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| (Photo by Sean Scott) |
In this new ongoing series, I hope to share with you some of my
latest tastings…whether that’s food or beverage items I’ve taste tested, or a
restaurant I’ve reviewed, or a new recipe I’ve created, which often will
include some of the food items I’m taste testing. I’m just a basic home cook that enjoys
reviewing, tasting, testing, and creating.
For my recipes, you’ll notice that they generally don’t include exact
measurements, as I tend to cook “old school” and rely heavily on my senses. So, I hope you enjoy each segment…this is a
work in progress, and just like some of my culinary creations, I often surprise
myself with a favorable outcome…and then, too, sometimes the results aren’t
stellar. Enjoy!
~ Foods Honoring My Italian Heritage
~
October is Italian-American
Heritage Month
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| (Image from www.vimbly.com) |
Alessi Farro Porcini Mushrooms, Farro Beets & Spinach, and
Farro Butternut Squash & Kale ~ Farro is an ancient grain, referred to as the “mother of wheat, and was
such a prized commodity, that early Romans used it as currency. Today, it’s experiencing a resurgence in
popularity as a healthy food trend. It
is a densely nutritious whole grain, and has a hearty, nutty taste. It’s great as a side dish, or prepared as a
delicious hot breakfast cereal. Alessi Foods, known for its quality
authentic Italian food products has found a way to reintroduce this historic
and healthy whole grain to consumers by combining it with delicious ingredients
such as Porcini Mushrooms, Beets,
Spinach, Butternut Squash, and Kale. Following are a few of my recipes using these delicious products.
Farro Porcini Mushroom with Meat Sauce
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
Marmalade Soy Glazed Salmon
Filets with Farro Butternut Squash &
Kale, and Spaghetti Squash
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
Jovial Foods 100% Certified Organic Borlotti Beans, Chick Peas,
Cannellini Beans, Diced Tomatoes ~ I never tire of using bean in my
recipes because of they’re economical source of protein, are nutrient dense,
and very flavorful. In addition to these
products being organically grown on small family-owned farms in Northern Italy,
they’re also packed in glass jars and sealed with BPA-free lids. Minimal processing, cooking and seasoning
further add to the exceptional fresh and clean taste of these products. Following are my recipes using some of these delicious products.
Italian Garbanzo Bean
Salad
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
Tuna Cannellini Bean
Salad
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
My Take:
In addition to my two bean salad
recipes, I’d like to suggest making a healthy, meatless marinara that utilizes the Diced Tomatoes and Borlotti Beans; sauté in EVOO minced fresh garlic,
sliced yellow onion, and sliced bell pepper; combine all ingredients, and then
add some basil pesto, dried oregano, ground black pepper, and dehydrated
parsley; mix thoroughly and simmer for at least forty-five minutes; you can
also add capers, Kalamata olives, etc.
Prepare whole wheat pasta; top the drained pasta with this delicious
meatless marinara sauce; grate fresh Grana Padano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
on top; serve with a nice side garden salad, and some crusty garlic bread.
Try the World Box of Italy ~ Avoid
the hassles of traveling, and tour the world through chef curated culinary collections
of some of the world’s finest food products.
Each subscription focuses on a different country, and includes seven to
eight iconic regional food specialties.
Subscriptions can be monthly, or every two months. I had the pleasure of experiencing the Box of Italy collection. Each collection also includes “The Culture Experience”, which details
information on each of the unique products, plus delicious chef-perfected
recipes using each of the collection’s products. Italian-American
Chef Laura Vitale, known for her popular Cooking Channel program, “Simply
Laura”, curated this impressive and delicious collection. The Collection: La Pasta di Aldo Egg Pappardelle, Sabatino Tartufi Truffle Zest,
Cascina San Cassiano Pesto Sauce, Terrigena Mushroom Risotto Kit, Società Agricola
Acetomodena Balsamic Vinegar, Maison della Nocciola Hazelnut Cream, Marabassi
Classic Amaretti, and Giuliano Caffè Ground Coffee. The Recipes: Chef Laura’s recipes, using this collection’s food items included Pesto Pappardelle, Salumi Salad, Mushroom Risotto,
Traditional Tiramisu, Hazelnut Zabaglione, and Italian Coffee. These delicious items have me wondering which
country I’ll be experiencing with the next collection.
~ Additional Palate Pleasing
Tastes ~
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
Atlantic Sapphire Salmon ~ Atlantic Sapphire sustainably
raises Salmon in a controlled and proprietary environment known as Oceanus. Oceanus is a
sustainable aquaculture system that protects the environment while fish are raised in water that’s purified, re-circulated, and recycled. The end result is
a salmon product that is superior in quality and texture, and which tastes delicious. Following are two of my recipes using this delicious fish.
