How you doin’? While it seems everything has fallen to hell-in-a-handbasket during the pandemic, two excellent, locally-grown produce crops seem to be better than ever. Local strawberries have been plump and sweet right out of the fields in Oxnard California. Likewise, the white locally grown corn is fantastic. I shared a recipe with you a couple of weeks ago for a Fresh Corn Carbonara Pasta. But corn doesn’t have to be a side dish to a steak or a mix-in to a pasta dish… corn can be stand alone. Actually, last night my dinner consisted of just two ears of corn (and a couple of pieces of homemade peanut brittle—had to make sure I kept my calories up). I think there are hundreds of ways to cook corn and why not—corn was first domesticated by native peoples in Mexico about 10,000 years ago. Native Americans taught European colonists how to grow the indigenous grains, and, since its introduction into Europe by Christopher Columbus and other explorers, corn has spread to all areas of the world suitable to its cultivation. It is gown on every continent except Antarctica. Did you know that corn is the most widely distributed of the world’s food crops—used for used as livestock feed, as human food, as bio-fuel, and as raw material in industry? Wow! Did you know corn was so versatile? Corn is essential for masa used to make tortillas and tamales; corn meal for corn rye and the bottoms of pizza; grits and corn bread—two original southern favorites. Plus, dozens of other applications. I can easily boil my corn in salted water, grill it on the barbecue, make in my Instant Pot or even zap it in the microwave and all these methods work. So, I was tooling around the other day trying to figure new ways to cook and enjoy fresh, sweet corn on the cob and I came up with this new method. Rather than just boil the corn in water (which does nothing to enrich it), I boiled it in butter and milk. It is a spectacular way to make sweet buttery corn. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 8 to 10 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 4 to 6 cups water 1 cup milk 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter 1/2 cup honey 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons kosher salt 4 to 6 ears corn, shucked and halved Directions
ChefSecret: I also like to strip the husks off the corn, slather it with mayonnaise, sprinkle it with Parmesan cheese and wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. You can do this ahead of time. Toss the “iron-clad” corn on the Barbie the same time you put your steaks up they will be ready when the meat is medium-rare. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “This darn pandemic! I went grocery shopping with a mask last night, got home and discovered I brought home the wrong wife. Everyone looks alike. Stay alert people!” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entree #Side #Corn #Honey#PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen#Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020
0 Comments
How you doin’? Pimm’s Cup No. 1 is a thirst-quenching, supremely summery drink (in England, it’s a must at cricket matches and Wimbledon), that mixes lemony soda (or Sprite or ginger ale), fruit, cucumbers, mint, and a fortifying shot of gin. It is a gin-based drink invented in 1823 by James Pimm. The Pimm’s was a house specialty bar libation at The Ben Jonson, The Five Crowns and Tam O’ Shanter—owned by the Lawry’s Restaurant Group. Mr. Pimm, an enterprising farmer's son from Kent, became the owner of a small oyster bar in the City of London, near the Bank of England. He offered his magic tonic (a gin-based drink containing a secret mixture of herbs and liqueurs) as an aid to digestion, serving it in a small pewter, glass bottom tankard known as a "No. 1 Cup", hence its subsequent name. In 1851, Pimm's No. 2 Cup and Pimm's No. 3 Cup were introduced. Pimm's began large-scale production in 1851 to keep up with sales to other bars. The Distillery began selling it commercially in 1859. In 1865, Pimm sold the business and the right to use his name to Frederick Sawyer. In 1880, the business was acquired by future Lord Mayor of London Horatio Davies, and a chain of Pimm's Oyster Houses was franchised in 1887. Over the years, Pimm's extended their range, using other spirits as bases for new "cups". After World War II, Pimm's No. 4 Cup was invented, followed by Pimm's No. 5 Cup and Pimm's No. 6 Cup in the 1960s. The Distillers Company was subsequently purchased by Guinness PLC in 1986 and Pimm's became part of Diageo when Guinness and Grand Metropolitan merged in 1997.[4] In 2005, Pimm's introduced Pimm's Winter Cup, which consists of Pimm's No. 3 Cup (the brandy-based variant) infused with spices and orange peel. Ingredients Prep time: 10 minutes Yield: 8 Pimm’s Cups Ingredients 2 oranges, cut into half-moons 2 lemons, cut into half-moons 1 Persian cucumber (see ChefSecret) or one 3-in.-long piece English cucumber, washed and sliced 2 cups Pimm's No. 1 4 cups Sprite or other lemon-lime soda 6 to 8 large sprigs mint, crushed gently, plus a few loose leaves Directions
ChefSecret: Persian cucumbers are small, thin-skinned, virtually seedless, and very tasty. They're sold at well-stocked grocery. ------------------------------------------- Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Is it too early to put up the Christmas direction yet? I have run out of things to do.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #PimmsCup #Gin #Cricket #Wimbeldon #BenJonson #TheFiveCrowns #TamOShanter #Lawrys #Cocktail #HappyHour #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020 How you doin’? You will be doing just fine after eating this Mediterranean salad. It has summer written all over it. The fresh sweet basil leaves add a special flavor thrill that brightens the taste of the salad. The summer multi-colored, sweet grape tomatoes make this pasta salad a favorite during these warm season months. Once the pasta is cooked it only takes only a few minutes to toss together, a quick, refreshing summertime meal. Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Chill time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 (12 ounce) package penne pasta 1/4 cup virgin olive oil 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered salt and pepper to taste 5 ounces mozzarella cheese, small diced 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded 4 ounces fresh basil, chiffonade cut (see ChefSecret) 12 large Kalamata olives, halved 1 lemon, seeded, cut in quarters Directions
