Cooking with Quinoa
Once a staple food of the ancient Incas, quinoa, a highly nutritious grain native to South America, is finding its way onto American tables with increasing frequency.
Because it contains eight essential amino acids, quinoa is considered to be a complete protein. It's also lower in carbohydrates than most other grains, gluten-free and a good source iron and fiber.
Quinoa is a firm textured grain with a subtle nutty flavor that cooks up fluffy and light.
It can be used in place of rice or couscous in many recipes and it's quick and easy to prepare.
Basic Quinoa Preparation (4 servings)
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water (or other liquid)
The first step is to thoroughly rinse the quinoa with cold water in a fine mesh strainer. This removes a somewhat bitter, soap-like coating of a naturally occurring substance called saponin. Saponin is thought to be quinoa's natural protection against insects, birds and fungus and most of it is removed during processing, but rinsing is still a good idea for best results.
Place the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until all the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Quinoa turns translucent when fully cooked. Fluff with a fork, add seasonings or combine with other ingredients as you would rice or couscous. Yield ~ 3 cups.
Here's a recipe for a quick side that we serve with our Spice Breaded Chicken Tenderloins, but it would make a great accompaniment for just about any grilled, roasted or pan-seared meat.
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Kitchen Decorating: Four Creative Ideas
Article contributed by Ann Martin
In redoing your kitchen, sometimes a little bit of decoration and accessorizing can go a long way. Here are four themed ideas to get you thinking creatively about your new kitchen.
Take stock of the items in your kitchen that you already love: your perfect coffeepot, painting from your sister, and lavender kitchen chair cushions.
No need to pack all these items away. Use them as a starting place and build your design around what you like!
Tuscan Style~
Create your own personal journey to Italy! Begin with rich, warm Mediterranean colors like golden yellows, olive, burnt orange, copper, greens, etc. Rustic pieces, ceramics, and terra cotta pottery all add a Tuscan feel, and many Italian homes will display large pieces of dinnerware in an artistic way. Rustic, distressed, wooden, and terra cotta should all be key words for your Tuscan kitchen. You might also incorporate the following images in some way: wine, olives, herbs, garlic, bread, oils, citrus fruits, or grapevines. Think about adding a mural or mosaic piece for some artistic flair!
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Artisanal Cheese: A Vertical Cheddar Tasting
Hosting an artisanal cheese tasting is an innovative, easy way to entertain a group of good friends, and if you follow some simple guidelines you and your guests can have a great learning experience as well.
Los Angeles cheese educator and columnist Barrie Lynn Krich (aka The Cheese Impresario) has provided us with some of her best tips on tasting and pairing artisanal cheeses as well as instructions on how to host a Vertical Cheddar Tasting party in your home.
Barrie Lynn teaches cheese appreciation and beverage pairing techniques by hosting Artisanal Cheese Tasting Adventures.
One of the first things that she teaches participants is the importance of "The Cheese Highway."
"The Cheese Highway" is the area of your mouth that perceives taste and allows you to savor and enjoy great food. Barrie Lynn explains that to properly pair cheese and wine (or other beverages) you should coat your tongue & palate with cheese, then take a sip of wine at the same time in order to fully experience the blending of flavors. That's "The Cheese Highway!"
Another important point to remember when preparing a cheese tasting is to allow your cheese to reach room temperature before serving. Take your cheese out of the refrigerator about an hour ahead of time.
Artisanal cheeses get their magnificent flavor from living organisms which become dormant in cold temperatures. By allowing them to warm up, you awaken the full flavor of the cheese.
For a tasting party where no other meal is included, figure on one ounce per cheese per person ~ in this case, about 6 ounces total per guest.
To keep selection for your cheese tasting party simple, Barrie Lynn suggests exploring different varieties from a single cheesemaker. One of her favorites is the acclaimed Sid Cook of Carr Valley Cheese in Wisconsin.
"Sid is the most awarded cheesemaker on the planet...a fine artist whose medium is cheese. He is the fourth generation that's rocking out with the amazing milk and terroir from the green rolling hills and glacier action in his pristine part of the world," says Barrie Lynn. For a vertical tasting, purchase five cheddars of different ages. "You can then pair them with wines and discover the pleasures of 1-Year Cheddar and 10-Year Cheddar with wine."
The Tasting Menu (in order of service)
• Mammoth Cheddar ~ pair with a fruity California Pinot Noir
• 1-Year Sharp Aged Cheddar ~ pair with Chianti Classico
• 3-Year Aged Cheddar ~ pair with Syrah
• 6-Year Aged Cheddar ~ pair with Merlot
• 10-Year Aged Cheddar ~ pair with a big California Cabernet Sauvignon
Mammoth Cheddar is aged 10 months with fruity notes.
Some other goodies you might want to serve along with the cheese are crisp sliced apples and pears, fresh grapes, some honey for drizzling, dates and toasted walnuts or pecans.
