Rue Tatin Comes to Paris

Did you not love the book On Rue Tatin by Susan Hermann Loomis? You didn’t read it, well shame on you! On Rue Tatin is to France what Under the Tuscan Sun was to Italy.

A young culinary student at La Varenne École de Cuisine was Susan Hermann Loomis’s first step into a lifelong immersion in French cuisine and culture, culminating in her permanent residency in 1994. On Rue Tatin chronicles her journey to an ancient little street in Louviers, one of Normandy’s most picturesque towns.

Chef Loomis is an author of six cookbooks including Farmhouse Cookbook, French Farmhouse Cookbook as well as Cooking on Rue Tatin. Susan owns and operates On Rue Tatin, a cooking school out of her home in Louviers.

If Louviers is inconvenient to your travels to France, do not fret, Susan is also teaching classes in Paris

On Rue Tatin's Paris Classes at Patricia Wells' Left Bank Cooking Studio

One-Day Classes in Paris

Pining to cook in Paris but you have only a few days? Well, pine no more, for by popular demand, Susan Herrmann Loomis will be teaching one-day classes in Paris. Morning classes will begin with an outdoor market tour, where students will shop for fruits and vegetables, meat, bread, cheese, fish and poultry. Then students will take the ingredients into Patricia Wells's stunning cooking studio on rue Jacob in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près. There, Susan will lead students through the preparation of a simple lunch which will include wines and cheeses from small quality producers throughout France.

For those who prefer an afternoon class, followed by dinner, Susan will meet students at Patricia's cooking studio on rue Jacob, and lead them through a series of tastings and a demonstration, followed by instructive preparation of a more complex, multi-course dinner. There will be wines and cheeses from small quality producers, and plenty of candlelight.

One Day Course Dates

February 1, 28, 29, 2008
March 13, 14, 2008
May 8, 9, 16, 29, 30, 2008
June 19, 20, 2008
July 17, 18, 2008
September 25, 26, 2008
October 30, 31, 2008
November 20, 21, 27, 28, 2008
December 11, 12, 2008

Week Long Classes in Paris

Ms Hermann Loomis will offer two five-day classes in Patricia Wells's Left Bank Paris studio in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près. She will conduct the hands-on classes in Patricia's airy studio and will focus on specialty oils, chocolate, cheese and wine, with special emphasis on organic ingredients. Each day will begin at 10 am with a demonstration, followed by a class and multi-course lunch. The class is limited to 7 guests.

Week Long Course Dates

May 12-16
October 13-17
November 10-14

For further details on all of Susan’s classes go to http://www.onruetatin.com/

Mentoring A High School Culinary Team

In the ancient days when I went to high school, there were few if any technical schools. In Baltimore, I think the only technical school was Mervo and I don't believe there was a culinary program. Regular high school home economics was always about creamed chipped beef --bleck! Even if there was a program at that time, I'm not sure culinary would have been a path I would have taken.

It is a new day and a new dawn with the ProStart culinary programs in the high schools. The students work in professional kitchens with professional equipment. I learned more about the program as a member of the board for the Maryland Hospitality and Education Foundation, more so when we used the Eastern Technical's culinary students to help test the recipes for my compilation cookbook, YUM! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats.

The Maryland State ProStart Competition takes place the beginning of March and I have sponsored The Carver Center Team and I am mentoring these young hopefuls. I'm not a parent nor a teacher, so this new territory for me.

At our first team gathering I brought in a cupboard full of my unusual ingredients and cookbooks. We tasted not just one of a product but multiples like vinegars side-by-side and the same with soy sauces. The students were eager and not shy to expand their culinary knowledge.

I have to keep in mind this is their competition not mine and allow them the room to make the final decisions - I just offer suggestions and that is hard. There is much more to this than just the dishes they have to make in the one hour - there is cost management, knife skills, health etc.

I reached out to a specialty importer for donations and they were there in a minute. I love Henckels knives which is unusual because I used to sell Wusthof. I was given a Henckels knife and just loved the weight and hand feel and it seems to stay sharper longer. Let me talk about Henckels' Santoku knife---it is a cook's dream. I've never been accused of being shy so I also contacted Henckels to help and they have.

I will try to write an ode to Henckels sometime in the future.

The team is doing it's second run through this afternoon after school. I'm excited to see what they have accomplished in the past week. I will keep you posted.

Here is some video that I took:

I'm Foie Gras

It's true, I am a walking foie gras. I've been diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Thanks to PETA and their work, I am banned from Chicago and all that the city offers. No matter how good the Southwest Airlines deals might be to Chicago, I am foie gras non gratis in the Windy City.

Recently Discovered Unpublished Article by Chef Barbara Tropp

by Dara Fromm Bunjon

I’m not sure when I first heard of Chef Barbara Tropp. It was so long ago, and many meals have passed since then. Barbara was the chef/owner of China Moon Restaurant in San Francisco and a leading authority on Chinese food. Her interest in Chinese culture started in high school and led to doctoral studies at Princeton. Her passion took her to Taiwan for two years where her two host families guided her on a Chinese culinary path.

Her first cookbook, The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking Techniques and Recipes, came out in 1982. James Beard said, “Barbara Tropp’s volume on Chinese cooking is a unique achievement. Her intelligent and thorough explanations are detailed and truly great. The choice of recipes is exciting. This is a magnum opus for any cooking addict.” More praise appears on the book cover from Maida Heatter and Craig Claiborne.

