Grilling 101

With the Memorial Day weekend just hours away, Americans across the country are uncovering their BBQ's and grills, stocking up on hamburger, chicken, and steaks, and lighting the coals. But most grill efforts fall short. Burned chicken, underdone steaks, charred hamburgers and hot dogs seem to happen more often than we'd like. So here are a few simple tips and techniques, to help you on your way to grilling like a pro. Your family and friends will worship your finely honed grill moves, and you'll be the envy of your neighbors.

Hamburgers

The number one mistake made by cooks when grilling hamburgers is pressing the meat while it's over the heat. Doing this squeezes all of the tasty juices out of the meat and onto the coals, causing sooty smoke and flareups. You're then left with dry, crumbly discs that resemble hockey pucks more than hamburgers. If you are a cheeseburger fan, try mixing crumbled bleu or cheddar cheese into the meat before cooking - it increases the cheese impact tenfold.

Hot Dogs

It's hard to beat a savory hot dog fresh from the grill, topped with all the trimmings and some spicy mustard. Cooking a hot dog is simple enough, remember to just keep the dogs moving while on the grill to keep them from burning and splitting. More importantly though - start with a quality hot dog. That pack that you saw on sale for .39 cents buy-one-get-one-free is probably not what you're after. Cheap hot dogs contain lots of non-meat binders, such as soy protein, potato starch, and yeast. Yuck! Consider fresh-made sausage from your local specialty or butcher shop. The higher-end grocery stores have several options to choose from as well.

Steaks

First, let your steaks come to room temperature before grilling. Tossing a steak right from the cooler onto a white-hot fire will result in a overdone exterior and a raw interior. Once at room temp, brush your steaks with a little olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. The key to grilling the steaks perfectly requires a 2-stage fire, so divide your lit coals into two piles, one larger than the other. Place the meat over the hot portion of the fire to sear the meat, then move it over to the cooler side of the grill to finish gracefully.

Chicken

Nothing ruins a good cookout faster than bad grilled chicken. Some people try to make up for greasy skin and raw centers by cooking the life out of the meat and then dousing it in overly-sweet BBQ sauce. Grilling chicken requires a different approach than hamburgers or steaks, one that involves some patience and using the cover. Remember that thing that came with your grill? After the coals are lit, divide them to each side, leaving a valley between them. Grill the chicken with the coals flaking each side, and cover. Let cook for approximately 20 minutes WITHOUT disturbing - this means no opening the lid for a peek, no poking, prodding or otherwise molesting the tasty bird. After 20 minutes, remove the cover and move the chicken directly over the coals to finish to a delicious golden-brown. Use a meat thermometer to confirm they are done. 160 for breasts, 175 for legs, thighs and drumsticks.


I hope these little bits of information help you on your Memorial Day BBQ. A few, small modifications will have a huge impact on the finished product. Have a happy and safe Memorial Day!

Chilled Rhubarb Soup

Rhubarb is an under-appreciated item to cook with, and subsequently rarely makes it onto many menus. That's a shame, because the bright red stalks can compliment a number of dishes quite nicely. Although the rhubarb leaves are toxic, the stalks have both culinary and medicinal uses. Fresh, raw stalks are crisp (much like celery) and have a bright, tart taste. You will most often find the plant's stalks are cooked until softened, then created into pies, breads, muffins, soup and other dishes where their sassy flavor is welcomed.

This recipe creates a wonderful Spring or Summer-time break from the ordinary. The chilled soup is sweet yet tart, and very light in texture. As a bonus, it can be made in about the time it takes to boil water, making it a perfect weeknight treat.

CHILLED RHUBARB SOUP
1-1/2 pounds trimmed rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla
mascarpone (or sour cream)

Trim, wash, and pat rhubarb dry. Dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Add sugar to water, bring to a boil, add rhubarb. Return to boil, & simmer for 10 minutes. Add vanilla. Chill. Serve with a dollop of mascarpone or sour cream.

