Food Bites: Ma Sarap

First thing’s first, “Ma Sarap” is the Tagalog term for “That’s delicious!” It was one of the first Tagalog phrases I ever learned. And quite possibly started my love for food! Anyway, here’s a little food memory of mine that is well-rooted with my love of food and my love of serving food to friends and family. I hope you enjoy!

My family’s heritage is very important to me, and what better way to celebrate that heritage by visiting relatives in the Philippines? Granted, the only downside is the 19-hour flight to Manila International Airport (and this includes the 4-hour flight from Tokyo). Now as much as I love my family, I was not at all looking forward to this trip. I knew that where we were going wasn’t the most comfortable of places; no air conditioning and no answer to the waves and waves of mosquitoes that Mother Nature saw fit to throw at us. Still, family is family and besides that, there was one major thing that spurred me on: the promise of authentic Filipino cuisine made with authentic Filipino ingredients. Now, don’t get me wrong, my mom makes a pretty darn good interpretation at home, but it’s really not the same. The flavor profiles between the Philippines and the United States are completely different and it’s for that reason why I was so excited to brave the bugs and heat that day. Little did I know that I was in for a real treat.

So, after the long flight and the long drive to get to the house where dinner was being served (2 hours from the airport, not counting traffic) we arrived and so did the mosquitoes, sadly. Thankfully, the bugs didn’t deter me from the absolutely amazing sight that waited for me: an entire table filled with all sorts of delicious-smelling food. It was absolutely fantastic. There was Lechon (a whole pig that’s been slow-cooked over coals for the whole day), Pancit (Filipino version of Chinese Stir-Fry), Lumpia (which is essentially a Spring Roll, but with veggies, pork and rice that’s been deep-fried) and lots and lots of the Filipino staple: rice. It all smelled so delicious, I couldn’t wait to dig into all that food. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait very long. Soon my aunt came out with the plates and utensils and we all proceeded to dig in. Right away I could taste the difference between my mom’s version of these dishes and the authentic dishes cooked in the Philippines. It’s two completely different flavor profiles and I must say (no offense to my mom) the original is so much better, although much more spicy. There were dishes there that I did not try, mainly because I was turned off by the smell. Balut is one dish I did not try that my dad and uncles absolutely love. It’s a chicken egg with the embryo still inside it. The smell can only be described as “pungent.” Perhaps one day I’ll work up the courage to try it, but for now, no thank you.

This memory is one of my strongest of the Philippines and it’s due to many factors: family, togetherness, my heritage and, of course, the food. It’s not often I go to the Philippines to visit my relatives, but when I do visit, I’m sure to take advantage of every minute I’m there. My family always celebrates with a large feast like the one I just described and it’s a fantastic way to experience the growing and diverse melting-pot that is Filipino cuisine. It’s stayed with me for so long (about 7 years now) because of the combination of food and family. It’s that feeling of togetherness that family always brings, coupled with the comfort of sharing a large meal with the ones you love. Food is always important to me, as well as family. It’s part of my Filipino upbringing and it’s going to stay with me for a long time; that kind of love and passion for others is what’s going to transfer over to my food and, hopefully, will transfer over to anyone who tries my food.

Food Bites: De-Mystifying Salt

Hey guys! A little while ago, I wrote an article for the school newspaper about salt: how it’s bad for you and how it’s good for you. Let me know what you guys think!

De-Mystifying Salt

There is a war going on, unseen by the majority of the American public. It is a war between the FDA and the food industry, and it’s a war that has been going on since 1978. It is the war on salt. An element that is so essential for life is now under fire for its supposed role in causing strokes, kidney failure, heart disease and hypertension (high blood pressure), just to name a few. With all this frightening information being published so recently, it’s understandable that people are very scared about salt and its harmful effects. However, this is where misinformation comes into play. Many people may become misinformed about salt and think that it is really bad for your health, while ignoring its key health benefits, which are many, varied and stretch back throughout human history. Armed with that knowledge, it’s time to bust some salty myths.

Sodium-Chloride (salt, of course) has had a very important role in the history of humanity, dating back thousands and thousands of years. At one point salt was worth more than gold and was highly sought after in ancient times. It was a preservative as much as it was a seasoning agent. Before the advent of refrigeration, meats and other perishables were salted to prevent them from spoiling. It would seem, however, that even with modern refrigeration technology, major food companies today are adding enough salt to their food like it was the Middle Ages again, and this has raised some red flags in the FDA.

