(From Military.com)

ERFURT, GERMANY — After earning two gold medals in the hot and cold food competitions, the U.S. Army Culinary Arts Team was presented the silver medal overall Oct. 23 at the World Culinary Olympics award ceremony.

The overall gold medal is calculated by combining the team scores from both the hot and cold food events, according to Chief Warrant Officer 4 Robert Sparks, USACAT team manager. While more than one team can achieve gold in the two events of the competition, the team with the highest number of points wins overall.

The USACAT received 92.711 points in the cold food competition and 90.660 in the hot food competition, according to the World Culinary Olympics results.

With a combined score of 183.371, USACAT fell behind Switzerland by six points. USACAT competitors felt both disappointment and excitement.

“We were very fortunate to have great leaders,” said Spc. Valine Vukich, USACAT competitor. “Now we know how to push ourselves that extra mile.”

USACAT learned they had achieved gold in the cold food competition the night before the awards ceremony. That announcement meant the team was on the front burner for the gold medal overall.

“The team made these dishes hot and I wanted to sit down and eat them. There were some small technical things working against them, but overall this is a very nice cold food table,” said Connie Anderson, Culinary Olympics military judge.

The USACAT serves as the U.S. National Military Culinary Team and competes at local, national and international culinary competitions. Team members are selected through military competitions and qualifying events.

“The team is young, energetic and committed,” said Master Sgt. David Turcotte, USACAT advisor. “That’s all you can ask for.”

USACAT trains at the Army Center of Excellence, Subsistence, Fort Lee, Va. The school trains cooks throughout their career. Soldiers attend the school for advanced individual training as well as refresher and advanced culinary training. USACAT represents the finest-trained culinarians and the elite of military chefs.

“My hat goes off to the USACAT for what they bring to the Army,” said Col. Alexander Davis, Quartermaster Center and School assistant commandant.

USACAT will return to international competition in 2010 when they compete in the Culinary World Cup.

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you listen to most food magazines or watch food programming on TV, ancho chili powder is becoming a required ingredient for any pantry.  Ancho chilie powder is spicy, but without the heat of a lot of packaged chili pwders, leaving you with a subtle heat and smoky flavor that’s really hard to beat.  But what if you can’t buy ancho chile powder in your local area? No problem.  Just make your own. It’s actually quite simple, though there are a few things to keep in mind while you’re in the process.

The Ancho Chilie

Ancho chili’s are just the name used for smoked, dried poblano peppers.  Poblano peppers are most often associated with chili relleno, but have many other uses as well.  Poblanos have a wonderful fruity flavor and generally have far less heat than a jalapeno, even if it’s picked young. So basically, Ancho is to poblano what chipotle is to jalapeno, and the flavor is amazing.

Finding ancho chilies should not be a problem for most people in the U.S. market.  You know that BigScaryMegaMart that lurks in the middle of town?  They’ve probably got ‘em.  You’ll find Anchos in a big clear plastic bag, usually on the Ethnic foods aisle.  They’re not real lookers, but they pack a ton of flavor and are useful for everything from sauces to stews.

Now that you’ve got anchos, making ancho chili powder is only a few steps away…

Read more…

Popularity: 9% [?]

This post is really the tale of a pizza and a calzone who came from very humble roots but grew to be loved by all who knew them.  It’s a tale of hope, triumph and gluttony, a must read, for sure. The Pizza was of Asian descent, while the Calzone was a Southern Belle, but both shared a common bond, a bond that kept their lives on a similar course and eventually led them to the same inescapable fate…

I ate ‘em, and they were good!

Both of these dishes were made for the Daring Bakers Challenge. This month’s event was hosted be the incredible Rosa, of Rosa’s Yummy Yums, whom I really need to thank, because I’d never even considered making my own pizza dough before now and having done it, I’m afraid I’m a bit of an addict.  This is really good dough! (Dough recipe is at the end of this post.)

The first night I made pizza, but being the guy I am, I wasn’t gonna settle for just any ol’ sausage and pepperoni rig.  I had a couple packages of Korean style ribs in the freezer that were calling my name, and they got the loving for the evening.

I wish I could tell you exacly how I made the topping for that particular pizza.  Unfortunately I really was cooking by the seat of my pants, so I can just give a hint at the ingredients.  The beef was braised in a combination of chicken stock, water, soy, hoisin, sweet chili sauce, plum sauce, onion, garlic, honey, seasoned rice vinegar, lime juice and cilantro fro about six hours.  The “Pizza Sauce” was a mix of hoisin, soy sauce and black bean garlic paste. To. Die. For!