Chef's Choice Knife Sharpener Review

It has been said that a dull knife is the most dangerous item in the kitchen. A worn-out knife not only is more difficult to use, it can be a safety hazard as you try to whittle your way through vegetables etc. Commercial kitchens have professional cutlery specialists that ensure the chef's knives are razor-sharp. The home chef is not without options though. Look in the local classified ads and you should be able to find someone who will sharpen your blades, sometimes they even offer mobile service. Typically your local grocery store's meat counter will also offer sharpening, although I would be a little apprehensive leaving my expensive blades with some guy that uses a band-saw to cut meat. Perhaps the easiest option is to purchase your own sharpener, and there are a number of models for all shapes, sizes and types of knives. Just like a mechanic has different tools for different applications, my knives are a variety of American, European, and Asian styles, each with their own specific sharpening needs.

After doing a bit of research, I chose to try the "Chef's Choice Diamond Hone Sharpener 4623". It is lightweight, the handle is big enough for larger hands, and it's cheaper than expensive electric sharpeners that tend to be fussy and need constant adjustment. The versatile 3-stage manual knife sharpener is engineered to restore and recreate both a 20 degree edge for European and American style knives and a 15 degree edge for Asian style knives. It will also sharpen pocket knives, serrated steak knives and even bread knives.

The sharpener is easy to use, and is designed for both left and right-handed chefs. The unit has three different slots, the first and second for sharpening and the last for honing and polishing. The slots house a two-sided diamond sharpening stone that will last years, with minimal maintenance needed. A few back-and-forth swipes in the appropriate slots and you are rewarded with a sharpened knife that will make kitchen chores much easier. I sharpened all of my knives in a matter of minutes, and it makes a huge difference! And at about $30, this is a no-brainer when it comes to kitchen tools. Simply, a must-have.

Strawberries - how to sniff 'em out!

Visit your local farmer's market right now and you'll be greeted with the unmistakably sweet smell of fresh, organic strawberries. The Delta breeze escorts the scent in cool waves as you stroll by the bright-red baskets of fruit. In fact, your nose is the best tool to lead you to those tasty, ruby-red jewels! Choose a berry and give it a sniff. It should smell sweet and rich, not sour or worse - no scent at all. Look for firm, evenly-colored berries with bright green tops. Wash gently immediately prior to eating. You can put strawberries in the fridge, but I wouldn't suggest the practice as I think it mutes the delicate flavor, so best to keep them at room temperature. Eat them quickly, which shouldn't be a problem once you taste the difference between these and lack-luster store-bought berries!

Slice them thinly and macerate with a few tablespoons of sugar and the juice from a lemon. Add a couple grinds from your peppermill to take them to the next level, and to impress your friends. I know it sounds odd, but a bit of black pepper intensifies the strawberry flavors berry nicely. Add a splash of Grande Marnier if you're feeling really decadent. Cover and let the mixture rest overnight in the fridge. Spoon onto waffles or pancakes in the morning, or top a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream for a delicious sundae. Strawberries are incredibly versatile, and shouldn't be confined to topping spongecake or pureed into a smoothie. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.

Sunflower Farmer's Market

I knew the increasing popularity of local farmer's markets would eventually lead to larger, corporate-driven stores. Several storefronts have popped up in the Sacramento area recently, including Sprouts and Sunflower Farmers Market. Sprouts has had a "coming soon" sign on their chosen location, what used to be an Old Navy clothing store. Meanwhile Sunflower's grand opening was going on today, and I was intrigued to see what they are offering and at what price point. Do they offer more organic choices than the standard apples and oranges?

I was wary to go to a grand opening, namely because of the number of people there browsing and more annoyingly - snacking on the samples. Don't get me wrong, samples are nice - when it's something you intend to buy and want to make sure it meets your needs, samples are indispensable. But when you are competing for space in the aisles with a corndog vendor, and the half-dozen people that are awaiting a taste, shopping can become downright aggravating. Not to mention those that are there strictly for the free bits and pieces. Their cart is empty, its parked in the middle of the aisle, and they're feigning a conversation with the rep. Meanwhile, people whom actually have shopping to do are - wait. This is probably a good topic for a later post.