Entertaining with China Moon

Her China Moon Cookbook is amazing, detailed and always on the money. Her recipes were complex and one made a commitment to make her recipes. I have two distinct memories of entertaining with Chef Tropp’s recipes. The first is the China Moon Infusion Chicken Broth, starting with chicken stock and then making the same recipe with the stock instead of water, and the final step, cooking the stock a third time with whole bulbs of garlic and lemongrass. The average consumer would know that it tasted good but I served this to a food scientist who immediately recognized the depth and layering of flavors.

In the mid ‘90s, I had invited Chef Gino Troia and his wife for dinner, but knew what I served could not be Italian. I decided on what I knew would be wonderful: Clear-Steamed Salmon with Ginger-Black Bean Vinaigrette from the China Moon Cookbook.

She Empowered Many

Chef Tropp broke ground not only in combining California and Chinese cuisines, but also as a leader for women chefs and restaurateurs. It was Barbara along with others like Joyce Goldstein and Lydia Bastianich who spearheaded a now-thriving organization which promotes and lends guidance to women in the restaurant industry: Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR). Little did I know when cooking her recipes that I would benefit from her efforts and be part of the organization she helped create.

A Great Loss

Sadly, in late 2001, Barbara died of ovarian cancer at age 53. Her husband, Bart Rhoades, continues to support WCR and comes to their annual conference every year to present the Barbara Tropp Award. Recently, Bart announced he had just discovered an unfinished, unpublished article of Barbara’s and agreed to mail it to me. I hope you enjoy this new found glimpse of the late, great Chef Tropp. I leave it in the unedited state it was sent to me. I hope you relish this rare opportunity to share once more in Barbara’s passion.


By Barbara Tropp Bon Appetit - Chicken

It is difficult not to like chicken! Or at least I would think so – I, who grew up with a chicken farm down the road (across the way from the corn fields that supplied the vegetable course for our chicken dinners), and who came of culinary age in Taiwan, where the chicken is enchantingly and naturally sweet, and so prized a creature that old men (such as the one I lived with) did verbal battle in the morning marketplaces over the merits of this plump bird or that svelte one. No indeed, chicken on my tongue and to my way of thinking is one of the great foods!

Especially in the warm summer months, chicken is a regular on my Chinese-inclined table. I make an extra effort to plan dinners simply, so that I have time to shop for the freshest possible bird. Shopping as I do in a Chinatown poultry market, I know the chicken is fresh-killed that morning and at its natural best, but if I am traveling and hungry for chicken I look for the same signs of freshness in the everyday supermarket birds – a smooth, glossy skin stretched over a plump breast, a discernable moistness, and no sign of excess juices afloat in the bag or storage tray. And then I plan my meal to show off my prize. A stir-fry of “Spicy Tangerine Chicken” served with a crisp green salad, slices of hot garlic bread and a glass of cool wine, or skewers of “Grilled Chinese Chicken Wings” bedded on seasoned rice and washed down with fresh lemonade is my own personal summer style. I avoid Chinese banquets like the plague, and turn to a simple East-West menu with the same happy pleasure that I would greet a shady tree.

Thinking in terms of cooking pleasure, if you are new to cooking a whole chicken and are intimidated by recipes such as “Chinese Curried Chicken”, “Steamed Chicken with Sweet Sausage and Scallion Oil” and “Orange and Tea Smoked Chicken” that call for you to chop up an entire bird, take heart! It is actually a very easy business. The main trick is to have in hand a sturdy, thick-bladed cleaver that will not knick when it hits the bone, and, if you wish an additional friendly tool, a poultry shear. Then, it’s a matter only of method. I first remove the wings and legs by cutting neatly around the joint, bending the wing or leg back to snap the bone free of the socket, and making the extra cut or two needed to free the joint. If the legs are big, I chop them Chinese-style into thirds across the bone (some good-spirited, hearty whacks do the job), and split the wings in two by cutting through the central joint. Next, I cut the body of the chicken into two by cutting first through the breast bone and then along one side of the backbone. The last step is to cut along the rib cage to divide each half in half again, and then to chop each fourth across the bone into rectangular pieces that make a good-sized morsel then claimed by a fork or chopstick. This act of chopping takes more time to describe than to execute, so don’t hesitate to give it a try.

Similarly, if you are new to cooking Chinese-style and fear that your precious summer hours will be wasted slaving over a chopping block and hot wok, put your fears aside. Recipes such as “Steamed Chicken Dumplings”, “Sourdough Chicken Toasts’ and “Rice Crumb Chicken” – pretty appetizers, the trio – are simple enough for even a novice cook. “Stir-Fried Hoisin Chicken with Hazelnuts”, while involving a marinating step and the classic attention to chopping vegetables and aromatics, may be prepared a full day in advance, leaving the final 3-minute cooking to the leisurely moments just before dinner. And “Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup with Toasted Almonds” and “Cold and Crunch Chicken Salad with Two Sauces” are do-ahead dishes as well, with the additional appeal of the familiar.

Here, then are some lively alternatives to the usual summer chicken. Approach them with confidence and enjoy them with a cold beer and a refreshing salad. It’s summertime and the Chinese Cookin’ is easy.

Rice Crumb Chicken

Soft slices of chicken breast are coated with seasoned rice and steamed, making this a very simple appetizer or light main course.

4-6 hors d’oeuvre servings or 2 entrée servings

½ pound boned and skinned fresh chicken breast
½ teaspoon finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon Chinese chili sauce (optional)
2 teaspoons finely minced scallion, white and light greet parts only
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon Chinese or Japanese sesame oil
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon raw white rice
½ teaspoon “Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt”
additional pepper-salt for dipping - or – “Hakka Garlic Sauce”

Lightly pound fillets and breast pieces with the broad side of a cleaver until 3/8-inch thick, then cut crosswise into pieces about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. In a small bowl, toss the chicken, garlic, chili sauce, scallion, wine, soy sauce and sesame oil, stirring well with your hand to coat and separate the slices. Seal airtight and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

In a dry skillet, toast the rice and pepper-salt over moderate heat stirring until the grains turn golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the hot mixture to a food processor fitted with the steel knife and grind to a nubbly consistency about half the size of a peppercorn. Combine the rice mixture with the chicken, tossing to distribute the crumbs.

