Month: May 2010 (Page 1 of 4)

An All American Wine

May 31, 2010 / Heidi Lee / 0 Comments

By Doc Lawrence

America’s wine culture has deep Southern roots. Everything meaningful from importing the great wines of Europe, stocking the cellars at Monticello and at the White House and entertaining guests with unforgettable wine dinners began with Thomas Jefferson. The redheaded Virginia gentleman even provided the wines served by America’s first five presidents.

Despite a determined effort, Jefferson never succeeded as a winemaker. But he knew about and had a fondness for the wild grape with the enchanting Cherokee name, Cynthiana. His friend, Dr. Daniel Norton, a Richmond physician, did what Jefferson couldn’t and tamed the grape, making some good wine from it. Cynthiana was named after Dr. Norton and today, Norton is prominent in many states from Kansas to New York and Texas to Pennsylvania. But, it’s still as Southern as Hank Williams and B. B. King, and for those who haven’t tried it, it’s best described as somewhere between a Rhone and a red Burgundy.

I began collecting Cynthiana a decade ago and many are equal to the best of any wines I’ve ever served for dinner guests. Like all wines, the style will differ from winery to winery just as a Napa Pinot Noir will commonly be quite distinct from Oregon counterparts. Whether lamb cooked on the grill to planked salmon, Norton is a wonderful fit.

Availability is problematical. The domestic wine market is driven by gargantuan marketing and advertising budgets, drowning out so many of spectacular wines from small producers. But, it’s the effort that counts. Contact winemaker John Seago at www.ponchartrainvineyards.com. This Louisiana wine is excellent and as food friendly as you’ll find. Seago fashions a light-colored Cynthiana varietal that knowledgeable enthusiasts compare to Volnay, the regal French Burgundy.

Just prior to mindless Prohibition, Norton was highly regarded, winning heads-on competitions with the great wines of Europe. While Norton barely survived Prohibition, it has made an impressive comeback. Ponchartrain Vineyards, just north of New Orleans, is joined by Georgia’s Tiger Mountain, Virginia’s Horton Vineyards, Stone Hill in Missouri and North Carolina’s Sanctuary (in the Outer Banks), in producing some amazing vintages.

Virginia and Missouri declared Norton as its official state grape and wine. Stone Hill, the Hermann, Missouri winery near the Missouri River is a Norton colossus. I walked through an ancient vineyard at Stone Hill where vines remain that once produced Norton for both the Confederate and Union Army. Riedel, the legendary crystal stemware company recently introduced its new line tailored for Norton at Les Bourgeois Winery in Missouri.

Norton seems to have an affinity for Southern food. Fried quail with gravy, shrimp and grits, country ham, duck gumbo, smoked mullet are natural taste partners. However, it’s barbeque, the classic Deep South staple, where Norton really shines as a beverage. While enjoying barbeque I’ve found that if you think of the wine as Cynthiana, everything pairs better. On July 4, read the Declaration of Independence while sipping a glass of this wine. It’s an ephemeral, very American ritual where the reward is the experience.

Got my own way of drinkin’

But every sip is done

With a Southern accent

Where I come from. (Tom Petty)

About Doc Lawrence

Doc Lawrence is a veteran journalist whose mastery of language is matched by his love of the people and places that make up the dream come true called America. An Atlanta native, Doc prepared for a lifetime of storytelling by education and travel, earning several degrees plus living in places such as England, Barbados and Ireland. Ranging from wine and fine dining to celebrity chef interviews and folk art, Doc shares his adventures with an emphasis on the good and positive. A founder and former editor of The Nationwide News, Doc Lawrence was the 2006 Chairman of the Food and Beverage Section of the Public Relations Society of America in New York City and is the Director of Wine for the International Food and Wine Travel Writers Association founded in Paris in 1954. He is a member of the South Florida International Press Club and the Atlanta Press Club and an avid fisherman and accomplished home chef. He is currently features editor for Wines Down South. Click Here for more of Doc’s work on Southern Wines or here to keep up with Doc. Send Doc feedback at DocLawrence@docsnews.com

On the Set Minestrone

May 29, 2010 / Heidi Lee / 0 Comments

This Minestrone Soup was the subject of a recent video shoot we are doing on behalf of our partner, Savory Choice. It was so good on set, we had to share it. It took less than an hour to put together and less than 5 min for our crew to eat it up. Enjoy.

Ingredients

1⁄2 pound ground beef (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion or one small leek, diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 can cannellini beans, drained
2 cups cooked macaroni pasta
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
6 packets Vegetable Broth Concentrate
5 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION
In a large pot, brown the ground beef and drain the fat. Add onions, leeks, celery and garlic and stir until soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes. Sprinkle each bowl with Parmesan cheese to taste.

