How you doin’? My weekly personal grocery bill has gone up nearly $75/week in the last year. That’s a big hit due to the continual rise in inflation. One of our restaurants opened under similar circumstance many years ago—higher prices are restaurant killers.
 
The success of Fanny’s Fish Market wasn’t about whole pieces of fish filets, jumbo shrimp and lobster tails. Fanny’s Fish Market was all about seafood infused sauces and meals. Our seafood sauce over a variety of pastas or salads mixed with bits and pieces gave plenty of rich seafood flavor at far lower costs. Seafood enhanced soups and chowders served in extra-large bowls with large slices of hot, cheesy garlic bread offered full meals at bargain prices.
 
Fanny’s opened on the pier at Foster City Estuary. It was an immediate success—profitable the first month it opened. With the restaurants’ healthy variety and reasonable prices you could (and many did) come in 3 or 4 times a week.
 
Here’s my home version of Fanny’s famous Sea Creature House Salad. The secret to our soups, salads and pasta dishes is a great thick piece of cheesy-buttered, toasted, crusty garlic bread.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Rest time: 5 mins
Yield:  4 personal salads / 1/2 cup dressing
 
Ingredients 
For the dressing
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
 
For the salad
2 (5 ounce) packages American salad mix (lettuce blend with other seasonal ingredients)
3/4 cup sliced pitted black olives
3/4 cup thinly sliced red pickled pepperoncini
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion or pickled red onion
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup sliced and quartered cucumber
1/2 cup warm garlic seasoned croutons
1/3 cup “baby” cooked shrimp—71-count (tiny sea creatures)
 
Directions

1. Combine olive oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic and Parmesan in a food processor, and process until thoroughly combined.
2. Combine salad mix, olives, pepperoncini, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and croutons in a large bowl.
3. Top with shrimp.
4. Drizzle salad with dressing; toss to coat.
5. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

ChefSecret:  You don’t have to buy a special spice mix to make it Italian. You probably have all the ingredients in your own spice cabinet. Feel free to adjust the ratio of spices and the yield to make whatever size of batch you would like to your taste. You’ll find this spice mix works with hundreds of other recipes from soups to pasta, grilled meat and marinades.
 
                                 Ed’s Special Italian Seasoning Blend
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Whisk all seasonings together in a bowl until combined. Better yet process through a spice grinder for a few seconds. Use immediately or store in a sealed container.

​Quip of the Day:  My doctor recently asked if anyone in my family suffered from mental illness and I said, "No, we all seem to enjoy it."
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Do you have a question or comment? 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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Entree #Salad #ShrimpSalad #FannysFishMarket #SeaCreatureSalad #BayShrimp #BabyShrimp #Lunch #Dinner #2023Recipes #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                  ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Cold soup is a very tricky thing, and it is the rare chef that can carry it off well. More often than not, the dinner guests are left with the impression that had they only arrived a little earlier they could have enjoyed it while it was still hot.
 
You’ve heard the old saying, “never wear white after Labor Day and never serve soup in the summer (or something like that). Not true!
 
We whirled up fresh, green batches of gazpacho over the years and even included them on my restaurant menus. I make the green one at home when I have more overly ripe avocado than I know what to do with. I’ve been told that my green gazpacho converted many summer cold-soup skeptics into full-blown fanatics of the stuff. So, what do you do when you have more out-of-the-garden tomatoes and summer harvest, garden grown vegetables than you can use? We go to the other side of the color wheel and see red.
 
My Summer’s End Chilled Gazpacho is made with a lightly acidified broth, made with puréed tomatoes and a wheel barrel of fresh harvest diced vegetables—Vidalia onions, punchy garlic, sweet red bell pepper, spicy red jalapeño and crunchy cucumber. If you’ve got some extra summer corn toss it in. All those veggies make this gazpacho a bit heartier than a straight purée, but it’s still wonderfully refreshing. You’ll love the combination of the cool, delicate broth with the fresh, crisp, vegetable textures.
 
Serve with warm crusty sourdough bread and a bottle of Mondavi Fume Blanc.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  30 seconds
Chill time:  2 hours
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
6 to 8 large ripe red tomatoes, cored
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion
2 tablespoon minced cloves
1-1/2 cups diced red or orange bell pepper
1 diced jalapeño pepper, seeds and seams removed
1 diced English cucumber, seeds removed
1/2 cup fresh corn off the cob (optional)
1-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro leaves with stems

Directions
1.    Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
2.    Fill a large bowl of water with half ice and half water to shock the cooked tomatoes.
3.    Cut an “x” on the bottom of each cored tomato (this makes it easier to peel) and, using a slotted spoon, gently place them into the boiling water for about 30 seconds.
4.     Remove the tomatoes with the slotted spoon and transfer them immediately to the bowl of ice water.
5.    Once the tomatoes have cooled, peel off the skin and cut them into quarters. Using a strainer over an empty bowl, squeeze out the seeds and reserve 1 cup of the tomato juice. Discard the seeds.
6.    Transfer the squeezed, seeded tomatoes to a blender. Add the reserved 1 cup tomato juice and the extra virgin olive oil, and pulse until the tomatoes are completely puréed.
7.    Pour the purée into a large bowl and add the diced Vidalia onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, English cucumbers, corn (if you’re using it), rice and balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper; stir to incorporate all ingredients well.