Arrange the slices in a single layer on a heatproof plate at least 1-inch smaller in diameter than your steamer. (Do not worry if the crumbs do not entirely cover the chicken.) Steam over medium-high heat 15-20 minutes until rice is tender.

Serve with an accompanying dip dish of “Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt” or “Hakka Garlic Sauce”, or a simple mixture of 1 part soy sauce and 1 part unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar with a dash of sesame oil or hot chili oil.

Roasted Szechwan Pepper-Salt

A wonderful, all-around seasoning. Store in an airtight jar.

Makes ½ cup.

¼ cup Szechwan peppercorns
½ cup old-fashioned kosher salt

Toast peppercorns and salt in a dry skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until salt turns off-white. Peppercorns will smoke; lower heat if needed to prevent scorching. Remove hot mixture to work bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel knife and process for a full minute to obtain a coarse powder. Alternatively, pound in a mortar with a pestle. Sieve to remove peppercorn husks.

Hakka Garlic Sauce

A zippy sweet garlic sauce perfect with chicken.

Makes ¼ cup.

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic
2 tablespoons unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

Combine the garlic, vinegar and sugar in a small dish, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside 15 minutes to allow flavors to develop, and stir before serving.

©www.diningdish.blogspot.com-Dara Bunjon

The Tale of Two Lasagne

When it comes to pastas, my preference is spaghetti, fettuccine or linguine. I’m not a huge fan of lasagna but then I’m not a huge fan of cheese. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a nice Fontina with red grapes but I’ve never craved cheese like many do.

I married into an Italian family and all the holidays were at Aunt Mallie’s where it was lasagna, sausage, meat balls, lettuce dressed in olive oil and vinegar and a coconut cake. Mallie had the second kitchen in the basement where she turned out trays upon trays of lasagna. The holiday, no matter what, was the same menu.

Lasagna is a dish my husband loves and for his birthday and Xmas, I make two trays. For some reason I can’t trust no bake noodles and I boil up two packages of lasagna noodles. I make a sauce from scratch with what I have around, ground turkey, Italian sausage out of its casing for the meat sauce. The ricotta filling has chopped spinach, egg and Parmesan cheese with copious amounts of mozzarella sprinkled between the layers. The husband is in lasagna Nirvana.

My father-in-law, bless his 86 years, wanted to cook a turkey and all the trimmings. Please note that I have invited him and my brother-in-law (who lives with my father-in-law) to my home but he wants to cook. I’m in the trenches, doing due-diligence for the lasagna prep when I learn my brother-in-law is making lasagna. I was looking forward to the turkey, no matter how dried out my father-in-law makes it.

So this was the Xmas of the two lasagne. Christmas eve we had my lasagna which my husband loves and off to my father-in-laws for lasagna for Xmas day. That was it lasagna, no salad, no nothing…a slab of lasagna. Rob used the no bake noodles, plenty of ricotta and other cheeses and made up the recipe as he went. In all honesty, I couldn't tell the difference between the two. I don’t have to see lasagna for another 6 months. My two trays are packaged and in the freezer to be used by “the husband” when I’m not home to make dinners. As I said earlier, spaghetti is my preference with simple “ala minute” sauce or a long simmering ragu.

Still yearning for the turkey that I never got I have a turkey breast brining in the fridge, salt, sugar, brown sugar, honey, thyme, garlic, sage and a touch of truffle oil. A 6 ¼ turkey breast for two people – you are welcome to come over.

It's a Wrap from Tubac

For those of you who haven't read the post just below I had an opportunity present itself to work as Steven Raichlen's assistant during the shooting of his new TV series for PBS. Steven called personally and I was able to adjust my schedule. It happened fast, on the 11th Steven told me it was a go and by the 12th I was in Tubac, AZ ( about 20 miles north of the Mexican border) at the Tubac Golf Resort.

When I arrived in Arizona the limo turned out to be a shuttle bus but at that late hour I was the only passenger. The driver was a chatty fellow, a part-time actor, who had appeared in the Bruce Willis movie made in Baltimore called 12 Monkeys. He played what Bruce thought was his alter ego in the men's room in the last scene (so my shuttle bus driver says). Whoa, a bobcat jumped out in front of the shuttle van but was out the way before we could hit it. That should have been the subtle hint that I wasn't in Metropolis anymore.

I get into my hacienda-style room around 12:30 a.m. - unpacked and unwound and to sleep at 1:30 a.m. (or 3:30 a.m. east coast time). Upon checking my cell phone there was a voice message from Steven to meet at the restaurant at 6 a.m. the next morning.


I have food styled for Steven twice, one-day jobs for MPT where I had recipes in advance, I styled the food and brought the dishes, platters, flatware etc. I was in for a rude awakening. A new production company, a new location, young chefs who have never done this before and me, coming in at the 11th hour and not sure of my responsibilities.

We were shooting in a field with cows who meandered as they pleased, the flys were outrageous and then the bees.

It was a tough shoot and when I was finally up to speed the shooting was over. There were days I could have cried because I wasn't getting it together in the exacting form I'm used to and being a personal assistant was different than a food stylist. At moments I felt like one of those ducks in a shooting gallery that changed direction so many times.