For richer flavor, try substituting 3 broth packets with Savory Choice Beef Broth Concentrate.

Serves 4.

Click Here for More Soups of the Week

Grilling 101

May 27, 2010 / Heidi Lee / 0 Comments

by Chef Glenn Humphry of the Arizona Culinary Institute

Cooking over an open flame is a rite of summer. Gatherings of friends and family centered on a backyard patio and a fired up grill increase 10 fold in summertime; but, here in Arizona we crank up that BBQ all year long!

It’s a family thing, a friend thing, nearly an everything. Want to have the kids Little League teams over? Fire up the grill. Same goes if you are looking to impress a client, a new love or the in-laws. Seriously, how can you fail with a perfectly prepared piece of meat?

The first step to any good backyard party is learning the best way to cook whatever it is you are cooking. This is something I have a little knowledge about. It just takes a little preparation, a few simple steps to get you on the road to preparing a great meal whether its burgers or filet.

Make sure your grill is clean. This may sound like a no-brainer but it is very important.

If you are using charcoal get rid of the old ashes. Make sure the grilling grate is clean by either burning or brushing it off.

When using a gas grill, be sure to rearrange the lava rocks under the grates once in awhile to make sure they heat evenly and are not coated with carbon or grease. Replace the rocks when they do not look clean or start to break apart. As with charcoal, place them in a single layer over the gas burners.

The general rule of thumb when using charcoal is to use about 30 briquettes to cook one pound of meat. You need to have enough to extend about 2” beyond the food area on the grill. Keep in mind that on windy days they will burn faster and on humid days they burn a bit slower. Adding wood chips that have been soaked in water for an hour is a great way to add flavor to the food you grill. Mesquite, hickory and pecan are classics, but you can try pistachio, apple or citrus woods as well

It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to properly heat coals for cooking. Two methods of checking the coals to see if they are ready are by sight or touch. Thick ash with less red glow is low heat; light grey ash coating the coal is medium heat; and a red glow visible through the ash is high heat. By touch use the following guideline. Hold your hand at cooking height over the coals and count the number of seconds before you have to pull your hand away. 5 seconds equals low heat; 4 seconds equals medium heat; 3 seconds is medium high and 2 seconds is high heat. For gas grills pay attention to the settings and get to know your grill. Do not leave the grill alone when you are cooking. Grease can flare up and burn food quickly.

The temperature of the food is a key factor in grilling. Pulling it directly out of the fridge and throwing it on the grill will take longer than allowing it to warm up slightly. How thick the food you are cooking, the degree of doneness and distance from the coals all play into cooking times.

There is an important difference between grilling poultry, fish or beef. Keep in mind that when we grill beef the objective is to get it nicely browned without over cooking it; whereas with chicken and fish, we are trying to get it cooked thoroughly without over browning it. I’m sure that all of us have had the experience of the burnt medium rare chicken – ugh! Chicken should be cooked longer and over low heat; beef should be cooked on a hot grill and seafood is best done at a medium temperature.

The most reliable way to test the doneness is to use a thermometer. I recommend a single stemmed instant read thermometer and not a temperature gauge in a fork type gadget. As a chef I use a sense of touch based on experience by determining the resistance of the food when it is pressed upon. It just takes practice – like everything else.

Do not stab or pierce the foods you are cooking, unless of course you’re looking to present dry flavorless food to your guests. Use tongs or a spatula to turn the food and only turn it over once. Be sure to use different tongs for the raw product and the cooked products.

For nice grill marks place the meat on the grill so one end is pointing at the 11:00 position. After a couple of minutes or so move it to the 1:00 position. Cook another couple of minutes and turn over to begin the marking process on the other side. Then you will cook it to the desired degree of doneness.

Be sure to let all steaks and meats rest for 8-10 minutes before cutting into them. This will help to keep moisture, flavor and tenderness in the meat and not on the plate. Of course, the most important part of summertime grilling is having fun with your friends and family and enjoying a well prepared meal on the patio, porch or poolside.

Happy Grilling and enjoy!

About Chef Glenn Humphrey

Glenn Humphrey CEC, CCE is Placement Director and Instructor at the Arizona Culinary Insitute; Former Instructor, Scottsdale Culinary Institute; The Culinary Institute of America; Marie Callendar’s, Orange Co.; Restaurant Enterprises, Irvine; Hungry Tiger, Inc.; Friendly Hill Country Club, Whittier; Holland America Cruises, Seattle; The Burlington Inn, Burlington; Norwegian American Cruises, Oslo. Glenn is also a co-host on Into the Soup on the Radio and intotheSoup.com’s Basic Cooking Techniques.

