What do you do with a group of foodies who not only love to cook, but work in the food biz? Challenge them to an Iron Chef Competition! This corporate group took the job of preparing risotto seriously, and came up with lots of good ideas. Cajun-Asian Shrimp Risotto...
Here's a delicious twist on customization. How would you like to pick up what looks good to you at the fish counter, take it right over to a cook who will grill, blacken or fry it in front of you. Instant satisfaction - Whole Foods has got a great idea! Not only can...
Happy Birthday Toni! I taught a fun cooking class last night at Cooks Warehouse here in Atlanta. Paul threw a 5oth party for his wife Toni. We had an iron chef competion. Even the "non cooks" did a great job - take a look at the evening's results.
I receive lots of questions about eating "Organic" when I teach cooking classes. I thought I would give you a quick run down of some of the things you may want to think about when choosing groceries. First of all some quick definitions:Organic: In the United States,...
I had lunch with a friend the other day, who told me she had just discovered brining. Brining is a cooking method that uses aromatic spices and salt to flavor meat and encourage moisture retention. In other words, the science of salt allows the turkey, (even the white...
If you are a subscriber to my weekly news short: The Friday Four, you received my Favorite Wines Gift List this week in your email. But here's another foodie gift idea perfect for this time of year. It's from a chic florist here in Atlanta - but you could recreate it...
Because I LOVE to eat and drink, I always try to read lots of healthy tips and tricks this time of the year. Here's a link to a list that I found particularly helpful - so I am passing it on to you all. Scroll down the page til you find the blog for Wednesday Dec 3....
Planned-overs is what we called our left-overs when I was growing up. And what better word to describe Thanksgiving Dinner? We are still eating turkey sandwiches in our house, but when the bird resembles a carcass here is what I am planning:Southwestern Turkey Black...
Each year before my birthday, I spend hours looking through cookbooks and cruising the net. No "bought" cakes for me, I enjoy trying to decide what decadent indulgence I am going to make almost as much as eating it. So this year I decided to go retro and back to the...
Who doesn't like talking about making food delicious AND beautiful? Last night at the Cooks Warehouse, we created yummy hors d'oeuvres and used beautiful platters, fresh fruit and veggies for presentation. The food was truly "Picture Perfect" Congrats to all five...
Mike and I headed North last weekend with our friends Peter and Rebecca. On the way we stopped at the Tomato House. What fun! Lots of regional foods, and rooms full of hot sauces, chili jams and relishes. As a big fan of local produce, I was thrilled to talk to some...
"Didn't know you picked, Jimmy" the women beside me said to a guitar player. "Oh yes ma'am, yes ma'am I sure do!" was his reply. And then the group started playing. We stood in the square of Newnan for over an hour listening to a rag tag group of excellent musicians...
Don't you love the LAUGH sign on the wall? We all need to be reminded of that more often... I am passing on a couple of pictures from a super class this week at the Piedmont Cancer Wellness Center. The group was just wonderful - asking LOTS of good questions,...
Wowza. I don't think I have ever BEEN to Douglasville before. But I learned that I should have - and you should too, if you want wonderful Cajun and Creole food cooked by a family from New Orleans. We hopped on the bike the other day and headed west from Atlanta in...
Do you enjoy Malaysian food? If you're a fan of Thai food - Malay food will make you happy, too! My friend Carrie and I headed up the highway 75 corridor to Penang. Malaysian food is similar to Thai, and combines elements from Indian and Chinese cuisines. Coconut...