As with any large store opening, there were plenty of corporate types looking around, saying "hi", carrying clipboards, and generally looking proud of themselves. Lots of new employees milling about as well. The store had been very well polished, everything arranged neatly and with OCD-type accuracy. There were several islands near the produce that had been stocked with items according to genre, which is always helpful when shopping. If I need Tamari and water chestnuts, I don't want to search two different aisles for them. Sunflower has thought about just that, making these helpful to amateurs and seasoned pros alike.

The produce was very well stocked and looked bountiful and beautiful spread out. They have many organic options as well as some rare fruits and vegetables that you don't often see in this area, including horned melons and fresh starfruit ($4/pop! ouch!) I picked up several pounds of fresh, line-caught Mahi-Mahi for an incredible price of just $2.97/lb. Upon passing the packaged salads area, a representative from "Organic Girl Greens" approached and offered us a coupon for a free package - a $4 dollar value. They essentially paid for my lunch - which was delicious, I used their 50/50 greens to make a healhty, yet tasty Caesar salad. I made sure to thank them for not having someone there serving samples of salad - this was a much better way to offer your product to the right market. The store also has an extensive spice collection, a wide variety of organic dairy products, and even organic toilet paper. I was impressed by the number of options in each area, and the prices were very reasonable. The store reminded me of the combination of Whole Foods and Trader Joes.

My son was starting to get cranky, so it was time to checkout. As the cashier received some on-the-job training and learned how to use the ATM portion of her register, the teenager bagging groceries conveniently placed my purchase in reusable canvas tote bags - for free. Upon declining the "do you need help out to your car" question - I noticed that there was an area of the store that I had missed. The only section that could be more important than the meat counter. The BEER section! I decided to take a quick recon mission and see what they had to offer. Wow! I was happily impressed. Their microbrew section was larger than the domestics! This is the type of thought process I've witnessed in Oregon and Washington, but here in Sacramento? With an Anheuser-Busch brewery just outside the city limits? I was ecstatic. They offered craft beers from the likes of Rubicon, Mammoth, Rogue, and Sierra Nevada. There were even some from the midwest and northeast. A fantastic selection at even better prices than the local BevMo. Within minutes I had several 6-packs in the cart and had to go visit the checkout again. One of the store reps observed my purchase and introduced himself, saying he was the buyer for the store's beer menu. I told him how impressed I was and that he had done a great job offering such a selection. He said that the store had just received it's license to sell just a few days before, and as such there would certainly be an even larger selection in the near future! Including the ever-popular and highly sought after "Pliny the Elder" from Russian River Brewing. People literally wait 4+ hours in line at the brewpub, just to get a pint. He said the store has been allocated just 2 cases per shipment! Ssssshhhh, I reminded him to keep his voice down. I whispered cautiously as I let him know that this would likely be the beginning of a great friendship, being that I live just a short distance away.

Overall this store has a lot of potential, and judging from the number of shirt-and-tie types that were there looking "official", it has some serious investors behind it. I will definitely be adding this market to my sources for all things delicious! I should mention that the market is located about 200 yards from Trader Joe's, and I had to visit them for some specialty items for my 2-year old. There were 3 TJ managers standing outside, observing the commotion that was going across the parking lot. Needless to say they did not look happy.

Sunflower Farmers Market
401 Folsom Road
Roseville, CA 95678
(the corner of Harding and Douglas Blvd)

Sacto MoFo

An estimated gathering of 10,000 hungry people converged on Fremont Park in Sacramento last Saturday for the Sacramento Mobile Food Festival. 21 mobile food trucks participated, offering items such as escargot lollipops, lobster cappuccino, and tikka masala. For the less adventurous, there were chicken skewers, mini-burgers, and plenty of tacos with a variety of preparations to satisfy your hunger. What's not to like, right? How about waiting in lines up to 2 hours just to get your order in? Or how about learning that the truck you really wanted to try ran out of food in only 90 minutes? I appreciate the effort to bring food trucks back to the city, as well as shed some light on the ridiculous thought process of our own City Council, who voted unanimously to prohibit these meals-on-wheels from parking longer than 30 minutes just a short time ago. For this event, the city granted a one-day permit to allow the trucks to setup and prepare appropriately. I think it also shows that there is a lack of entertainment for the citizens of Sacramento, especially as it relates to food.