As for the calzone, well, I’ve got the whole scoop on that one.  read on after the jump for a step by step guide to making your own breakfast calzone, Southern Style!

Read more…

Popularity: 2% [?]

I know that Halloween is still just around the corner, but I’m already warming up my Christmas music collection. Yes, Ladies and gents, the Holiday season will be officially upon us in.. Just. Five. Days.

I’ve given a lot of thought to the gifts I’ll be sending this year. I thought I had it all planned out. Then I found out about these nut gifts, and I’m thinking of adding these to my list of “gotta sends”. No, really.  They look that good.  Good enough that I’m shoving them down your throat just had to share them with you… Right now.

Why these particular nuts?  Because they’ve been chosen for the best flavor the company can deliver, and the thought of telling my friends and family members that I think they’re Premium Nut kind of people makes me smile.  Get a little nutty this Christmas.

C’Mon, I dare Ya.

Popularity: 1% [?]

This Halloween dish may not be as whimsical as some I’ve made, but what it lacks in cuteness, it more than makes up for in flavor. The black beans are the star of the show in this one, the chorizo and shrimp merely sing harmony.  Black beans are a flavor explosion, while the chorizo tickles the taste buds and the shrimp play the finale, leaving just a hint of their passing on the back of the palate. The orange isn’t just shelf dressing, either.  As you delve down into the dish, the citrus flavor becomes more pronounced until finally it comes into its own on the very last bite.  A perfect concert of flavors that I really didn’t expect when I started.

I just loved the idea and I hope you will as well.

While the bowls in the photos are done up “Halloween” style, this would be just as wonderful in orange bowls that are sliced straight across, and it would be a lot easier to make. These took a little practice, and two oranges gave their lives needlessly in the filming of this production.  We believe it’s a Halloween curse, but there is no proof of that at this time.  Our lawyers won’t let us say any more about the matter than that.

Read more…

Popularity: 1% [?]

Many of you know that I’ve been putting together a blog to discuss autism.  I find that there is a lot I want to say on the subject, but this is simply not the place to do it, and I’m not going to dilute the message of this blog by rambling on about unrelated topics. (And trust me, they’ll be large, long winded posts for the most part.)

The question is, what would you like to see discussed in that venue?  Are there questions that you would like to have answered?  Information that you’d like to share? Someone you know that would love to give their two cents?  Any help with the direction would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Jerry

Popularity: 1% [?]

If you haven’t heard Sass & Veracity, Kelly Wright’s amazing Food Blog or her “personal site Kellementology, you’ve either been burid in the archives around here or perhaps you’ve been on a deserted island with no Internet connection.  Either way, it’s time you jumped over and checked both of these enlightening and rather witty blogs out for yourself.

Not only is Kelly one of the best writers in the food blogging arena, but she’s been a pretty dear friend for nearly the entire time that I’ve known her.  her food writing is always enough to make you smile, and the occasional rant over at kellementology can cause a case of gut-busting laughter paired with a sense of righteous indignation, a combination that’s hard to evoke, but kelly manages both well.

In short, if you’re looking for a great read, a good chuckle and food for thought as well as an incredible recipe, check out Kelly’s blogs.  You’ll be glad you did.

Popularity: 1% [?]

At first glance you might think that these little guys are sad and looking for their mummies, but on closer inspection you’ll see that they’re all just waiting for a dip in the hot tub. (OK, I couldn’t pass up the mummy joke, sorry.)

sometimes simple is better, and it doesn’t get a whole lot simpler than this when it comes to appetizers.  Just cocktail sausages wrapped in refrigerated crescent dough and served with a side of mustard, spiced with your favorite hot sauce or horseradish and you’ve got yourself a wiener! (I know. It’s bad, but I can’t help myself!)

These little guys make a perfect party opener, but be warned, too many and your guests won’t want dinner.  They’re filling!  we used beef Lil’ Smokies for this one, but any cocktail wiener you can find will do just as well, I’m sure.  They’re great hot out of the oven or at room temp and can be served with ketchup for kids too little to appreciate a good mustard. (Or adults that just don’t like mustard, for that matter)

Any way you serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!

Read more…

Popularity: 8% [?]

I’ve been holding myself back on this post for a while now.  It’s likely that there are a lot of people who won’t agree with what I’m about to say, and may in fact disagree violently with my opinion on this topic.  Unfortunately I find that I can no longer restrain myself in this case.  This is something that has gone unchecked for far too long and it needs to be reigned in before the epidemic spreads even further than it has already.

To all you restaurant chefs, television executives, magazine and newspaper food writers and others in a position to make a difference, please,

Enough it with the trendy foods already!