According to the FDA and other small, independent research firms, salt has been linked to many serious health risks. It is estimated that salt contributes to at least 100,000 high blood pressure-related deaths a year. The FDA report goes on to say that because salt is considered a safe food ingredient and that peoples’ palates have become so accustomed to high amounts of salt, people no longer know what is a safe amount of salt. A fact made all the more dangerous with certain processed foods having double and even triple the recommended amount of salt for a human, and with processed foods making up 75-percent of the sodium we consume, it seems that we are quite literally eating ourselves to death each and every day. Despite all this, however, companies are hesitant on lowering the levels of salt in their food products. Why? As Michael Moss writes in the NY Times: “…they crave salt as a low-cost way to create tastes and textures. Doing without it risks losing customers and replacing it with more expensive ingredients risks losing profits.” Consumers, as well as companies, are to blame. A 1979 internal memo from snack company Frito-Lay states: “Once a preference is acquired, most people do not change it, but simply obey it.” So who’s to blame? Everyone. What’s the solution? Information.

There seems to be a growing trend in the “salt war;” misinformation. People and research companies either intentionally or unintentionally overlook the health benefits salt has, in favor of the health risks salt poses. For example, the sodium in table salt actually reacts with the potassium in human bodies to generate the electricity that drives the central nervous system. Any drop in sodium could prove disastrous to human bodies. In addition, sodium is key in holding water in the body, keeping the body hydrated longer (a key bit of information when you are stranded at sea). Most importantly, “salt makes food taste like itself,” as TV personality Alton Brown has said. Without salt, many foods we enjoy today just wouldn’t taste the same, and what do companies do to cover for the lack of salt? Increase the amount of sugar. Finally, health risks such as hypertension are often hereditary. In short, if you have a family history of hypertension, lay off the excessively salty foods. These facts seem to be swept under the proverbial rug every time the salt debate comes up. The best answer for all the salt-based health questions is moderation. If people just monitor what they eat and make sure that they drink more water than they consume salty foods, then they’ll be a-ok.

Moderation and good information are key to debunking the myths and scare tactics that arise in this war on salt. Take them to heart and we may very well get out of this war with our health, and food, intact.

Recipe: At-Home Stir-Fry

Too tired to go out to a restaurant? Too broke to order out? Don’t worry! This recipe is right up your alley! You don’t even need a Wok! Seriously, I’ve done this recipe with both a Wok and a wide saute pan. Both work out just fine, so don’t worry! So here you go! It’s time for some at-home Asian food!

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound of peeled and de-veined shrimp
• 2 Packs of instant ramen noodles
• 1 Spanish Onion
• 1 Bell Pepper (color is up to you)
• 1 – 2 Carrots (depending on their size)
• 1 Rib of Celery
• 2 – 3 Cloves of Garlic (depending on their size)
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Crushed Red Pepper Flake
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/4 Cup of Chicken Broth
• 2 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon of Mirin (you can skip this if you can’t get a hold of any)
• 1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil
• 1 Tablespoon of Butter

Hardware:

• A Wok or a large, wide saute pan
• Silicone Spatula
• Pot for boiling the ramen noodles
• Strainer
• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board

1. Slice up all the vegetables. No dicing here please. The carrots, celery and bell pepper should be in thin, almost matchstick cuts. The onion should be cut in half and then each half sliced thin. The garlic is the only one who should be diced, fine.
2. Put your pan/wok on the heat and crank the heat as high as it will go.
3. Add the butter to the pan and then add all the veggies, except the garlic. Season with the salt.
4. In the mean time, put the ramen into the other pot and boil with salted water until done. Drain and set aside.
5. When the veggies become soft, add the shrimp, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook until the shrimp turn pink.
6. Add the ramen noodles and all the liquids now.
7. Toss and saute for a couple of more minutes until done.

There you have it! Asian-style food, without the delivery charge! Enjoy this one guys!

Food Bites: Confessions of a Culinary Student

Title and inspiration thanks to one of my friends

I am now 2 weeks into my tenure as a CIA student and it’s been really great thus far. I’ve only got one class so far: Culinary Math. It’s basically a math overview/review, set in kitchen and bakery scenarios. We’re dealing with a lot of percents, percent yields, unit conversions and recipe scaling. It’s a bit tedious and I really do wish that I was in more culinary/baking classes, but I do understand the reasoning for this review class. I’m a bit shaky when it comes to math of any kind, and this class is helping me out in so many ways. I’m getting refreshed in math skills and I’m learning to identify when to uses these math skills in the kitchen (and in future classes).