Major cosmopolitan cities such as Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles have seen incredible interest in the cuisine that is offered from the trucks, spawning new trucks with interesting edibles seemingly overnight. Sacramento city officials on the other hand, have taken a different approach, much to the dismay of food enthusiasts and small business owners alike. Sure, not all food trucks are alike, and there are some of those wagons dubiously named "roach-coaches" that still offer sketchy deep-fried burritos, soggy mystery meat sandwiches, and greasy burgers. However I doubt that these types of vendors would be interested in setting up next to a truck that is peddling Chinese braised pork belly buns. Some cities have adopted a once-a-month event where the trucks can gather, while others have embraced the trucks so lovingly, they spawned a reality show.

At the front of the opposition to these kitchens with seatbelts, is none other than Randy Paragary. The owner of such local eateries as Esquire Grill, Cafe Bernardo, and Paragary's. He feels that the trucks will take away business from stationary restaurants, citing the depressed economy in an effort to gather empathy. He was quoted in the local newspaper saying "There's a construction site across from Cafe Bernardo, and I watch the mobile food trucks come every day to sell coffee, muffins, and sandwiches to the workers. We sell those same items, but I don't get to pull my truck up." Maybe therein lies a bigger issue - your restaurant's coffee, muffins and sandwiches don't compete with the mobile vendor? And I would think an accomplished restaurateur such as Paragary would invite the increased spotlight on Sacramento's food scene, as it would serve to bring in new customers and increased word-of-mouth notoriety.

I'm not completely sold on the visions of grandeur that are the mobile food scene. It is indeed a trendy and hence popular way to try some off-the-wall creations, but you won't see me in line for 2+ hours to get a mini-burger with tater-tots on top. I've been to the food truck scene in Portland, just a few weeks ago in fact. What I found was unique and creative culinary creations, but without the long lines, people staring blankly at menu items they don't understand, or overpriced, over-hyped fare. The stands were established, dynamic, and well supported by both their city and their customers. These food trucks do represent increased competition to local eateries, but without this type of competition, a city would quickly go stale in terms of culinary creativity and exploration. And in fact a number of "big" names in the mobile food scene are establishing brick-and-mortar locations, while some traditional restaurants are seeing the marketing potential of a food truck, and setting out to bring the food to the customer.

Hopefully the growling stomachs of the 10,000 people that showed up to SactoMoFo will be heard by members of Sacramento City Council and the restrictions revised in the near future. Until then you can always watch re-runs of The Next Great Food Truck Race and wish.

WMF Stainless Can Opener Review

When I was growing up, my house always had a can opener - that worked. It was sturdy and practical, convenient and consistent. Alas it was not very pleasing to the eye, which is why it tended to live in the dark corner of the kitchen-implement drawer. When I moved out, I did what most others do when they leave the nest, purchasing a standard, off-the-shelf can opener from my local grocery store. Afterall, a can opener is a can opener right? Wrong. After several uses and subsequent cleanings, the unit began to rust and the gears showed worn teeth. I have since purchased a number of openers, some better than others, but all still failing miserably in terms of construction, sanitation, and service life.

My sub-$20 dollar Kitchen Aid model, had served me for a little over a year, before succumbing to the worn-teeth-on-the-gears issue I mentioned before. No teeth meant no grip against the can, which translated into the cutting wheel being unable to penetrate the steel top of the can of beans I was trying to open. It was time to search out a quality can opener, that was dependable and functional. Enter the WMF Profi Plus Stainless Can Opener. I read a number of positive reviews on Amazon, all agreeing that the model was well worth the $25. I know what you're thinking - a $25 dollar can opener? Is it electric? Is it made of gold? It's neither. However it IS made by WMF in Germany, a country that takes its kitchens and culinary tooling seriously. German kitchen utensils tend to be overbuilt, which is a virtue when you don't want to replace a necessary tool once a year. WMF is well-known in Europe for quality craftsmanship and years of service. I decided to take the plunge, and see for myself if this was the can opener that would end my search.

