NEW TASTINGS ~ ONE

(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

(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

(Photo by T. Herman)

Marmalade Soy Glazed Salmon Filets with Farro Butternut Squash & Kale, and Spaghetti Squash

(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

(Photo by T. Herman)

Tuna Cannellini Bean Salad

(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 ~

(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

(Photo by T. Herman)

Marmalade Soy Glazed Salmon Filets with Farro Butternut Squash & Kale, and Spaghetti Squash

(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

(Photo by T. Herman)

~ Out & About ~

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 ~

(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

Knife Restaurant http://www.knifechicago.net

Try the World https://www.trytheworld.com

~ In Closing ~

(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.)