ChefSecret: I keep a small potted sweet basil plant in the kitchen window. I love the way it brightens a salad or adds a wonderful green flavor to a jarred tomato sauce. I call her Francesca—you know, you must talk to growing plants to keep them happy (they need a drink of water each morning. Francesca will last about 3 months before replacing. Live basil plants can be found in many produce departments in upscale supermarkets or farmers’ markets. ------------------------------------------- Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Due to the quarantine, I will only be telling inside jokes for the foreseeable future.” ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind—that’s the American way. If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entree #Side #Salad #PastaSalad #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #InstantPot #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020 How you doin’? With some extra time on my hands I started going through old computer files. We use a program called Worldox. It is an excellent shareable filing system that tracks down even the oldest and most obscure files. When we first installed Worldox (over 20 years ago) we transferred all our files over to the new program. Last week I “rediscovered” all my old Pizza Hut files. Perspectives was a consultant to the company for many years. Pizza Hut was founded in June 1958 by two Wichita State University students, brothers Dan and Frank Carney, as a single location in Wichita, Kansas. Six months later they opened a second outlet and within a year they had six Pizza Hut restaurants. The boys began franchising in 1959. Back then a pizza parlor outside of New York City was a rarity. They went to their mom and borrowed $600 renting a small building near downtown Wichita and purchasing secondhand equipment to make pizzas. The Carneys opened the first Pizza Hut and were off to the races. By 1966, Pizza Hut franchise units had grown to 145. Frank claimed that he and the Pizza Hut system had made over 500 millionaires. In the early days of Pizza Hut, the pizzas—crust, sauce and topping—had a distinct New York halo. A lot has changed at the hut since the early days as the company grew and mainstreamed their offerings. The pizzas are not any better or worse, they’re just different. If you are still yearning for the flavor of the original red roof version… here is a hack of the crust recipe, circa 1959. It’s kind of easy to make and provides an excellent platform for a great pizza sauce, cheese and toppings—I have always been a double pepperoni guy, myself. Frank Carney and I worked on several projects together—Applegate’s Landing (casual dining Italian anchored by pizza); Solo’s (a fast drive-thru mini 5-inch pizza concept), Chi-Chi’s (casual dining Mexican food) and China Rose (themed casual dining Asian food). This was always against the background of our relationship from the original Red Roof Pizza Huts. Frank… thanks for the memories. Prep time: 30 minutes Proof time: 60 to 90 minutes Bake time: 15 minutes Yield: 2 servings Ingredients 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (previously sifted and measured) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper, find grind 1 packet dry yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water (no higher than 110⁰ F) 2 tablespoons lard, melted (that’s authentic) 1/4 cup whole milk Directions
ChefSecret: You say you don’t have the time to make the crust—too much trouble; takes too long??? Try the following crustless short-cut recipe to make an entrée-worthy hot pizza dip. Short Cut Pizza Dip Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Yield: 6 servings Ingredients 8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning, divided 1-1/2 cups (6-oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided 1 cup (4-oz.) finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided 1 cup pizza or marinara sauce (I prefer Rao’s) 20 pepperoni slices (about 2 ounces, optional) Stuff to dip with: sliced baguette, toast rounds, pita chips, flatbreads, crackers, bagel chips, or tortilla chips Directions
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: Just a quick question… So, to enter stores now, do I need a face mask or a brick? 2020 is so confusing. ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are also being posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. ------------------------------------------- If you have a little extra in your pocket to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading. #Entree #Baking #Pizza #Worldox #Snack #Appetizer #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #InstantPot #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020 As you can see, today’s blog is a milestone of sorts—#100. We have been publishing our Covid-19 Cooking Lessons since March. Never in a million years did we imagine that the pandemic would disrupt our society for so long. We originally started blogging to keep our people busy and so that Joan and I wouldn’t go crazy walking around empty offices. We thought that many people stuck at home would be both entertained and gain new interest and insight into foods they eat. As