Upon receipt of the opener, I was instantly impressed with its balance in the hand. The handles are round, making a comfortable fit, and the entire unit is built without seams - which is much more sanitary than cheaper models that get bits of food and gunk lodged in the nooks and crannies, which could lead to a food-borne illness. A large, plastic knob is thoughtfully tailored to your thumb and index fingers, making turning with torque a non-issue. The gears and cutting wheel are made of stainless steel, and WMF states it will stay sharp long after lesser-models have gone dull. The handles also feature loops on the ends, making it convenient to hang where you need it most. Finally, there is a can and bottle opener feature, ensuring that this is no "uni-tasker", as Alton Brown cleverly calls kitchen utensils that have only one purpose.

It didn't take long before I was putting the opener to task. It cut through small cans of pinto beans effortlessly, and made quick work taking the top off of a #10 can of tomato sauce. Cleanup was a breeze, I simply hand washed the opener, then hung it from one of the loops to dry. I've used it for approximately 3 months now, and it is still as sharp as the day I purchased it. The tool is simple enough to clean by hand, but also sturdy enough to take a ride in your dishwasher. Smartly designed and attractive to look at, my only complaint is the turning knob being made of plastic. It does not appear that this is a weak point on the opener, but only time will tell. If you are looking to replace that clunky, dirty, outdated countertop opener, or if you're tired of replacing the pot-metal openers you buy at Bed, Bath & Beyond, this is the can opener for you.

Rogue Public House Review

A few months back, the planets and stars aligned and I was able to travel to Portland, Oregon for a few days of visiting breweries, famed donut shops, and comfy coffee houses. I was especially excited to go to the Rogue Brewing Public House, as it is one of my favorite breweries. Unfortunately, we had less than an amazing time. It was so disappointing that I decided to take the time to send some feedback to Rogue, as I was certain they would be interested in learning about the experience we had, as well as make an attempt to offer a correction. The following is the brief letter I penned on Rogue's website.

I was EXTREMELY excited to have the chance to visit a real, live, Oregon location! I'm a chef myself, as well as a food blogger, and as I read the online version of the dinner menu to my wife, we were both salivating over the Kobe burgers. She was also happy to learn of the activities available for our 2 year old son while we made the hard decisions about which brews to enjoy. Unfortunately, our experience was less than anticipated.

We were seated quickly, which was nice - even if it was the table right next to the server's station where food is coming off of the line. We quickly asked our server for some some crayons and paper to color, to give our kid something to occupy himself. While our server went off to retrieve our beers and crayons, we were treated to one of the cooks lambasting a server about their order, to the point of using profanity. Now, I've worked in commercial kitchens before and I know some cooks get a little hot under the collar and need to express themselves, but they shouldn't be doing it within earshot of the restaurant patrons. Minutes passed and our beers arrived, sans crayons. Our server said he'd go get them again. They finally did arrive, upon our second-round of beers, and again having to ask the server. The beer was as anticipated - FANTASTIC. I was now eagerly awaiting my $14 Kobe burger, ordered med-rare. I watched as a cook opened a bag of potato chips and dumped them on a plate - probably not what you want customers to observe. Then our burgers arrived, and I was ravenous. Much to our dismay, BOTH of our hamburgers were VERY well-done. If there was any Kobe beef in them, it was charred and cooked out. By now, the wife was not happy and wanted to leave, unwilling to even send the meals back to be redone, given the time that it took our server to simply get crayons. We paid, tipped, and left a little let-down. We both agreed that the beers were fantastic, fresh and delicious, but we definitely won't be coming back for food.

This is not meant to be a rant and rave, simply some constructive feedback from an experienced diner and chef. I will continue to be a proud Rogue Nation member, and I look forward to enjoying what comes out of your fermenters, but I'll pass on what comes out of your kitchen.