Note: Reserve some of the chopped vegetables to garnish the soup.

8.    Refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours, allowing the flavors to blossom.
9.    Serve in chilled bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and reserved veggies, if applicable.

ChefSecret:  This soup can be made a day or two in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Planning ahead, makes life a little easier by preparing this gazpacho a day or so in advance. The flavors only get more intense the longer you let the soup’s ingredients blossom in the refrigerator. 

Quip of the Day:  “Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day and awakens and refines the appetite." — Auguste Escoffier
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Do you have a question or comment?   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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Entree #Soup #SummerSoup #Gazpacho #ChilledGazpacho #MondaviFumeBlanc #Vegan #Vegetarian #2023Recipes #Covid19 #QuarantineKitchen #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

​How you doin’? Even after 15 years producing Choclatique fine chocolates, I still have a taste for Hershey’s milk chocolate and syrup. I love the flavor of a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar, marshmallows and graham crackers toasted over an open campfire (or a grill in the back yard). But who says s’mores need to be enjoyed from an open flame? Now you can take all the original sweet flavors of a traditional Hershey’s chocolate s’more and turn it into a scrumptious martini. Yes… a martini!
 
No matter how your day is going, plan to finish it off with a sweet sip of a S’more-tini. This recipe combines Hershey's signature milk chocolate, Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Fluff, Honey Maid Graham Cracker Crumbs and a Marshmallow garnish. Add a double shot of Vodka for the adult version. Chocolate Martinis are nothing new, but a S’mores-tini is unique for a night at home on a warm summer’s eve.
 
Prep time:  3 minutes
Yields:  1 cocktail
 
Ingredients 
1 Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar (1.55 oz), divided
3 large marshmallows or 5 miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons marshmallow fluff
2 ounces vodka
3 tablespoons half and half 
2 tablespoons Hershey's Syrup
crushed ice or ice cubes

Directions

1. Unwrap the chocolate bar and break it into sections along marked lines.
2. Gently push and twist the end of a decorative swizzle stick or skewer until it goes through one chocolate bar section; add the marshmallows; set aside for garnish.
3. Spread the graham cracker crumbs on a small plate. Smear the marshmallow fluff along the upper edge of martini glass. Roll rim of glass in graham cracker crumbs to decorate the glass.
4. Combine the vodka, half and half, chocolate syrup and ice in shaker.
5. Shake the drink for about 15 seconds.
6. Strain into prepared martini glass.
7. Garnish with prepared chocolate and marshmallow skewer.

ChefSecret:  Leave out the vodka for a fun, kid friendly beverage.

Quip of the Day:  A Californian, a Texan and a local are drinking at a bar in Big Sky, MT. After a while, the Californian finishes his martini, turns and throws his glass against the wall.
The Bartender, shocked, asks him why the hell he did that.
The Californian replies that where he's from, they make so much money they don't have to drink out of the same glass twice.
The Texan then finishes his martini, turns and throws his glass against the wall as well.
The bartender looks at him and asks why he did that.
The Texan replies that where he's from they have so much oil they don't have to drink out of the same glass twice.
About this time the local Montanan finishes his martini, turns to the other patrons, draws his gun and shoots them both dead.
Without waiting to be asked he tells the Bartender that around here there's so many Californians and Texans he doesn't have to drink with the same ones twice.
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Do you have a question or comment? 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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #SmoresTini #Hershey #Marshmallows #Fluff #MilkChocolateBar #Vodka #Cheers #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                       ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? Over the years, Perspectives has worked with most of the major fast food chains in creating new products. As you would expect some were more successful than others. You have to be impressed when someone “invents” or reinvents something as long lasting as Pan Pizza for Pizza Hut, Fish Taco for Rubio’s and McRib for McDonalds.
 
The downside to the rib sandwich for McDonald’s is that they originally formalized McRib with over 60 unique and mysterious ingredients ribs not necessarily being one of them. Easy for them to make; difficult for competitors to copy.
 
With a little reverse engineering and not having to put it through freezing, distribution, and easy-to-make-in-McDonald’s mandate, I developed a home-made-easy recipe that you should try with real ribs. While it takes little active prep time, you do have to allow time for cooking, cooling and cutting—bake, chill, cut, sauce, finish on the grill, and voila, one of the best BBQ sandwiches for your family.
 