The only time I saw daylight was on set. I left my room in the dark and returned in the dark. On the last day of shooting I got off set before it turned dark and saw the courtyard and fountain outside the back of my room.

One morning I had a large animal jump out in front of me and run across the field. I wasn't sure what it was but it scared the living ***** out of me. I learned it was probably a "javalina", a giant rodent that looks like a wild boar. If they have young with them they can attack. Well after that I would make someone drive me to my room every night after that. Meantime I still walked to the set in the a.m. in the dark. Hey at the end of the day, I enjoyed not taking those extra steps.

There were laughs on set but it was pretty much down to business. Steven was and is such a gentleman with everyone when most would have been flipping out. The producer, Matt reminded me of Steven being similar in stature and coloring to Steven, you might have thought them brothers.

I got off campus one night when someone drove me 15 miles or so to a grocery store so I could find a pumice soap for Steven. The store didn't even have Lava soap. Thrilled to be off the resort I took the opportuity to buy bottled water and Milano cookies for my room - aren't Milano's cookies one of the core food groups.

As our time was running short at Tubac we went into night shoots. One day was 6 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. and the next 7 a.m to 8:15 p.m. The days were hot and very cool when the sun went in.

I still have notes to type up for Steven, changes in recipes etc. I did get off the premise the night before I left for a "wrap" dinner. I finally could kick back and show my sense of humor - it was a fun evening.

Click HERE for photos

Guess Where I Am?

Things happen spontaneously, without warning, things that would never cross your mind and POW and a challenging and exciting opportunity came my way. The king of BBQ, Steven Raichlen, called to ask if I could fill in for his personal assistant who is having some health issues. The job was flying out to Tucson and working with him as he films his next 13 episodes for PBS. I am offically a food stylist, plate wiper, meat rubber and runner.

It has been challenging to say the least, with a new crew, new location, new chefs and me. Days start at 6 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. We are at a golf resort and I haven't been off property since getting here. Travel time included it is 11 days. I have great photos but I don't have access to download them from the resort.

One of the crew offered to take me to the grocery store tonight, who knew I would be excited to go to a grocery store - anything to get off property.

More to come!

P.S. You know how people who eat a lot of garlic ooze the scent. Well I am full of smoke; hickory, cherry, apple etc

It's A Book - YUM is here!

YUM! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats

Birth Date: Thursday, October 25th

Birth Weight: 2 lbs 10 1/4 ounces

Total Recipes: 100

Color Photographs: Yes

Gestation: 4 months conceiving
6 months to publish

Delivery: Aided with the help of many great culinary friends and experts it was easier than expected.

Compiled by: Dara Bunjon (aka Dining Dish)

Dara Does It - Creative Solutions for the Food Industry

&

Jeff Spear - Studio Spear

Four months was a tight time frame but Jeff and I were able to get this book together and off the the publisher. Craziness ensued, my house not central to the recipe testing was still home to the food items over Xmas break at Eastern Technical School. On the final day of photography we were testing recipes at my home late into the night. I'm outside in January working two charcoal grills in the dark. Thank goodness for Steven Raichlen's BBQ tongs with the built-in light, a miner's hat with a light would have been better.

The Offical Press Release:

YUM! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats (Cumberland House; October 25, 2007; $28.95) is ready to be eaten. A “giving” book from the onset, being underwritten by Microplane® with their profits on the sale of the book going to the National Kidney Foundation. The giving continued when Dara Bunjon of Dara Does It – Creative Solutions for the Food Industry and Jeff Spear, Studio Spear, co-authors reached out through the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation to the high school ProStart culinary students to assist in the recipe testing. The students got to work with products they had never seen before, learned the ins-and-outs of a properly written recipe and see alternative career options with food styling and food photography.

Culinary Greats Give!

A collection of mouth-watering recipes from culinary greats renown for their prowess in and around the kitchen. Some of the stellar contributors are Sara Moulton, Nick Malgieri, José Andres, Charlie Trotter, Roy Yamaguchi, Rick Tramonto, Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken, Elizabeth Falkner and Susanna Foo.

If those names are not impressive enough, the book also features recipes from Steven Raichlen, Rick Bayless, Nathalie Dupree, Dan Barber, Tom Douglas, Jodie Adams, Ana Sortun, Suvir Saran, Michel Richard, Gael Greene, Susan Hermann-Loomis, Jacques Torres, Joanne Weir, Norman Van Aken, Scott Peacock and many others.

Whether they excel as chefs, restaurateurs, writers and/or culinary educators, they have all worked their way to the top of their respective culinary fields. Each culinary great answers assorted questions with humor and passion on the pages of YUM! giving readers insight to what makes them tick.

You Can Donate

YUM! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats is being sold through the normal channels but if purchased at the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation $15.00 is tax deductible and will benefit the MHEF ProStart program and scholarship fund or direct from Microplane® where all their profits go to the National Kidney Foundation.

Better yet, YUM! is an ideal holiday gift for either the hobby cook up to those avocational cooks who like a good challenge. There is diversity and great recipes for all.

About the Authors

Dara Bunjon, president of Dara Does It – Creative Solutions for the Food Industry, works within and with many aspects in the food industry from public relations, food styling, freelance writing, product development and much more. Also known in Baltimore as Dining Dish, she writes a food blog (http://www.diningdish.blogspot.com/ )as well as a foodie newsletter by the same name. Baltimore Style Magazine recently wrote about the blog, “If Lucy Riccardo wrote a blog this would be it.”

Jeffrey Spear is president of Studio Spear, a leading national marketing consultancy based in Baltimore Maryland. The company focuses its strategic and creative efforts on kitchen based “lifestyle” products and caters to both consumer and trade audiences.

