Amazon adds prime option for Barbera Frantoia olive oil
Written by Nick Dawson
Saturday, 18 October 2008 19:58
My favorite olive oil, Barbera Frantoia, has been available online for a while. The good news for Amazon Prime subscribers is that you can now get a 2 pack via Prime. While I wish it was possable to order just one bottle at a time, the fact that its at least primeable is a nice step forward.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 18 October 2008 20:00 )
Simple Roasted Chicken
Written by Nick Dawson
Saturday, 16 August 2008 04:17
What a paradox is the chicken in the food world. Beloved by the non-adventursome and chefs set, it is often lambasted by foodies and overlooked by diners. In many circles this world-wide staple bird has a pedestrian status. To some, chicken is the bland choice of dieters and picky eaters alike. To others its ubiquitous presence makes it too obvious of a choice to serve or order. No matter what your view of our feathered friend, there is no escaping its importance in the culinary world. In fact, ask anyone who grew up with real farm raised chicken (or any Frenchman for that matter) about their early memories of the bird, and I am sure it will bring a smile to even the staunchest beef-eaters face.
There is a reason the chicken is important to the diets of so many peoples. One chicken can provide the base for several meals - from the meat to what my grandmother calls "the essence".
Anytime you try and introduce sponsorship to something you risk losing some of your authenticity. So it was with some reluctance and trepidation that I annonce the Simple To Me Amazon Store. However, before anyone crys foul, I should explane that I consdier Amazon an essential tool for any foodie and share these links with no regard for reembursement (in fact, I have made exactly $0.00 since introducing amazon context ads on the site 6 months ago). We use, ney, rely on Amazon, and particularly their Amazon Prime service for all kinds of kitchen items. You can setup subscriptions for pantry items and disposables (IE paper towels). You can find Lodge cast iron cookware for a fraction of the price of the local stores (and pay nothing to ship the heavy iron).
These are all items that I know and use - from the cookbooks to the olive oil. I'm proud to share these as links to valueable tools for cooking simply.
Last Updated ( Saturday, 30 August 2008 23:56 )
People Who "Get It" 2 - Eat Locally America
Written by Nick Dawson
Friday, 15 August 2008 16:53
Julia Child taught America how to cook and, more importantly, eat. But it was Alice Waters who taught America what to cook and eat. Alice Waters has been a pioneer in educating us about fresh and local ingredients for years. Her Berkeley, California landmark restaurant, Chez Panisse, is a bastion for foodies in search of spectacular dishes prepared simply with fresh, local ingredients. Waters has used her success to influence a whole generation of chefs and diners on the importance of using seasonal and local foods. In addition to spreading her philosophy through books and TV appearances, she has created the Edible Schoolyard, a program to engage children in the importance of eating locally.
Waters credits a visit to France in the 1960s as the impetus for her passion around simple, local foods. In turn, I owe a much of my own approach to food to a visit to Chez Panisse in 2003.
Given the infrequent nature nature of my posts, it may surprise many of you that it is still summer here in Virginia. In the dense sticky heat of August, my appitite turns away from burgers and steaks on the grill to the lightness, and ease, of fish. There is a refreshing quality to a peice of seafood treated simply and served with a salad or some grilled veggies. Not only does it break up the monotony of burgers and dogs but fish can be accented almost effortlessly by virtually any flavor. You can serve fish with nothing more than a lemon wedge or a complex sauce from a French cook-book. Some chefs grill fish on a ceder plank to impart a whimsical hint of the North-West and others will baste fish with olive oil from an herb "brush". No matter how you treat fish, if you follow a few guidelines, you are sure to find a new summer pleaser.
It is the number one rule about buying fish and the most neglected rule - buy it fresh. There are a few barriers to buying fresh fish and I belive they are the the reason this rule is the first to fail.
Karcher SV 1802 бытовой паро-пылесос с аквафильтром
Julia Child taught America how to cook and, more importantly, eat. But it was Alice Waters who taught America what to cook and eat. Alice Waters has been a pioneer in educating us about fresh and local ingredients for years. Her Berkeley, California landmark restaurant, Chez Panisse, is a bastion for foodies in search of spectacular dishes prepared simply with fresh, local ingredients. Waters has used her success to influence a whole generation of chefs and diners on the importance of using seasonal and local foods. In addition to spreading her philosophy through books and TV appearances, she has created the Edible Schoolyard, a program to engage children in the importance of eating locally.