safety conditions continue to be fluid, we want our blogs to focus on your changing needs no matter where you live or the conditions in your geographic area. We built our million dollar 3000-square foot product development center consisting of our test kitchens, pilot plant, chocolate development center and the back-of-the-box home kitchen. Each area has a specific purpose. This is where it all starts… where formulae and recipes are first developed and tested by our chefs and home economists. In the pilot plant we scale up recipes (larger batches) to more closely mimic how they will perform in larger batch production conditions. The back-of-the-box kitchen is where we develop new recipes (like this one) for home use. The chocolate development center is where new confections and desserts are imagined. One of the things we’ve heard lately, for the first time in nearly 3 generations, is that mothers and dads are taking the time to teach their children to cook (and some are learning themselves in doing so). So, occasionally, we like to combine a recipe with a craft project to help create a tasty teachable moment. We also try to incorporate a little history of where and how the recipe originated. We hope you will “stay tuned.” So, for the 100th time we ask, “How you doin’?” The thing about being in a semi-lockdown in Los Angeles is it gives you lots of time to reminisce about favorite restaurants and meals from days gone by. There once was a restaurant called Kelbo’s in West Los Angeles, and they had the absolute best Polynesian ribs—better than Trader Vic’s or Don The Beachcomber. Kelbo’s was kitschy and fun and smelled great from the moment you walked in the door. That said, Kelbo’s was all about the sticky, red, island ribs and great Polynesian “frou-frou” drinks. When I opened my first south seas-style waterfront restaurant in Foster City, California I wanted to serve ribs just like Kelbo’s. I offered to buy the recipe from Jack, but no dice. I even tried to bribe one of the cooks, but he was having none of it. We must have flown back and forth for two or three months with a couple of our chefs tasting the Kelbo’s secret recipe ribs. Why was this so damn hard to duplicate? We made ribs in the test kitchen for a year before I thought our ribs were good enough to put on the menu. I called them, $100,000 China Red Ribs, because I spent that much money to duplicate them. It may not have been a dead match for Kelbo’s, but it was certainly very close. If love ribs, you’ll love these. Kelbo’s was a big deal back then. I’ve read on other blogs that people who remember Kelbo’s would like to have those wonderful ribs again. The owners’ families have stuck fast to not sharing their recipe. But I am happy to share my original bulk recipe for the thick, sticky, caught under your fingernails sweet red ribs we served. Feel free to reduce the recipe for your needs or bottle some sauce for your friends. Prep time Sauce: 20 minutes Cook time Sauce: 30 minutes Prep time Ribs: 10 minutes 1st Cook time Ribs: 50 minutes 2nd Cook time Ribs: 7-10 minutes Yield Sauce: 3 quarts Ingredients For the sauce 4 cups soy sauce 1-1/4 cups sherry wine 4 cups granulated sugar 1 cup red wine vinegar 1-1/2 cups ketchup 1-1/2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon five-spice seasoning 2 teaspoons Wright’s liquid smoke (it’s got to be Wright’s) For the ribs As many as you need--trimmed out St Louis-cut ribs Directions To make the sauce
To cook the ribs
ChefSecret: To get these ribs just so, there is the recipe and then there is the talent of the chef. I always consider these ribs an artform and that leaves room for a lot of creativity on how the ribs are cooked. The Kelbo’s formula was to get them thick and sticky—where the glaze gets stuck under your fingernails. When I am cooking these at home in a non-commercial oven, I will dip the ribs 3 or 4 times to build-up the thick, sticky glaze that I like. Eat Healthfully, Stay Fit, and Above All, Have Fun In The Kitchen ------------------------------------------- Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Mask not what your country can do for you. Mask what you can do for your country.” In short, Wear A Mask! ------------------------------------------- Do you have a question or comment, want to share a favorite recipe or pictures? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. You can also find these blog posts at https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. And now a word from our sponsor… About PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. For over 4 decades, Perspectives has been providing strategic and tactical consulting solutions to food and hospitality companies. Our worldwide experience spans five continents and dozens of countries working with some of the largest companies globally. Collaboration and vision are the cornerstones of our approach to developing innovative solutions. We fuel innovation, uncover opportunities, discover trends and embrace sustainability, turning imaginative ideas into profitable realities. We are expert in the following areas: Strategic Planning, Concept and Brand Development, Market Research, Operations Systems Planning, Operations Programming, Menu Planning & Inventory Optimization, Product Development, Training Programs, HACCP / Sanitation / Food Safety, Co-Packer Evaluation & Coordination, Food Processing & Facility Plant Design. #$100KRibs #StLouisRibs #Kelbos #100thEdition #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #InstantPot #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020 |
For over 4 decades collaboration and vision have been the cornerstones of our approach to developing innovative solutions. We fuel innovation, uncover opportunities, discover trends and embrace sustainability, turning imaginative ideas into profitable realities. Categories
All
Archives
April 2024
|