Some of Studio Spear’s better known clients have included Anheuser Busch, Disney, BaskinRobbins and Hasbro. While these companies are some of the largest in the country, if not the world, Studio Spear maintains relationships with companies of all sizes and geographic influence.

In Conclusion

What I learned from this experience:

1. I can work closely with someone for 4 months and not put a contract out on their life.
2. The ProStart high school program needs additional help with educational information. A big thank you to Frieda's Produce company for donating their fabulous book The Purple Kiwi for the instructors.
3. Not all chefs can write a recipe well.
4. Most people don't read recipes through.
5. I'm blessed to have so many friends who helped pull off all the recipe testing.
6. I've learned the ins-and-outs of many ethnic groceries in the city.
7. There is a white soy sauce.
8. Geoduck clam is pronounced "Gooey Duck"
9. Jeff and I have different food profiles - his favorites were not mine and vice verse
10. My passion for food and bringing people to the table grows more each day.
11. Rachel Ray, Paula Dean and Giada have nothing to worry about, I'm no threat.

This is a cookbook that keeps giving. Do you need to raise funds for your charity...sell the book, cookbooks are hot for holiday giving. Contact Cumberland Publishing.

The Mystery Hot Sandwich

Time to catch the bus back to Baltimore from New York. The bus leaves at 4 p.m. and they ask you to be there 30 minutes ahead. This was my first time on what are commonly called the Chinese buses that transport you to New York and back to Baltimore for $35.00 round trip. That is a whole other story.

The weather was on and off rain and I have learned from one previous trip to be prepared. I head off with a trash bag over my rolling luggage and umbrella in hand. I get off the subway and have a 6 block walk. I'm running late and the bus was waiting but it was still about 3:40 p.m. I stake my claim on two seats hoping that the bus doesn't get full. Even with the umbrella, my hair is dripping wet and my glasses steamed up. I scramble off the bus looking for food. My immediate options were a bakery or little stores where they sell beverages and snacks. I walked into one and asked for food. He said "I have hot sandwich" - I go okay and grabbed a bottle of water - $4.00.

The sandwich was on a crispy sub roll. It was colorful, I recognized carrots, mayonnaise, a pickle and some mystery meat. Not lunch meat, maybe a sausage of some kind. There was some cilantro. I was starving (I only ate breakfast), I was tired,
and I was damp...so I indulged in the mystery hot sandwich.

As the bus pulled out of E. Broadway I saw a PHO place and wished I had known it was there and had time to have grabbed that instead of the mystery hot sandwich. If you have a clue of what I ate, let me know. I tend to think it might be Vietnamese in origin.

At The Table with Women Chefs -New York City

A great evening was had by all at Women Chefs and Restaurateurs "At The Table" dinner. I got there a bit early and helped a small bit with setting up the silent auction. Boo hoo, someone out bid me for the 2 tickets to David Letterman and dinner at the Monkey Bar.

What's with the music, well it highlights the photos from the evening's festivities-check them out just below the menu.

It was a great evening and we raised money for culinary scholarships.

Thursday, October 18, 2007
Prince George Ballroom
New York

Honorary Chair: Sara Moulton

Chefs: Anne Burrell, Centro Vinoteca; Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez, Lassi; Rebecca Charles, Pearl Oyster Bar; Mary Cleaver, The Cleaver Company; Alina Eisenhauer, Sturbridge Baking Company (Sturbridge, MA); Patti Jackson, Cento Vini; Nancy Olson, Gramercy Tavern; Amy Scherber, Amy’s Bread; Barbara Sibley & Margaritte Malfy, La Palapa; Ivy Stark, Dos Caminos;Patricia Williams, District

Sommeliers: Julee Resendez; Yukari Pratt

Menu

Hors d'oeuvres
Almond Shorba

Hudson Valley Lamb and Feta Burgers with Tzatziki on House Made Buns

Mini Roasted Chile Poblano Corn Muffins filled with Queso Cotija, Serrano Ham and Guacasalsa of fresh Tomatillo and Avocado

Ceviche of Fluke with Citrus Ginger Mignonette

L'Hemoniere Sauvignon Blanc, 2006
The Wines of the Alto Adige
Rogue Bower Beers

Dinner

Hudson Valley Antipasto Carponata, Pumpkin, Pickles and House made Crackers

A Selection of Amy's Breads

Scallop Chowder with Pernod and Thyme
Buttonwood Sauvignon Blanc, 2006

Roasted Pumpkin Farrotto with Gorgonzola Dolce
Ryan Patrick Estate Chardonnay, 2005

Wild Salmon with Charmoula, Couscous and cucumber Lime organic Soy Sour Cream
Woodward Canyon Nelms Road Cabernet Sauvingnon, 2005

Beef Shortrib Brasato in Sforzato di Valtellina with Spaghetti Squash, caramelized Cauliflower and Pioppini Mushrooms
Trinchero Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvingnon 2005

Dessert

Chocolate Bread Pudding with Cacao Nib Whipped Cream

Petit Fours

It's Not Sara's Secret Anymore

Praise the lord!!! Hot off the press!!! Sara Moulton is coming back to TV. Sara has gotten her funding and has just started to shoot a PBS TV series. I loved her on the Food Network, I loved her live programming and I've missed her natural grace and sense of humor.

I spoke to Sara last night at a dinner event and we made arrangements to chat for greater details on this upcoming series. Keep you eyeballs glued to Dining Dish for updates and/or sign up for the Dining Dish E-Newsletter. Please know that if you sign up for the newsletter you can safely unsubscribe at anytime.

