Sweetener Strategies

Prepared Foods’ seminar speakers shed some light on the complex problems inherent in formulating product with reduced sugar content.

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What My Chef Friend Taught Me

During college in Gainesville, Florida, my friend Katie Resmondo and I met while waitressing at a Mexican restaurant called El Toro. We’d hang out after shifts at each other’s apartments, chilling and cooking super-easy comfort food like Hamburger Helper Stroganoff.

This is the first time I’ve admitted that publicly.

Gradually we improved a bit though, serving “everything” bagels slathered with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and scallions to our girlfriends when we gathered with Cosmopolitans for our weekly Sex and the City viewing nights.

Fast forward more than 10 years later: Resmondo is a professional chef at Simply Wine, an American bistro in Billings, Montana, as well as a personal chef who caters and teaches classes. And I’m a food writer and editor in New York City.

We’ve come a long way since those boxed-meals. As Resmondo learned through hands-on experience in commercial Asian and American kitchens, I soaked up knowledge by interviewing and watching chefs in those kitchens and trying it at home.

Katie Resmondo

“One thing I teach people is if you know a combination is good, it doesn’t have to be done a traditional way,” Resmondo says. One time when I was visiting her, she blended corn chips to use as a binder in Mexican-inspired meatballs because she didn’t have bread or bread crumbs around. With cheese inside also and a tomatillo sauce draped on top, those meatballs were to-die-for. The bacon-speckled Spanish rice underneath those savory orbs was the perfect pairing.

She’s taught me to experiment, to not be intimidated by unfamiliar foods, dishes, or techniques. Other chefs, such as Samin Nosrat of the bestselling Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat cookbook, remind me to taste everything as I cook, throughout the whole process. Recipes aren’t necessary once you understand the four elements of good cooking, Nosrat told me.

“People assume that things are a lot more complicated,” Resmondo says. “Pretty much every cooking class I’ve taught, they’ve said, ‘Oh, that is a lot easier than I thought it’d be.'” Word.

Despite our 2,000-mile distance these days, Resmondo continues to teach me cooking tips and tricks that I use in my personal home cooking. She’s even created videos to show me her tricks that I try in my Brooklyn apartment.

You can benefit too. Try these tips from Chef Resmondo:

1. How to separate egg yolks and whites.

There are many ways to do this, but Katie showed me the most basic, popular way that I use every time I need to separate my eggs. Tap the middle of the egg against the sink or bowl, and break it in half, pouring the yolk from one half the other as the clear egg white oozes down into the bowl. This video shows that method, plus the technique of holding the yolk in your hand while the egg white seeps down between your fingers.

2. How to scrape off the skin from ginger root.

Tasty Kitchen

I make smoothies a lot, and I love to use fresh ginger. The zingy root is also great in Asian-inspired stir-fry and noodle dishes. I used to slice off the bark-like skin, but it’s awkward and I wasted too much of the insides. Then Katie showed me how to scrape off the skin with the edge of a spoon. That way, you don’t lose as much of the peppery flesh. Plus, it’s easy.

3. How to keep weeknight cooking simple.

Cooking in Sens

This one I haven’t fully grasped yet, but I’m a work in progress. “I don’t like to be in the kitchen for more than half an hour,” Katie says of her weeknight cooking for family at home. “Working in restaurants, you just get a lot faster, when you’ve done so much prep, chopping and such.” So how do the rest of us get faster? Repetition of your favorite recipes is one. And tacos. While the protein is cooking, toss the salsa ingredients in the blender, starting with garlic and jalapeño, which you fully blend, and finishing with tomatoes, which you pulse to keep it a little chunky. Add salt, lime juice, and cilantro afterward. Then add a dab of that salsa to some avocado you scooped out of its shell, and mash it with a potato masher, adding salt and lime juice. Put the protein (beef, chicken, pork, fish, beans, whatever) in the hard or soft taco shell, then those two toppings for a well-balanced, flavorful meal. That’s it. You can also check out our taco recipes.

4. How to chop an onion.

It’s not the usual way. Slice off one end of the onion, but leave the root intact. You need that root to grip as you make horizontal slices from the edge toward the root, heading up. Then you slice vertically, with the tip of the knife facing the root. And finally, you slice vertically the third time, parallel to the root, to make little cubes. This video can help.

5. How to make a fancy swoosh on the plate.

Tundra

This is a cool technique when you’re cooking for guests, not necessarily for a Tuesday dinner with the family. It looks fancy and modern, but it’s so easy. Use this trick when you have a sauce or purée: Drop a dollop of the sauce on the plate and then place a spoon in it and drag it out with a slight turn. The end.

6. Sushi can be as diverse a foundation as tacos, pasta, or bread.

Vegan Food Like

You can put anything in your sushi, from a roll with bacon, chili peppers, and cream cheese, to more sweet rolls with dates, honey, and cream cheese and fruit sushi with mango, kiwi, and pineapple with coconut sauce. Full disclosure: I haven’t made sushi at home yet, so this is just a cool idea.