Speaking of future classes, once my math class is done on June 18, I’ll start up my culinary classes. Nothing in the actual kitchens yet, but it’ll be good to get started. My roommates were nice enough to give me a heads-up on what I’m in for. Both Culinary Arts and Baking/Pastry Arts students share a core group of classes they need to take: Math, Writing (which I got transfer credit for), Product Knowledge and Food Safety. I can’t wait to get started. After those core classes are all done, then you move onto the classes that are more suited towards your program of study. My first class as a Baking/Pastry Arts student will be Baking Skills 1. I’m sure my textbook devoted to Bread will come in handy at some point there and in the future. It’s a little ways in the future, but I seriously can’t wait to get started. The one part that continues to boggle my mind is that we have no actual cafeteria on campus. All the production kitchens and teaching kitchens provide the food for the students on campus. In other words, if someone doesn’t do their fair share in class, the rest of us don’t eat. It’s kind of funny and kind of daunting at the same time.

And speaking of the food, the menu here is just about as varied as it can get. Counting the Apple Pie Bakery & Cafe and the Courtside Pub, we have 12 total places where students can eat on campus, using their ID card. We have Cuisines of Asia, Cuisines of the Americas, Cuisines of the Mediterranean and even a banquet hall that is also used to train people for banquet services and catering services. Needless to say, the menu here is limitless, and it just keeps on growing. The flavor profiles are through the roof and the menu for each kitchen changes daily. For example, one day you could pick up a Sashimi platter from the Asia kitchen. The next day it’s Korean BBQ. Over at the Americas kitchen, one day you could have Grilled Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes. The next day, it’s Cuban Seared Sea Bass with a Black Bean Puree. Down in the Mediterranean kitchen, one day it’s Penne in a Vodka Sauce with Clams, the next day, Roasted Lamb, straight from Greece. You can taste the diversity here. Literally.

If you ever get the chance to visit, try and get a reservation to any one of the 5 student-run restaurants and cafes on campus: American Bounty, which specializes in traditional and new age dishes from across the Americas. The Apple Pie Bakery & Cafe, which has wonderful baked goods and great cafe-fare. Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici, home to traditional cuisines and wines of Italy. Escoffier Restaurant, home to classic French dishes. And finally, St. Andrew’s Cafe, where everything on the menu was grown and/or raised locally and made fresh daily. I know it’s a blatant plug for the school, but it really is THAT good.

That’s all for now. I’ll see you guys later!

Ristorante Caterina de’ Medici

Recipe: Chocolate Brownies

Let’s be honest with ourselves, shall we? Who doesn’t like chocolate? Honestly, who doesn’t? Chocolate is one of my many culinary loves. Anything with chocolate on or in it, and I’ll be all over it, believe you me. It’s one of those foods that absolutely screams comfort. it’s just one of those foods that is so versatile and so delicious that it almost defies explanation. So here’s one of my all time favorite chocolate concoctions: Chocolate Brownies. This is a mixture of two recipes and techniques. Half the credit goes to my cousin. The rest goes to Mr. Alton Brown of Good Eats fame.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups of Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup each of Brown Sugar and Regular Sugar
• 1/2 cup of Flour (All-Purpose is best)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Salt
• 8 ounces of Melted or Room-Temperature Butter
• 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
• 4 Large Eggs

Hardware:

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Electric Mixer (hand or stand is good)
• Spatula or a Bowl Scraper
• Sifter (or mesh bowl)
• Toothpick (this should be obvious why this is here if you’ve ever made brownies before)
• Pan for the brownies
• Small length of parchment paper
• No-Stick spray
• Pizza Cutter (you’ll see why)

1. Preheat your over to 300-degrees
2. Spray the inside of the pan with the no-stick spray
3. Tear/Cut a length of parchment paper so it will act like a makeshift basket when you pull the brownies out later on. This will prevent the brownies from breaking up when you pull them out of the pan.
4. Beat the eggs first. The batter will come together better this way. Beat until they go from dark yellow to light yellow
5. Sift all the dry goods together and add them to the eggs
6. Once they’re all integrated, add the rest of the ingredients
7. Mix for about another minute and then get everything into the pan
8. Park them in the oven for 45 – 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out nice and clean when inserted into the middle
9. Here’s the trick, you need to get them out of the pan and cut while they’re still warm. Here’s where the parchment sling comes into play. Using the sling, pick up the brownies and get them to a cutting board. Then, using the pizza cutter (easiest tool for the job, thank you Mr. Brown) cut the brownies into as many pieces as you need.
10. Let cool before serving

I guarantee that these will be the best brownies you will ever have. If you’re REALLY adventurous, you can follow a tip my cousin told me. To the dry team of the brownies, add about 1/2 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper. Apparently it really enhances the chocolate flavor. I’ve never mustered up the courage to try it yet, but maybe one day I will.