I'm So Far Behind

EEEgads, the November Baltimore Style Magazine is coming out and new people will be reading the Dining Dish. I'm not quite sure what Style meant saying my blog was if Lucy Ricardo wrote a blog but I will take it as a compliment.

Okay, so all you new readers here is the poop on Dining Dish. I have multiple post to make but I don't seem to be getting to it. Here is the synopsis.

CHEAP VACATION TO OCEAN CITY

Yes cheap, we got the AARP discount at the Fenwick Inn the week after Labor Day at $39.50 a night for the room. We ate dinner at happy hour at Jordon's restaurant rooftop at our hotel with 1/2 a pound of shrimp for $3.50. Found a great cyber cafe
Java Surf Cafe - 15 Village of Fenwick. They have wonderful ice cream from Woodside Farm Creamery that was written up in Gourmet or Bon Appetit's August edition. The proprietor is Jeff Goldberg. Do stop in and tell him Dining Dish sent you.

NATURAL FOOD SHOW

I finally met my client, Donna Shields,RD, MS,CPT - an amazing woman. I have been working as her publicist since July and we finally met. She lives in Key West. We had a great time walking the show and dinner later at Sotto Sopra Restaurant I spent
a couple hours at the Maryland booth promoting tsp spices,certified organic spices conveniently premeasured and sealed in individual teaspoon packets.

JAPANESE FOOD SHOW

Last summer while having lunch with Hiroko Shimbo at 11 Madison in New York she asked who I suggested to be on stage with her during a cooking demonstrations. I told her to reach out to Sara Moulton who is also a member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs and she did. Fast forward to October 1st when I day bus it to New York for the Japanese Food Show.


I was amazed when I walked into the lobby and an acquaintance I met a couple years ago with Wiley publishing said hello. She is now working for a very hip caterer. I start going to the booths, had some wonderful udon noodles, tasted the new soy paper and then scurried to get a seat for the cooking demonstrations. I squish by a couple of women and sit down only to realize it was Phoung Hoang and her daughter Lyly who used to own Hoang's restaurant in Baltimore. They now have a restaurant in Fairfax Virginia called Hoang's. I cried when they moved away from Baltimore, I just loved them and the education they gave me on Vietnamese Food. I had a great day with them, chatting with Hiroko and Sara Moulton. I even ran into three other people I knew, Lisa Ekus PR Maven,
Jamie Tiampo a fabulous food photographer and cookbook author, Julie Sahni.


Phoung Hoang, Sara Moulton, Hiroko Shimbo, LyLy Hoang

DINNER AT DARA'S

I wanted to give you a link to a story that Riccardo Bosio wrote about a dinner I fixed for him. Click here for the story This should keep you busy.

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I still have the cookbook reviews to write..that will be sent with the Dining Dish E-newsletters, archives are at http://www.dara-does-it.com. You can sign up here on the blog.

YUM-TASTY RECIPES FROM CULINARY GREATS

Hard to believe but the cookbook will be out October 25th. My co-compiler Jeff Spear and I will do big e-mail blast. We will be at the City Lit Project fundraiser Saturday, October 25th and the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation will be selling the book to raise money as well. More to come.

WOMEN CHEFS DINNER - This Thursday in New York ...notes to come.

Lemonade at Jack's Bistro

I’m not sure what others do when they have insomnia, it looks like I write on my blog.

I have had good intentions about writing about the correct way a restaurant can and did handle a bad situation.

The Who: Jack’s Bistro at 3123 Elliott Street, Baltimore, MD

The When: Last Week – Tuesday, August 28th

The What: Busted water heater on 2nd floor – damaged ceiling

I was in Canton for Koffee Talk Brew Happy Hour, had my token one drink, schmoozed, took some photographs for the web site and decided that I would go to Jack’s Bistro which was just a couple blocks. I’ve heard a lot of positive things about Jack’s so off I went to sit at the bar, peruse the scene and get a light bite.

Upon entering I see the chef and others sitting at the bar. “I’m sorry we’re closed” one of them stated and explained the busted water heater that destroyed part of the ceiling. "Here, please take this gift certificate and use it on your next trip, sorry for your convenience. Here is some crab salad to go."

I can think of many other places who would have just put a note on the door and gone home but these are very savvy people, they truly took the lemon and made lemonade. Before I left they handed me a walk-away menu with their specials.

Disappointed they were closed? Yes. Will I be back? Yes, and with friends.

P. S. The crab salad was excellent.

Service Included - One Book, Two Reviews

One of the "hot" forthcoming books for the fall is Service Included: 4-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter by Phoebe Damrosch. I read the review copy but didn't feel qualified to render a review for the subscribers of the Dining Dish E-Newsletter and the blog. Fortunately I have very talented and savvy Dining Dish subscribers/readers and two volunteered to read the review copy and render their opinions.

Our first reviewer is Barbara Tasch Ezratty. Barbara shares her time living in Puerto Rico and Baltimore. A talented women by anyone standards, she is a food critic in Puerto Rico as well as editor/author of cookbooks featuring What's Cooking - Que Se Cocina En Puerto Rico: An English-Spanish Cookbook, Kids in the Kitchen/Ninos En La Cocina: An English-Spanish Cookbook and The Great Chefs of Baltimore. Barbara also has her own publishing company.

Service Included: 4-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter

by Phoebe Damrosch

in stores September 25th

(William Morrow; $24.95; 240 pages; paperback; ISBN: 978-0-06-1228114-8)

Barbara Ezratty's Review:

Phoebe Damrosch, aspiring writer (at times); living in an apartment above her (ex) boyfriend in Williamsburg (Brooklyn); and out of a job, becomes a busboy (girl) in a funky café, which she describes as “rife with clichés: roaches in the dry goods, mice everywhere, shady finances, messy love affairs, drugs, theft, basement flooding and chefs with a penchant for throwing pots, pans and produce.”