Adventurous Appetites: Yoga, Ice Cream & Climbing in Vortex City

May 27, 2010 / emily / 0 Comments

by Emily King

Since I haven’t been to Sedona for quite some time, I decided that it was a good destination for my first bout of northern exposure. You see, if you have never been to Sedona, you haven’t experienced the power of the Red Rocks which seem to attract yogis, psychics, and good-old hippie types. I love these people and their off-the-beaten path approach to life. If I had my druthers, I would join them. Who doesn’t like a good vortex after all?

To get the uninitiated up to the speed; Sedona, Arizona is considered one of the most beautiful places in America due to the magnificent mesas and red rock formations. Sedona is also haven for New Age culture. The idea is that there are several natural centers, vortices or vortexes, that provide positive energy. If you hang out in one of these vortexes, you will feel great for days. Boy could I use that. Of course, it ain’t easy. They tend to be at the top of the rock formations.

We began our journey early on a Sunday morning with the goal of making it to Sedona for a 9:30 yoga practice. I was still weary from a late night of scrubbing floors and cleaning the kitchen (yes – I work at a restaurant), so my friend “J” and I decided to stop to fill up on caffeinated beverages and gasoline at a local gas station. Ok, I know what you’re thinking: “Don’t Yoga-people look down upon ‘fake’ energy?” But I think tea is okay, which is what I got, but I’m sure taurine is frowned upon which is why we will just pretend that I don’t like Red Bulls at all. Shhhhh.

At the gas station, a very nice Jehovah’s witness approached us and gave us some literature to read in the car. We very much appreciated this gesture. Clearly we were in for a very spiritual day.

We made it to Devi Yoga just in time for the class. Our instructor, Soni, was everything we could have hoped for in an instructor. She was enthusiastic and told us what every pose was doing for our internal organs. Her class was so rigorous, I think even my kidneys are more limber now. It was an absolutely fantastic 90 minutes. “J” and I walked out of the studio feeling strong and centered if somewhat inadequate on the yoga front. We might be stars at the local L.A. fitness, but we were seriously put to shame by the vortex elite in Sedona. Apparently, the laws of gravity do not apply to all people equally.

We were famished after our intense yoga session and began our desperate search for sustenance. We agreed that after such a spiritually cleansing experience, it would be a heinous crime to put anything unhealthy in our bodies, so we were set on finding some vegetarian food. As is generally the case in Sedona, the planets were aligned in our favor, and we found D’Lish.

As soon as we walked through the doors, we knew that we had found some of the freshest fare in town. The best part about the little joint was that it was sensitive to food allergies and had a great bakery section full of treats for every possible intolerance. I ordered the grain bowl which included stir-fried vegetables over the Chef’s choice of grain (in this case, Quinoa) while “J ordered the grilled veggie wrap. “J” enjoyed the sun-dried tomato pesto spread and would have liked to have more. We also ordered the house Hibiscus Iced tea which is a light refreshing tea cut with fresh apple juice. It proved to be the perfect beverage for two thirsty people on a warm, sunny day.

Renewed from our light-lunch, we headed off to Cathedral Rock because I had read that it was the site of a vortex containing positive, female energy. I have a pretty positive outlook on life, so I could only imagine that this vortex would infuse me with so much optimism that it would explode from my aura like fireworks.

Word to the wise: Do NOT attempt this hike if you ran 6 miles the day before and just performed a full lower-body workout. Some of the rock-faces are very steep and require Spider Man-like climbing abilities. “J” was very patient and waited for me to scale the rocks while I cursed myself for the damage I was doing to my quadriceps and hamstrings. I am proud of the fact that I managed to make it to the top where the view quieted my screaming thigh muscles. There is something other-worldly about the rugged red rocks of Sedona. I’m not sure that I am a believer in the power of vortexes, but I am a firm believer that the breath-taking beauty of nature evokes a spirituality and feeling of peace of its own.

It was an especially warm day for Sedona (almost 90 degrees), so after our Cathedral Rock adventure, “J” and I decided that we needed some ice cream and more water. We headed downtown where we found Black Cow Ice Cream Shop. The shop greets you with the intoxicating aroma of vanilla. Like patient little boys and girls we waited in the enormous line until it was our turn. I ordered chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt while “J” decided to try the classic root beer float with homemade vanilla ice cream and draft-root beer.

In retrospect, I should have ordered the prickly-pear ice cream. It seemed to be a top-seller, and “J” was pleased with quality of his root beer float because the ice cream was rich and delicious.

Word to the wise: when it comes to ice cream, eat the full-fat stuff. The occasional splurge is completely acceptable especially when it comes to homemade ice cream.

Unfortunately, 4:30 P.M. arrived too quickly, and it was time to return to the vortex-free Valley of the Sun. We rolled up the windows, turned on the air conditioning, and grudgingly made our way home. As I drifted off to sleep enveloped in artificially-cooled air, I couldn’t help wondering, “can I pass off ‘over-stretched’ kidneys as a legitimate excuse for a sick day from the restaurant?”