Food Bites: The NYC Food Scene

Hey guys! I know I said that I would have a blog entry up yesterday, but I had some homework to take care of and on top of that, there was a power outage in my building. Thankfully I didn’t lose anything on my laptop. Now that that’ out of the way, let’s move onto some food-related business!

Back on Saturday (June 5) some friends and I took a day trip into NYC to check out the ever evolving food scene, sample a couple of NYC staples and to get our friends from California and Maryland acquainted with authentic NY-style pizza. It really was an adventure. We left early in the morning on a train into the city.

Our first stop was a local favorite; Doughnut Plant, located on 379 Grand Street. This, to be honest, was our first and only reason for going into NYC that day. The doughnuts here are absolutely out of this world. Doughnut Plant has been featured in countless publications (Time Out New York, NY Times, Boston Globe, etc.) as well as TV shows (Regis & Kelly, Emeril Live, Good Morning America, etc.) and the doughnuts really show why it deserves to be in the spotlight. They’re a lot lighter than most other doughnuts. They’re less cake-y and more airy. The flavors are absolutely fantastic. Mango, Tres Leches, Blackout Doughnuts, just to name a few. If you have a major sweet tooth to satisfy, Doughnut Plant is the place to go.

Once we had our fill of doughnuts, we decided to head elsewhere and search out more NYC eats. A local pointed us toward a NYC staple: Katz’s Deli on 205 East Houston Street. In business since 1888, Katz’s has been known for many things: outstanding pickles, outstanding meats and outstanding staff, just to name a few. The one thing people don’t seem to mention is the lack of seating room! But that’s really the only gripe I have with the place. The food is the main star here and let me tell you, it REALLY shines through here. There are tons of choices at Katz’s and I am pretty sure you won’t go wrong with anything on that menu. Salami, burgers, chili dogs, drinks, etc. Whatever you order at Katz’s, you can be sure it’s going to taste great. I ordered a chili dog there and I gotta say, it was one of the best chili dogs I ever ate. If you want a local favorite with a great reputation and good food to back it up, Katz’s is the place to go.

The rest of the day was devoted to wandering the streets of the city, looking out for any food place that looked interesting to us. We really didn’t have to go far. Once we hit Rockefeller Plaza, we came upon a street fair and as locals and frequent visitors to NYC know; where there’s a street fair, there’s going to be NYC street food. Now, I’m not just talking about hot dogs, although there were plenty of those there. I’m talking about Halal, Gyros, Italian Sausage (my personal favorite), Lemonade, Roasted Sweet Corn, etc. You name it, and it was probably there. I’ve always been a proponent of small, local eateries and it really doesn’t get any smaller than the NYC street vendors. We picked up a couple of gyros and I grabbed an Italian Sausage. Two words: SO GOOD. There’s just something about the small places that just screams “Good Food.” The next time you see a street vendor in NYC or in any city, stop by. You very well may get a nice surprise.

Our last stop before leaving was for authentic NY-style pizza. The best of the best, when it comes to pizza (although I could make a case for New Haven style pizza, but that’s another entry). We stopped by a tiny place and got a few slices. I really don’t know what it is about NY-style pizza. It’s just GOOD. Thin crust, fantastic cheese and sauce, awesome toppings. It all really melds well with each other and it just explodes with flavor. It really was the best way to end a food day in the city.

Seriously guys, go check out the places I mentioned here. They are absolutely worth a trip into NYC any day of the week. Sadly, we did not make our way to the famous Shake Shack, but we vowed to go another day. And you can bet that once we do go, I’ll write all about it here!

Food Bites: First Impressions of the CIA

Howdy ya’ll! I’m finally moved in and have my internet connection working! No new recipes as of yet, but I can assure you, they’ll be posted up as soon as I learn them. In any case, I just wanted to give a small update on how things are going here at the moment.

I moved in yesterday and met my two roommates (yeah I’m in a triple). It’s a lot better than Fairfield’s rooms, I can tell you that much. There’s loads more room and my roomies are pretty chill. One is from Mexico and the other is from Minnesota. Needless to say, it’s quite an eclectic mix! I’m the only Baking/Pastry Arts student in the room, but i don’t mind. That just means that I’ll have people to share my homework with (and by “homework” I of course mean recipes).Today and tomorrow are orientation days. I pick up my knives and class schedule tomorrow. I’m nervous and excited at the same time. I really want to get some work started and get my culinary journey. From what I’ve been hearing around campus, the chefs are really fantastic to work with and will basically help you with any problem you may have. I’m glad to be in such a prestigious place and learning from some of the best culinary instructors in the world.

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more updates and recipes guys!