So it’s perfectly natural that after a year of rising above such distractions, she would seek and be awarded with a job on the staff opening New York’s prestigious Per Se Restaurant, an offshoot of California icon chef Thomas Keller’s French Laundry.

“Service Included” takes us into the kitchen, dining room, aisles and hallways of Per Se, as Damrosch, as she learns how to be one of the best backservers (waiters) in the business. It also takes her into various bedrooms, until she finds Mr. Right.

But as fascinating as her love life might be, it’s the restaurant rules, disciplines and gossip that have us eating out of her hands. Once she was taught how to walk, stand, bow, and curtsy (they called it “the dance; the grace of serving”) … and learned the uses for assorted glassware, flatware, china and linens… and memorized the history of various foods and their suppliers, and the lineages of GCSB (goat, cow, sheep, and blue cheeses) … and knew each and every detail about the menu, she was ready to take the floor. Oh, almost: she also learned that “the secret to service is not servitude, but anticipating desire.”

For instance, when the New York Times critic arrived for his second visit with three tablemates, they each ordered separately from the Extended Chef’s Tasting menu, which totaled about 20 courses and close to 80 different dishes. Phoebe pulled it off.

Per Se is not a restaurant most people will pop into for lunch. But those who can afford lavish luxury become regulars. One sentence sticks with me: “some regulars spent $20,000 on their first visit.” And yes, that is enough to get them to the top of the lengthy reservations list each subsequent time they call.

But then again, look at what they get. Starting with Damrosch’s Diners Bill of Rights: the right to
1) Have your reservation honored;
2) Water;
3) Food ordered at the temperature the chef intended;
4) A clean, working bathroom;
5) Clean flatware, glassware, china, linen, tables and napkins;
6) Enough light to read a menu;
7) Hear a dining companion when they speak;
8) Be served until the restaurant’s advertised closing time;
9) Stay at your table as long as you like; and
10) Salt and pepper.

The fresh flowers are nice too. As is the sterling silverware. And an incredible wine list. All of this and total commitment by the wait staff.

In “Service Included,” Damrosch quotes a chef as saying “In an American breakfast of bacon and eggs, the chicken was involved but the pig was committed.” Damrosch says “This is a story about commitment to food, service, love, perfection and to being the bacon.”

***

Our second reviewer is veteran cookbook author, Linda West Eckhardt who possesses that rare quality known as voice. Linda is funny, authoritative, and unique both as a personality and a cooking talent. In addition to winning the James Beard Award, for Entertaining 101, Linda also won the Julia Child IACP Award for her innovative book, Bread in Half the Time, 1991 which was not only named the Best Cookbook in America for 1991, but also the best book on the subject of baking for that year.

In addition to a busy schedule writing books and magazine pieces, she co-hosts the national radio show “Don’t Talk with your Mouth Full” with Jennifer English on The Food and Wine Radio Network, nominated for a James Beard prize in 2002, and teaches monthly Master Classes at A Cook's’ Table, Baltimore, Md, as well as teaching in cooking schools from coast to coast and managing a small group of select food public relations clients.

Linda Eckhardt's Review:

Books about food have begun to climb not only to the best seller lists, but to lists of the Best by such luminaries as the editors at the New York Times. We’ve heard from the back of the house from chefs, see Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential, we’ve begun to think deeply about food, see The Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, and even the essayist David Foster Wallace chose a discursive bit on the plight of the lobster in the boiling water to head up his latest collection. But a waiter? How could a member of the front of the house staff cobble together enough words to make up a book?

Phoebe Damrosch, who, by her own admission, is not a painter/actor/artist who must earn her keep as a waiter, but rather the other way round, is a waiter who feels the urge to write it all down. And write she has. Miss Phoebe was one of the original wait staff at Thomas Keller’s Per Se, when it opened in the New York Time Warner Center. She was there for it all. The grueling training, the fire that shut the place down, the reviews by the big guns. And through it all, Miss Phoebe rose from bus person to Captain with a remarkable alacrity and managed in the process to create a book that I, personally, could not put down.

The book follows the expected memoir/confessional pattern that has fueled such books as the Devil Wears Prada with one notable exception. Miss Damrosch can actually write, and think. If you’ve ever wondered just exactly what’s at stake for a big restaurant when a notable reviewer, say Frank Bruni, of the New York Times, drops in, here’s your book. There is so much at stake, and the reviewer has so much power, that its quite mind boggling to read about.

But this book points up one thing clearly. The restaurant world is big business, and requires an army to keep it running. People, product, and beyond all that, a philosophy. You will learn a lot about Thomas Keller reading this book. But perhaps, more importantly, you’ll look at the wait staff in the next restaurant you go to, with a newfound respect. I recommend this book unreservedly.

The Cheez-It Tour

I was asked to help promote Cheez-It Crackers with their "BIG CHEESE" taste this weekend. My gig was to talk about the amazing 700 pound block of cheddar cheese that was carved by a Wisconsin cheese carver, Troy Landwehr into Mt. Rushmore. The carving is on a 15 day road trip in a brightly colored semi that has clear side walls.

Simple gig, talk the Cheez It talk and hand out samples. Like in life, things don't always run smoothly. My samples didn't arrive as well as my Cheez It t-shirt. So out to get bulk snack packs of Cheez It's - 500 packages. Another call, one of the walls of 1 lb Cheez Its on the truck had fallen down, could I, would I, go buy 100 boxes of Cheez Its and meet the touring truck at the Baltimore Farmer's market at 6:30 a.m. and rebuild the wall.