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Spotlight on The Cheese Impresario
When former advertising executive turned cheese educator Barrie Lynn Krich says that she's passionate about artisanal cheese, it's not just an offhanded comment. Barrie Lynn, aka The Cheese Impresario, did something that many of us dream of - she made a life-changing career move to pursue her passion.
Just a few years ago, Barrie Lynn was enjoying a successful career as a product launch specialist in the advertising business and like most executives, she entertained clients frequently. Being a food and wine lover by nature and an ardent member of the slow food movement, she thought it might be nice to treat a client to an artisanal cheese tasting one evening instead of the conventional dinner meeting. That evening was a turning point for Barrie Lynn. She was so taken by the flavors of cheese, the craftsmanship involved in the production process and the dedication and passion of the cheese makers that she became obsessed with learning everything she could about artisanal cheeses.
She plunged into this self-education process headlong, spending all her free time reading books about cheese, taking trips to tour farms, tasting and experimenting with pairings. She began planning how she could translate her experience in the advertising business to a career that would allow her to educate and share her passion for artisanal cheese with other willing foodies. Much to the dismay of family members and friends, she left her lucrative position in advertising and The Cheese Impresario was born.
To launch her fledgling business, Barrie Lynn succeeded in getting gift certificates for her private Artisanal Cheese Tasting Adventures included among the fabulous products that went into the 78th Annual Academy Awards gift baskets.
The inclusion was quite the success, not just for Barrie Lynn, but for the artisanal cheese industry, as well. Bringing the work of these skilled culinary artists to the attention of some of Hollywood's top celebrity talent is a rewarding experience for her.
In addition to hosting her custom Cheese Tasting Adventures, Barrie Lynn writes "Cheese Matters," a regular column in the Beverly Hills Times. She's also been featured in local and national publications like Variety and USA Today.
She shares her cheese expertise at food and wine events like Disney's California Food & Wine Festival, the Annual LA Winefest, the San Francisco Rum Festival and similar gatherings across the country.
Barrie Lynn's passion for artisanal cheeses has also spurred her to expand the scope of her tasting adventures to include more innovative flavor combinations.
Her latest passion is pairing artisanal cheeses with premium sipping rums ~ an indulgence we're really eager to try.
Barrie Lynn works with some exceptional artisanal cheese makers from Wisconsin and she's shared some of her best hints for appreciating artisanal cheese along with everything you need to know to host a Vertical Cheddar Tasting party at home.
Click here to find out more
Spotlight on SFC Rene Marquis
The ever-rising popularity of America's food television channels has transformed more than a few top-notch chefs into household names and veritable food celebrities, but one look at the career of Sergeant First Class Rene Marquis of the United States Army proves that not every star-quality chef can be found in front of the cameras.
When Maine-born Marquis graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1992, joining the army was not something he'd ever considered. While working at the beautiful Broadmoor Resort, not far from the Airforce Academy in Colorado Springs, Marquis had a chance meeting with a general who attempted to recruit him to become his chef.
Initially reluctant, Marquis found the offer of a healthy sign-on package that included the complete repayment of his student loans far too tempting to refuse. It's apparent that the job and lifestyle suited him well, because more than sixteen years later, Chef Marquis is still sharing his culinary knowledge and skill with the United States Army.
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Farmers' Market Finds: Flowers and Blossoms
Article contributed by Kathy Hester
Every year and season I find something that's new to me at the market. It's a great excuse to learn about a few new ingredients and try out some new recipes.
One of the more interesting things at my market last weekend was a bag of arugula flowers for sale. Ironically enough, I was feeling badly about having let the arugula in my garden go to flower and missing out on my anticipated harvest.
The farmer told me that the flowers can be used in salads, so, congratulating myself on the money my neglect had saved me, I headed home to put my flowers to good use.
Arugula Flowers ~
Arugula flowers are small white pinwheels with a touch of burgundy. They show up nicely on green lettuce. Once I popped one in my mouth, I discovered that they have a milder pepper flavor than arugula leaves. I used them to garnish individual salads and plated them on my square dinnerware. They added a really attractive touch to the plate in addition to their subtle, peppery flavor.
Chive Flowers ~
Chive flowers are another great ingredient you'll find at the farmers' market. Making chive blossom vinegar is one of the traditional ways you can use them. Just rinse and dry them, put them in a jar and cover them with vinegar. After about two weeks you'll have a beautiful pink vinegar to use in your salad dressings. Their light onion taste is much milder than you'd expect, so taste the vinegar before you use it. You may want to steep it a little longer. The flowers themselves make a great garnish on soups or deviled eggs as well. You can even scatter them over your dinnerware as part of a decorative table setting.
Zucchini Flowers ~
While zucchini blossoms aren't new to me, the first ones of the season always make me feel like a kid at Christmas. When I see the tiny squash attached to the large yellow flowers, or even a bag of the flowers alone, I start thinking about what to stuff them with. I never understand how people can have too many zucchini when I eat so many of the blossoms that I don't get as much fruit. Try stuffing them with a goat cheese, chive flower, and arugula flower combo. Then batter with a light egg batter and fry. Repeat and enjoy!