***
About 24 hours later, I had a response in my inbox. It was from none other than Jack Joyce, the founder and creator of Rogue. He's been a dominant force in the craft brew industry for several decades, and prides himself and the company on being "different" from every other commercial and micro-brewery. I was shocked to received a reply from the CEO of the company!

His response to my letter was simple and succinct. He offered a quick "Thank you" to open, then cut right to the chase by asking if I had a description of the server, cook, and if I could tell him the date and time I visited? Sure, Mr. Joyce, no problem. I kept my receipt as a painful reminder of what happens when you set your expectations to high. I quickly responded with the requested information, and then waited. And waited. Waited some more. Days passed. Weeks even. Still, no additional response. I decided to again e-mail the CEO to see if I should be expecting any further conversation, but alas, that message apparently fell upon deaf ears.

This experience could happen to anyone, and it likely will if you eat out often enough and take notice of the service you receive, as well as the quality of the meal. The thing that bothers me is that I LOVED this company and it's message it tries to convey to it's customers. It looks like that might just be a solid marketing concept and a bunch of hot air. Maybe the CEO is too busy opening additional breweries and should not be responding to customer complaints. Then again, maybe the CEO is the EXACT person who should be going out of their way to ensure that this doesn't happen again, and that the "Rogue" brand is not tarnished by an indifferent approach to customer service.

Strawberry Mango Mint Sorbet

Spring is in full-effect in Sacramento - you know, it's that blink-and-you'll-miss-it "season" where everything is green, the streets of mid-town are filled with beach cruisers, and delicious strawberries. The kind that ACTUALLY taste like a strawberry should, not like those enormous knock-offs they sell at the grocery store, which taste like, well, nothing really. I revisited my Sunday morning ritual of heading to the farmer's market under the W/X freeway and was greeted with a perfume-like breeze of sweet, fresh strawberries. Erdbeere if you're German. These delicate garnet-red jewels were grown in the dirt, not hydroponically like most commercial berries. A warning though - these are picked fresh when the berries are RIPE, so they degrade quickly. Don't keep them in your icebox, leave them out to preserve the amazing flavor and eat them fast!

I picked up a few pints after sampling one to ensure they are indeed the cat's meow. They did not disappoint. Bright red syrup danced on my tongue inviting me to eat more. The vendor a few spots down had huge bunches of fresh mint, 3-for-a-buck, and I picked up a pair of sunset-hued mangoes as well. The warmer weather had me thinking of a cool treat that is very simple to make: Strawberry-Mango-Mint Sorbet. Sorbet's are a great way to turn fresh fruit into a delicious and healthy treat. At the foundation is a simple syrup of equal parts water and sugar - this is where I chose to infuse the syrup with crushed mint leaves. While the syrup cools, puree the fruit, strain it if you are using fruit that has a lot of little seeds (strawberries, raspberries etc). Add the juice of a lime, this will help the flavors stay fresh. Also add about a teaspoon of vodka, since the alcohol doesn't freeze, this addition helps the frozen fruit stay smooth and "soft" on your tongue. You can omit the vodka if you wish. Mix the syrup and the fruit, then deliver this mix to your home ice cream maker, and in less than 30 minutes, you'll have a delectable dessert that you can feel good about eating anytime of the day!



Strawberry Mango Mint Sorbet

Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 bunch fresh mint leaves, crushed

Fruit base
1 pint strawberries, hulled
1-2 medium mangoes, fruit and juice reserved
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp vodka

For the syrup, bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the mint leaves and remove from the heat. Allow to steep 10 minutes, then strain and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, puree the fruit, lime juice, and vodka in a blender or food processor. Strain and place puree in ice cream maker. Add the syrup and turn on the machine - after about 20 minutes, you'll see the sorbet take shape. Once it begins to pull from the sides of the machine, move it to a freezer-safe storage container. You can enjoy it now or pop it in the freezer to setup a little more. When you're ready to serve, let the sorbet sit out of the freezer for about 10 minutes before scooping and serving. Garnish with a sprig of mint.