Poached Salmon with
Veggies
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
Marmalade Soy Glazed Salmon Filets with Farro Butternut
Squash & Kale, and Spaghetti Squash
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
Dollar General Fudge Dipped Shortbread Cookies, Marshmallows,
Honey Graham Crackers, and Dark Chocolate Bar, benefitting the Dollar General
Literacy Foundation S’mores Campaign ~ Growing up, we never went
camping, so the concept of S’mores
was definitely foreign. Yes, we were
familiar with marshmallows used in hot chocolate, or chocolate candy bars
savored as is, or graham crackers as a snack slathered in peanut butter, but
the combination of these three ingredients was something we only heard our
playmates speak of. Confession, in taste
testing this items from Dollar General,
they were the first-ever S’mores I’ve
made or eaten…and, I “cheated”, and used my microwave! The Dollar
General Literacy Foundation began in 1993 and has continued awarding grants
to non-profit organizations in communities throughout the U.S. who have
programs that enrich and enhance the literacy and proficiency skills of children,
as well as adults. Since the
Foundation's beginning, $127 million in grants has been awarded to these
agencies. Through these grants, some 7.9
million individuals have learned how to read, or prepare for their high school
equivalency test, or to learn the English language.
Traditional S’mores
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| (Photo by T. Herman) |
~ Out & About ~
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| Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad (Photo by Kurman Communications) |
Knife Restaurant (Chicago) ~ Some
purists may find it easy to take a narrow view and dismiss outstanding food
fare from a neighborhood establishment, but restaurants like the new Knife, which opened October18th, are
proving the naysayers to be wrong. Knife is the sibling restaurant of another
highly successful Fork. Both restaurants are located in Chicago’s
trendy Lincoln Square neighborhood,
where it’s cool to be uptown from downtown.
I recently had the opportunity of attending a special menu tasting event
for media to get a better appreciation of the unique food and drink offerings
customers at this highly anticipated new restaurant. The culinary wizard behind the inventive
plates is Executive Chef Tim Cottini, who is passionate about the farm to
table concept; he loves preserving the past food aspects of a traditional
steakhouse and then adding unexpected twists to preparations. A few of the unexpected twists on old
standards included the Lobster Bisque,
accented with smoky “lobster feet” char; fresh tarragon, and crème fraîche;
these subtle twists rounded out this elegant appetizer course. Another was the Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad; artisan crafted Burrata is
stuffed inside a tomato half and then broiled; the ooey gooey goodness of the
melted cheese and softened tomato was accented with a savory basil pesto, marinated
red onions, and fresh basil. Another was
the Grilled Wedge Salad, a ramped up
version of the classic iceberg wedge salad; this version included grilled baby
iceberg hearts, lobster “mitts”, bacon, bleu cheese, scallions, and a silken
Green Goddess dressing. Their classic grilled Pork Chop was embellished with lip-smacking Candied Sweet Potatoes,
enriched with brown butter-bourbon gastrique. Their classic grilled Boneless Ribeye, grilled Sirloin,
and roasted Free Range Chicken were
all cooked to perfection, and accented with a variety of remarkable sides like Smoked Frittes with lemon aioli, Twice Baked
Potatoes with Fontina and Parm, enrobed with bacon, and dressed with crème
fraîche. An unusual appetizer was the Oxtail Doughnut Holes seasoned with curry;
to me, the curry over-powered the sweet and delicate flavor of the meat. One of my favorite sides was the Mushroom En Papillote, an extravagant
mélange of Portobello, Crimini, and Shiitake mushrooms, accented with fresh rosemary and roasted garlic; this was divine!
Lastly, for those who want to be
entertained with liquid teases, Knife
offers some of the most unusual cerebral libations I’ve ever seen, thanks to spirit
wizard and award winning mixologist Anthony Munger. Munger
combines traditional libations with his own concocted artisan crafted tinctures
and unique flavor embellishments, then serves them up with an arcane and
theatrical flourish. Knife is an experience that successfully
elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary!
~ Resources ~
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| (Image from The Creative Solutions Project) |
Be sure to check out these websites and social media outlets for
additional information.
Alessi Foods https://alessifoods.com
Atlantic Sapphire http://www.atlanticsapphire.com
Dollar General http://www.dollargeneral.com/home/index.jsp
Jovial Foods https://jovialfoods.com
Try the World https://www.trytheworld.com
~ In Closing ~
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| (Image from www.krannertlife.purdue.edu) |
Culinary curiosity is an adventure, whose path leads to
enjoyment. Am I the best cook around,
probably not, but, I’m sure enjoying myself trying out new foods; developing my
own recipes; going to cooking classes, meeting other home cooks, and learning
new techniques and tips; and, experiencing new restaurants. Lastly, when it comes to your culinary
pursuits, be adventurous and fearless…you never know what you might discover
along the way.
That’s it for this edition.
Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your
culinary curiosity. Happy creating…happy
cooking…happy eating!
By Terry Herman
TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and
wine. She has been covering culinary
related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle. Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness
Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and
food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events
such as International Home+Housewares Show, National Restaurant Show, Sweets
and Snacks Expo, and Food Marketing Institute. She has served as a food judge at the
Bellavita Italian Expo Excellence Awards (Chicago). She has been published since the mid-1990s in
both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa,
beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by
publications for her expert content. She
has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with
distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards. She has a background in strategic and qualitative
management, consulting, and motivational speaking. In addition to her blogs, her social media
outreach also includes Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page, Terry’s Second Helpings. Please note that the “Comment Section” has
been disabled. For additional
information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.
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(Photo credits as indicated, or as represented by the
specific brand.)