— Head photo: Vegan Food Like.

Amy Sowder is the assistant editor at Chowhound in New York City. She loves cheesy things, especially toasties and puns. She’s trying to like mushrooms. Her running habit is the excuse for her gelato passion. Or is it the other way around? Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and her blog, What Do I Eat Now. Learn more at AmySowder.com.

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Former Eleven Madison Park Bartender Matt Seigel Shows Us How to Make 3 Classic Cocktails

New York’s Eleven Madison Park may get all the accolades for its innovative and obviously delicious menu, but behind a great restaurant is typically a great bar.

Matt Seigel, owner of In the Spirit of Hospitality group, was a former bartender at the world’s number one establishment, having concocted classic cocktails for the city’s most affluent, cultured, and opinionated diners.

We met up with the LA-based master of mixology to field his expertise on three of our favorite drinks: the Negroni, martini, and Moscow Mule. Needless to say, we feel like we’ve been doing things wrong the entire time.

Check out the video above, learn a few tips and tricks, then head behind a bar to try these recipes yourself. Happy hour just got even happier; a feat we didn’t think was possible.

Negroni

Chowhound

According to Seigel, it’s important to follow the 1:1:1 rule for Negronis, meaning that each component (gin, vermouth, and Campari) is mixed in equal parts. Always be sure to pour your spirits into the glass before your ice, otherwise the first spirit will get more diluted than the last. Top with an orange peel and get sipping. Get the recipe.

Martini

Chowhound

Gin, vermouth, and a dash of orange bitters: easy peasy, right? Well, sort of. Maintaining a cold temperature is everything when it comes to the perfect martini, including the frozen mixing glass. Seigel is also anti-sweet vermouth and an olive garnish. Apparently it ruins the cocktail’s balance, which should be clear and silky smooth. Get the recipe.

Moscow Mule

Chowhound

Our obsession with ginger beer has gotten a little out of hand, which is why Seigel opts for a ginger syrup (fresh ginger juice and sugar) instead. They key, however, to a perfect mule is its frothy and velvety consistency, best achieved through a whipping process using crushed ice. Get the recipe.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

There were two major influences on this recipe: the Nestle Toll House back-of-the-package recipe (which I think we can all agree is pretty much The Standard as far as chocolate chip cookies go) and a recipe from Christina Tosi’s cookbook Milk Bar Life.

It’s thanks to Christina’s recipe that I discovered the wonders of milk powder!

Continue reading "Chocolate Chip Cookies" »

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French McDonald’s Would Like You to Eat Burgers with a Fork and Knife, S’il Vous Plaît

We’re smelling a resurgence of 2003’s “Freedom Fries” campaign. And this time, it’s smelling a lot like Quarter Pounders.

McDonald’s in France has shocked fast food purists (okay, maybe just Americans) by encouraging the use of utensils with its hamburgers. According to Le Figaro, nearly 1,400 restaurants will be distributing recyclable plastic knives and forks, which only re-affirms the notion that French people are way more classy and sophisticated than the rest of the world. Seriously, what’s next? Table-side Chanel bag carriers?

While it’s not hard to believe that Europe’s biggest fork and knife connoisseurs have opted for mandatory cutlery options, we’re frankly surprised that not even greasy, meant-to-be-picked-up-and-devoured-quickly McDonald’s can inspire customers to ditch societal norms in favor of sloppy eating habits. (Though we applaud the French for standing up for tradition, no matter how uppity it may seem to us tongue-smacking, drink-gulping, ketchup-lipped Americans.)

Sure, the news may rile up all of you outspoken and uncompromising Big Mac “experts”, but it’s also important to note that French McDonald’s will only be offering the utensils with their line of more “expensive, signature burgers.” This is no more of an assault on fast food culture than Burger King’s decision to roll out black charcoal buns or Cheetos Chicken Fries. In fact, marketing ploys like the latter (which don’t stem from a country’s historical dining habits) can be downright terrifying.

“The cutlery is an evolution and not a break,” Xavier Royaux, vice president of marketing for McDonald’s France, confirms to Le Figaro, which means the fork and knife are clearly here to stay. And if you’ve got a problem with it (which so many people probably do), simple don’t visit France and enjoy life inside your messy-handed bubble. The world’s got plenty of issues, but for France, eating with a fork ain’t one.

Craving red meat? Get our Perfect Cheeseburger recipe. 

Chowhound

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Cold Food Flavors & Textures

Frozen foods have the advantage of increased shelflife and retention of flavor, plus today’s technology and ingredient solutions mean these products can also retain those freshly prepared characteristics that comfort food connoisseurs crave.

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Ready Pac Foods Expands

Beginning in September, the brand will launch two innovative product lines: Fresh Prep'd Soup Kits and Fresh Prep'd Wrap Kits. The product lines will deliver fresh, healthy and convenient meal options with bold tastes and on-trend flavor profiles.