I had no problem with the snack packs but that warehouse store didn't carry the 1 lb boxes so off to Giant Food. I went to the service desk to see if they had cases of the 1 lb boxes. I heard her tell the other staff on the phone 1 lb boxes...so off course they came out with the wrong size.
Okay, so now I went to the shelf and took every box that was in good shape off their shelves, 62--I counted them. I went to the service desk thinking it wise with such an unusual check out. The original young lady wasn't there and I was directed to take it through the regular check out line.

I proceeded to tell them I have 62 boxes. I was ask to put all the boxes on the conveyor belt where she scanned each box and more. They had charged me for 65 boxes. I told them to take 3 boxes off. No, they credited the whole thing and the supervisor with one box kept going by the scanner 62 times. What a chore and what an inane situation. Later that day I went to Shoppers where I picked up the 38 boxes. The checker counted the boxes and enter 38 times the price. Simple. Meantime Shoppers was having a sale at $2.50 and I paid $4.19 at Giant. If this is tedious reading you should have lived it. Now getting everything in my car and out of my little Corolla.

Out the door at 6:15 a.m to meet the truck at the Farmers Market. They ask him to move from the Saratoga street entrance to the Fallways entrance where he couldn't go because the truck was too tall. So everyone was staring at each other and I finally said, let's go back to Saratoga Street. Then once there to back in and then to move because the motor of the truck was driving the flower vendor crazy.

As Kenneth, the driver, and I tore down the wall of Cheez Its we had to store them and then load the 100 boxes. Kenneth and I both worked on gluing the boxes. When Kenneth had everything under control I went home for a bit and then off to meet the truck at the Bowie Walmart and then on to the Glen Burnie Walmart.

Pour Abe Lincoln's face was melting, or let's say compressing...he actually reminded me of a friend of mine.

We went through 1/2 the samples in no time flat but Kenneth had found some extra in storage. It was fun interacting with most the people, money was earned and I picked up some steamed crabs as my reward. Always a foodie ending.

You can see a picture of the Cheese Mt. Rushmore at this link http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070701/APC0101/706300578/1979

Top Chef Winner Ilan Hall - How He Got on the Show

Ilan Hall at Great Grapes in Annapolis Maryland explains the interview process that got him on Top Chef. Click on the title to see the video.

Summer International Fancy Food Show

After 2 days working at the Fancy Food Show and limited time to walk the floor I have come up with a couple of picks. Chocolate with Bacon...my booth mate and president of Tsp Spices mentioned it as well as Deann Bayliss of Frontera Grill...I made a beeline to Vosges Chocolate to taste it. It was good but after munching so much I really couldn't determine the bacon flavor. I will get more information.

Okay, the next item is soy salt which used aged soy sauce (3 years) and freeze dried it and you sprinkle it on your food. Also white soy sauce which is used in food dishes where you don't want the deep soy color. This is a combination of wheat and soy.

I had a great lunch with the bad boy of baking, Nick Malgieri at the Great New York Noodle Company (we dined there last year). Beef Mai Fun, Shrimp with Eggs, Roasted Pork, Millionaire's Chicken, Soft Shell Crabs - we were quite full. Nick was off to the butchers as we went and got some sorbet. More to tell later on. So those were my Fancy Food Show picks as nifty new items.

There was a proponderance of energy drinks and waters, organics (a whole new section adding about another 100 booths to the show). Wellness is what it is all about.

I will hope to have a newsletter out in the next two weeks.

Stay tuned.

In Search of the Holy Pizza

My food buddy and I decided to try two pizza places in Baltimore that have had rave reviews. We had an early start and off we went to Eastern Avenue to Matthews Pizza, which has won best pizza in Baltimore numerous times. I was extremely hungry with just eating a slice of watermelon all day. I was up and ready for this pizza. Since we knew we were heading to two pizza places we ordered the small margherita pizza with tomato, mozzarella and fresh basil.

I have to admit I have a preference for thin crispy pizza, it doesn’t make it a better pizza, it just meets my personal likes. Matthews offers a thicker crust ..but then again it isn’t a crust, it seems more like a focaccia dough. The tomato was in cubed pieces with sufficient mozzarella and strips of baked basil. The texture was fine but the taste was bland. We both added more Parmesan, garlic powder, oregano and chili pepper flakes. The staff was pleasant enough but to me Matthew's wasn't "all that."

Next, Joe Squared on North Avenue next to the Maryland Institute of Art Building. It isn’t in the best of neighborhoods. My companion wanted to sit at the bar which gave us the added benefit of 2nd hand cigarette smoke. I let it ride and put it in the atmosphere column. We settled in on the mushroom pizza with sautéed mushrooms and mushroom powder.

I thought I would order a cup of gumbo while we waited for the pizza. When the gumbo arrived it was a conglomerate of meat sauce, some shrimp like creatures, sausage, ground beef and okra…it was a mixture of what seems to be their Bolognese sauce and regular gumbo. It needs to be listed on the menu as Gumbonese. As we both are finishing the Gumbonese we were informed there were no mushrooms so we chose another pizza margarita. Another disappointment. The crust was thin and crispy but they seemed to have just spread tomato sauce on this square pizza with limited mozzarella and fresh strips of basil. It was lackluster except for the crust. We picked off the mozzarella on half the pizza and added it to the slices we were eating and left the naked slices.

Joe Squared seems like a cool hang-out for the art students but not worth my return. I found I was barstool dancing to some of the music but eventually there was too much rap. Was it Eugene O'Neill who said "you can't go home?" I can't go back, funky places are a part of my youth.