First it was California Cuisine, then it was the kiwi.  Following that was the mango and of course the demise of curly-leaf parsley in many of America’s kitchens. Now it’s foams, gels, sous-vide and an emphasis on pairing new and unusual spice combinations with classic ingredients. (Just how many different chocolate sauces does one really need?)

I’m not saying that there is anything wrong with these foods, nor is there anything wrong with wanting to try new methods or combinations. This is the nature of food. Risks must be taken, new methods tried and new flavor combinations explored.  It keeps the palate fresh and opens the mind to new possibilities. But it should not. EVER. Be used as an excuse to relegate perfectly good foods or ingredients to the “passe” file of the public consciousness.

I ask you, what exactly is wrong with a salad made with iceberg lettuce? Is there something wrong with the last 10 years worth of crop? Why is it that chefs worldwide simply removed this from their menus? I doubt it was because none of their clientele would have ordered it.  More likely it was the result of one or two overly pompous and self righteous chefs that felt that they knew better than their customers did what should be served to them.

The same fate has befallen many dishes that used to be featured on nearly every restaurant menu in the country.  Lemon Pepper Chicken, once a mainstay on menus from the lowest family chain to the most celebrated gourmet establishment, has simply fallen off the radar.  It’s not served anywhere.  I have seen chefs on television complain that “nobody serves this anymore, and no one should.”

Is there a reason for this attitude?  What is it about this dish has earned the scorn of the professional chef? Perhaps it’s the million bad knock-offs and cheap seasoning blends available on the market today.  Perhaps it’s because now that a million home cooks can make a truly decent version,t here is no more reason for a chef to attempt to make it well?  Nobody can explain why this dish has gone the way of the dodo, but I tell you one thing, I wouldn’t mind having a little of it right now.

The fruit of the moment trend has to stop as well. For the past two years the world has been assailed with mango.  Mango salsa, mango chutney, mango sauces and mango desserts.  The world has sung its praises for so long tht it, too is becoming passe.  soon I feel that it will disappear from restaurant menus just as surely as kiwi did in the 80’s or apple based desserts did in the late 70’s.  Why? Because these trend-powered monsters have overloaded us with them for so long that nobody wants to look at them any more!  Had we just cooked them with some restraint, they could have been a permanent mainstay of the American diet, but they will not be.  They have already been replaced by the fig and the pear.  Which one of those fruits will win the battle as the next fruit of the moment is yet to be seen, but it’s coming.

While we’re at it, quit downplaying curly leaf parsley!  There is absolutely nothing wrong with this herb.  It’s been a staple in kitchens for as long as anyone can remember, but suddenly not only cooks, but food stylists are calling this perfectly good herb “tired”, “old hat” or “blase”. While it is true that flat leaf parsley has a more pronounced flavor, it can be difficult to find in some places and where it’s difficult to find, it will also be a lot more expensive than its curly leafed counterpart.  Why in the world would you pay twice as much for an herb when using just a bit more of the cheaper variety will get you the same amount of flavor? To be honest, I use curly leaf more often myself because it has a longer shelf life, which stretches my money even further.

let me wrap this up by saying this:

Stop letting someone in a trendy restaurant determine the future of American cuisine.  They don’t know any better than your grandmother what is or is not good.  Some things don’t need to be changed or updated and good recipes and great food should not be forgotten just because they are “common”. It’s time that we as foodies (and food snobs) put our voices to work and let the powers that be know that what we really want is food that is  prepared well, from good ingredients, with passion.

But don’t put a salmon mousse on my plate.  I’ll stick with the actual fish, please.

Popularity: 1% [?]

I haven’t taken the time I should to point you at the other phenominal food blogs out there.  It’s not like I write in a vaccum, there are literally thousands of food blogs floating around, and for every one of them there is a fantasic foodie behind the scenes doing their very best to make all of us die in a puddle of our own drool.

One of the best out there right now just happens to belong to someone I happily call my friend. Simple Daily Recipes is run by the lovely Jill McKeever, with a good deal of behnd the scenes magic done by her husband Charles.  Not only are they wonderful people, but Jill’s a mean cook as well, with some really wonderful family friendly recipes to her credit.

This week Jill temts our palate’s with such wonderful treats as her Apple Pear and Cranberry Crisp, Fruit and Cramy Yogurt and for your halloween table she’s whipped up a delightfully named dish of Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Bat Wings. All to die-for, I assure you.

If you aren’t already a regular reader, take a moment to stop by Simple Daily Recipes. I guarantee you’ll be hooked as fast as I was, and hey, leave a comment, you’re sure to find she’s one of the nicest foodies you’ve ever met.

Popularity: 1% [?]