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Spring Roll Recipes That Are Perfect for Summer

Spring has sprung again, but this time in the form of delicious and customizable spring rolls for summer. The Asian delicacy, traditionally wrapped in rice paper or pastry dough, can be fried, steamed, or consumed raw with fresh ingredients like vegetables, fruit, and sushi-grade fish. No matter the season, this app is a perfect starter for any meal.

We’ve rounded up nine of the most creative and warm weather-friendly spring roll recipes we could find. Scroll down to check them out.

Vietnamese Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce

You don’t have to travel to Vietnam to get a taste of their culture. Vegetable and shrimp-heavy vietnamese spring rolls with binge-worthy peanut sauce are broken down in just a few easy steps. Check out the video above. Get the recipe.

Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Spring Rolls

Recipe Runner

“Get that fruit away from my meat,” – you, probably. Do not fear the seasonal strawberry. It is there to provide a balanced sweetness to your typically savory dish. Get the recipe.

Green Goddess Spring Rolls with Avocado Dipping Sauce

Rachl Mansfield

If Green Goddess rolls are filled with cucumber, spinach, and green pepper, we can’t help but wonder what the Green God roll is made of. Zucchini, kale, and green onion? The possibilities are endless. Get the recipe.

Loaded Baked Potato Spring Rolls

The Candid Appetite

Loaded baked potatoes don’t discriminate when it comes to weather, so don’t fear a mid-summer carbo-load in the form of these innovative spring rolls. In fact, you should embrace the opportunity wholeheartedly and dump even more sour cream than normal. Get the recipe.

Spicy Tuna and Mango Soft Spring Rolls

Cooking for Keeps

Yes, you are capable of making sushi within the comforts of your own home. No, these will not last longer than 10 minutes once you make them. Get the recipe.

BLT Summer Rolls with Avocado

Avocado Pesto

There’s nothing more satisfying than the crunch of a BLT, which means this spring roll variety hits all the right spots in the texture department. Lettuce-wrapped everything, please. Get the recipe.

Vietnamese Tofu Spring Rolls

Delish Knowledge

Oh, eeee, ohhhh! Killer tofu! Okay, so these may not actually kill you, but the taste is killer. In fact, we’re pretty sure that Doug Funny would approve. (Even if they don’t contain mayonnaise). Get the recipe.

Fresh Fruit Spring Rolls

Super Healthy Kids

Fresh produce is it at its peak picking time, which means it only makes sense to gather it by the handful, wrap it in rice paper, and dunk it in honey. Chowhound tested, Mother Nature approved. Get the recipe.

Banana Spring Rolls

V for Veggy

Frankly, it’d be blasphemous to not include a banana variety in a list of delicious spring rolls. It’s like the starchy fruit was created just so it could be wrapped and fried. Get the recipe.

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ADM: Ingredient Solutions

Customers can learn more about ADM’s purposeful ingredients and value-added services at the 2017 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Expo June 25-28 in Las Vegas, at the Sands Expo Convention Center.

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Nagase America: Clean Label Appeal

Food formulators can now label TREHA® trehalose as “natural flavor” in most flavor system applications, including beverages and gelato. In fact, many applications can use up to 5%.  

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Rich and Creamy Tiramisu

Creamy, rich, and bursting with bold coffee flavors, tiramisu is one of my all-time favorite desserts. My version is less eggy than typical recipes, putting the mellow flavor of mascarpone front and center. Get Recipe!

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Barilla Ready Pasta

Barilla Ready Pasta is an ultra-convenient option offered in four pasta shapes including Elbows, Gemelli, Penne and Rotini.

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SO RIGHT Frozen Entrées

Bellisio Foods introduced SO RIGHT™, a line of single-serve frozen meals that combine real ingredients and full flavors.

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Black Diamond-Style Steak Marinade for Grilling

This steak marinade recipe re-creates the deep, dark, savory flavors of Tyson's Black Diamond steak by incorporating plenty of soy sauce, Worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, and onion and garlic powders. Get Recipe!

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Zesty Beer, Lemongrass, and Ginger Steak Marinade for Grilling

Light lager beer infused with fresh ginger, lemongrass, coriander seed, thyme, and lemon zest, plus some olive oil to help extract the aromatics' fat-soluble flavors, produces a lightly funky and herbal marinade that pairs well with fatty steaks, like boneless short ribs. Get Recipe!

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Culinary Circle Expands Lineup

The Culinary Circle brand announced that it is adding eight new items to its lineup to meet consumer demand for premium artisan products.

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Cocoa-Coffee Steak Marinade for Grilling

Coffee and chocolate sound like strong flavors, but they take on a delightfully mild tone in this steak marinade. Here, they're combined with brown sugar (for better browning on the grill) and a pinch of chili powder (for a subtle, spicy warmth). Get Recipe!

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