlines in the food world from the week, including the Sunday papers. It will be written list-style for easy skimming, and I will embed hyperlinks to full coverage for each story.
24/7: It's so easy these days to get a passport photo made. Thanks Coconut Grove CVS! I will need two of these babies to apply for my India visa to enter the country. India does not allow foreigners to remain inside for longer than 180 days at a time, so if you plan a longer stay, you need a "multi-entry" visa, allowing you to go out and then come right back in!
coming soon… the line up!
March 12th, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Things have been very busy in the prep area, and we’ve got both satisfying and unpredictable content coming down the pike on the blog. Here are Kitchen Interviews to look for over the weekend and week ahead!
Monastero Suore Cistercensi, Friday, March 13: We’ll take a virtual trip to the Lazio region of Italy, (in Vitorchiano about 60 kilometers north of Rome,) to learn about a convent of nuns who have been producing wine for hundreds of years and only recently are bottling it with the help of Benefactor and Area Vintner Giampiero Bea… The best part? They are offering the sacred juice state side and the 2007 vintage is in. We’ll let you know where you can find it and talk to Importer and Distributor Blake Johnson of Rosenthal Wine Merchants about the history of this special terroir and the people behind its beautiful product. It promises to be a fabled and informative journey.
Cheese School, Saturday, March 14: After taking a “Cheese 101″ course, we’ll talk to Sunset Corners Owner Michael Bittel, and Cheese and Wine Buyer Jamie Futscher, about the store’s extensive cheese offerings and how to compose the best cheese plate for entertaining at home.
Munching with a Mensch, Tuesday, March 17: We’ll get up close and personal with a petite chef with a big heart, as we go on-site at Johnson and Wales to teach underprivileged kids about healthy, local foods with Michelle Bernstein, founder of the South Florida chapter of Common Threads.
Chef for a Day, Thursday, March 19: I chop, slice and dice my way through a working restaurant kitchen with Chef Allen and his talented back-of-the-house staff, where we learn about how sustainable seafood gets from sea to table.
coming soon… my ‘chef for a day’ reality + sustainable seafood
March 11th, 2009 § 2 Comments
Boy am I a lucky girl. Next Wednesday, I’ll be rolling up my sleeves (maybe even donning whites) to learn the ropes alongside talented chefs in a working restaurant kitchen. And not just any kitchen. It’s the kitchen at one of the most respected restaurants in South Florida, if not the country. Right before dinner service.
As you may have heard, Chef Allen is now offering Chef for a Day classes, what he coins ’reality cooking’ experiences, to us civilians. Ok, restaurant kitchens have encountered a reputation for being a little rough around the edges lately. You know, “if you can’t take the heat…” But one would be remiss to base expectations of this experience solely on the stuff of reality television and its ratings-hungry sensationalism (think hot-tempered Gordon Ramsay and the patron-ejecting antics of Marco Pierre White, whose new show The Chopping Block debuts tonight on NBC at 8 EST/7 CST.) I’m with the chef that made it cool to be the nice guy, so I know I’m in good hands.
We’ll also catch up with Chef Allen on his commitment to sustainable seafood and get a peak into its journey from sea to table, as he prepares for a weekend of educational activities in D.C. at the Smithsonian. According to the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program website, A Guide to Picking Wisely from the Sea will “explore the connection between a healthy ocean and the seafood that we eat.” A sure highlight will be the sold out Sustainable Seafood Luncheon with Celebrity Chefs, including discussion presided over by Food Network’s Alton Brown, where Chef Allen will prepare sauteed wild Florida shrimp with shallots, garlic and olive oil, with stone crab and butter grits with aged manchego cheese. Sunshine State, represent!
Be sure to check back on Thursday, March 19 for the full report…