Word to the wise: Don’t even try.

Click below for more on:

D’Lish in Sedona

Black Cow Cafe Reviews

Hiking & Climbing Cathedral Rock

Heidi Swears by It: Capistrano’s Breads

May 27, 2010 / Heidi Lee / 0 Comments

Next to soup, it’s got to be bread! Whether I’m utilizing a little chunk for taste testing or smothering it in butter, bread is the perfect companion to my favorite soups. Quality soup requires quality bread and my favorite bread maker is Capistrano’s Bakery.

I came to know their breads in some of the best restaurants in the Phoenix area and just love them. I especially like their sour dough and focaccia.

When I asked them to be a partner of Into the Soup, I took a number of their products home and worked with them on some of the special events that I hosted. My guests loved them as much as I did.

They’ve been in the business since 1975 working the wholesale side of the street. Thank goodness for all of us, they are going retail! Some of the breads that they offer were designed to the high end specifications of their fine restaurant clients.

Their artisan line is now available to the public and that is a very good thing. You know when you’re at the grocery store and you have to stand there and squeeze maybe 10 loaves of bread before you find the one that “feels” fresh. No need to squeeze with Capistrano’s. All of their breads are baked and delivered fresh daily.

In Arizona, their breads are also available at Vincent’s Saturday Market on Camelback or at Holsum outlets meaning not only do you get a superior product, you get it at a discount. Can’t complain about that. Here are the locations.

Apache Junction – 10107 E. Apache Trail
Casa Grande – 823 N. Pinal
Chandler – 7275 W. Detroit
Peoria – 9210 W. Peoria
Tucson – 2801 S. 4th Avenue

So check out Capistrano’s next time you are looking for great bread. You will love it, I swear.

Live well, Eat Well

Heidi

Click Here to Visit

Capistrano’s Wholesale Bakery Online

A Culinary Student in Lyon: Entry #4

May 26, 2010 / Heidi Lee / 0 Comments

Hello Soupers!

So, the good news! I am super excited that I finally got my internship! I now work at Restaurant Les Tournesols at The Best Western Saphir Lyon Hotel. It was the most intense interview I have ever been in, and it all happened in one day.

It started with the woman who got me the interview. We met at her office and went to the interview together. I knew that I would need to know a bit of French for the interview even though the hotel maangement knew I was American. On our walk to the metro, she started speaking to me in French. I drew a blank. She was talking so fast, I could not understand her. When I told her this, she repeated her words. All I could do was respond, “I am sorry, I still don’t understand.”

She switched to English and said, “Coty, you have to understand! What are you going to do? You have to use your head and think about what I am saying to you. Listed for the words you do know and put two-and-two together. You have no choice but to understand at this interview. You must use your ears.” I knew that she was just trying to help. Still, I was concerned that I would not know enough French and would make a fool of myself.

We met with the Food and Beverage manager and spoke with him for 10 minutes and then he brought in the Chef. Chef took my resume, looked it over, spoke with me for a moment, and then returned to the kitchen. Finally, we went into the restaurant and met with the Director of the hotel. This seemed pretty intense for a internship interview, and it was all in French. I thought I was going to flip out.

While we ate, the Chef came out during each course and and talked with me. Luckily, my friend played interference for me, repeated what they asked slowly in French and sometimes translated. I did my best to respond in French.

The meal was nice. Our first course was gazpacho soup with tomato sorbet. Next came the buffet which included representative foods from different regions of France. There were three or four different types of terrines, some salami and other meats, plenty of cheese, brie and escargot tarte, a few different types of salads and some vegetables. The third course was beef tartare with steamed veggies. It was some of the best food I have had since arriving in Lyon.

The Director asked if I liked the food, and I replied that I did very much. That seemed to surprise them because, they said, that few Americans do. The dessert was decadent tasting plate including chocolate mousse, strawberry sorbet, a cream puff and espresso. I was in heaven.

After the dessert, we talked for a bit more, and then I went back into the kitchen with Chef. We then went into the bar and there were the internship papers ready to sign!

Chef appreciated the fact that I was working so hard to speak French, that I had come all the way to Lyon for my internship when I could have taken an easier path in the States, and that I had come to him. The fact that I am knowledgeable in more than just one type of cuisine and that I had received instruction previously from some great Chefs at school impressed him as well.

Then he told me, “You start tomorrow.”

That hit me…

I am no longer dreaming of going to France. I now am living here. I am no longer dreaming of working in a kitchen in France. I am an intern in a French kitchen in France! I can’t believe I have made this dream come true and have accomplished my goal of working in a kitchen here!

I will let you know how it goes…

Au Revoir

Coty

To read more of my experience in Lyon, click here