McDonald’s sold so many McRib Sandwiches that they had to “bank” the cut of meat so as not to destroy the wholesale pork market. If you knew when they would bring this favorite sandwich back you could make a fortune on pork futures. All of the vendors were sworn to strict secrecy so as not to inflate prices.
 
My recipe only has 10 ingredients and one of them is really baby back ribs instead of shaped ground pork.  You’ll love the flavor of my Ed’s MacRib* Sandwich.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  3 hours
Cool time:  8 hours
Yield:  8 sandwich halves
 
Ingredients 
For the Dry Rub
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 
For the Sandwiches
2 racks baby back pork ribs (extra meaty and well-trimmed)
1 cup barbecue sauce, divided (your choice—I prefer Masterpiece Original)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke (I prefer Wrights Liquid Smoke)
4 long French-style long sandwich rolls, split and toasted
1 cup coleslaw (store bought or your favorite recipe)
Optional: white onion rings and bread and butter pickles.
 
Directions 

1. Preheat an oven to 325⁰ F.
2. Mix the salt, brown sugar, chili powder, pepper, cumin, garlic and cayenne together to make the rub.
3. Place rib racks on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan. Season both sides generously with some of the rub. Save the remaining rub for next time.
4. Cover the tops of the rib racks with parchment paper and wrap foil over the edges.
5. Cover the whole baking sheet with another large sheet of foil sealing the sides.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until tender, about 3 hours.
7. Remove the ribs from the oven and unwrap ribs to cool briefly until safe to handle.
8. Carefully twist out the bones, stuffing any loose pieces of meat back into the holes. Checking carefully for bone fragments and pieces of cartilage.
9. Wrap ribs back up and refrigerate until cold, 8 hours to overnight.
10. Cut each rack in half.
11. Brush both sides generously with barbecue sauce.
12. Preheat a charcoal grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
13. Grill ribs until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from grill and brush with more barbecue sauce.
14. Drizzle more barbecue sauce onto each roll.
15. Sandwich each rib section between a roll and top with coleslaw. Add onions and pickles to taste.
16. Cut in half to make 8 portions.

ChefSecret:  Make sure you don't use the larger St. Louis-style ribs. Use a sweet mayonnaise coleslaw. Use extra-large sesame seed hamburger buns (5-inch) as an option to the French rolls.

Quip of the Day:  Inflation has gotten so bad in the last year; McDonald’s is selling the 1/4-Ouncer.

*Disclaimer: Not wanting to infringe on anyone’s trademark I have named my masterpiece, Ed’s MacRib Sandwich.
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Do you have a question or comment? 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.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.
 
#Entrees #MacRibSandwich #PorkRibs #MasterpieceOriginal #WrightsLiquidSmoke #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                        ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? The fresh cherry season is short, so make hay while the sun shines. Better yet, make cobbler! My Fresh Cherry Cobbler uses fresh cherries instead of canned. The difference in flavor is spectacular—fresher is definitely better! It may take a little longer to make because you need to pit the cherries, but it is well worth it when you taste the finished product.
 
Where did cobblers originate? It is believed cobblers came to be in the early British American colonies. Due to the lack of suitable ingredients and proper cooking equipment, English settlers were unable to make their traditional suet puddings or pies. The cobbler is said to have been an improvisation of the much-loved pie into a trail-modified dessert. Fresh fruit was dumped into a Dutch oven, topped with globs of biscuit dough or batter and baked over an open fire until golden brown. We’re not baking this one over the campfire, but you certainly can enjoy it there… or on the couch!
 
Prep time: 1 hour (includes pitting cherries)
Bake time: 1 hour
 
Ingredients 
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups pitted fresh cherries
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
 
Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Place the butter in a 7 X 11-inch (or 8 X 8-inch) baking dish and place it in the oven to melt while the oven is preheating. Remove it as soon as butter has melted; about 5 minutes. Don’t let the butter brown.
3. Stir together 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and baking powder in a medium bowl.
4. Mix in milk and vanilla extract until well blended.
5. Pour the batter into the pan over the melted butter. Do not stir.
6. Rinse out the bowl from the batter, and dry.
7. Place the cherries into the bowl and toss with the remaining 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour.
8. Add the almond extract.
9. Distribute the cherry and sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Do not stir.
10. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown; 45 to 50 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the cobber should come out clean and the surface cherries should be bubbly.
11. Store leftover cobbler refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in a microwave oven for 30 seconds and top with whipped cream.

ChefSecret:  Cherries and almonds are related.  That’s why I add 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract to round out the flavors of the cherry filling.

Quip of the Day:  Q. Why are cherries never lonely?  A. Because they hang around in bunches.

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Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Baking #FreshCherryCobbler #CobblerNotCrumble #SummerDessert #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                       ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023