 Mediterranean Farro Salad How you doin’? Let’s try something a little different today--FARRO. Do not say “ick” to farro. Farro is considered one of those magical ancient grains. Farro is an ingredient composed of the grains of certain wheat species—an ethnobotanical term for three species of hulled wheat: spelt, emmer and einkorn. Hulled wheat is wheat that cannot be threshed. Farro is sold dried and prepared by cooking in water until soft. It is eaten plain or is often used as an ingredient in salads, soups, and other dishes.
This Mediterranean Farro Salad is filled with fresh ingredients, lots of chewy delicious farro, and it’s tossed with a light Greek vinaigrette. Perfect as a side dish or main course, and for taking with you to a potluck dinner! Any ingredient that sounds good to you can probably be included in this salad. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 servings Ingredients For the farro 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 cup uncooked farro, rinsed and drained 1 teaspoon kosher salt For the salad 1 large cucumber, seeded and finely diced 2/3 cup finely diced roasted red peppers (orange or yellow peppers are also acceptable) 1/2 cup finely diced sun-dried tomatoes 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 1/3 cup finely diced red onion 1/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives (back or green olives are also acceptable) 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomatoes 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley For the Greek vinaigrette 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon find grind black pepper Directions For cooking perfect farro every time use an Instant Pot. If you don’t have an Instant Pot cook the farro according to the directions on the package.
ChefSecret: If you have a sensitivity to raw red onion reduce the amount or delete the onions altogether. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “If there is a second part to this quarantine, do we have to stay with the same family or will the US Marshalls relocate us?” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Salad #SideDish #Farro #AncientGrains #MediterraneanSalad #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020
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 Simple Sugar Cookies How you doin’? You have a bunch of hungry teens in the den who are always clamoring for food. It starts to sound like a nest full of baby birds—chirp, Chirp CHIRP. Does this sound familiar? You just got the kitchen cleaned up from the lunch you fed them and now they want more. Cookies you think to yourself… I’ll feed them some cookies! You check out the cookie jar and it’s empty. You're not in the mood to bake and follow complicated recipes. These sugar cookies are quick and easy to make and all the ingredients for this recipe are in the pantry and fridge—butter, sugar, flour, vanilla extract and citrus zest. In less than 30 minutes you will be serving warm, soft, buttery cookies
Prep time: 5 minutes Bake time: 15 to 20 minutes Yield: 12 cookies Ingredients 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus additional sugar for rolling (optional) 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon citrus zest (lemon, lime, or orange) Sprinkles Directions
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: Heard in the home of parents of a millennial under quarantine, “There’s no damn food in this house, just a bunch of ingredients to make food.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Dessert #Snack #Cookies #SugarCookies #Baking #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020  Air-Fryer Buffalo Wings How you doin’? Whenever I make Buffalo Wings, I’m doin’ great—aren’t you? I love them naked or sauced. Buffalo New York's famous Anchor Bar Restaurant is where it all began in the 1960’s. Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar one night. Late that evening, a group of Bellissimo's friends arrived at the bar. He asked his mom, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat. With little food left in the kitchen at the end of day, Teressa took some wings (which were normally used for soups), deep-fried them and put a spin on them using a mixture of Frank's Red Hot Sauce, margarine, cayenne pepper and a few other ingredients. Teressa plated them with some cut celery and blue cheese dressing for dipping as hot appetizers—so began the Buffalo Wings tradition at the Anchor Bar and the world. The wings were initially offered free of charge with cocktails.
To be authentic—Buffalo Wings are never battered. They are not grilled, but only deep-fried and slightly crispy. The sauce is tossed in a metal mixing bowl after the wings have been cooked. “Wings,” are still traditionally served with chunky blue cheese dressing and freshly cut celery and carrots. So here is my twist on Buffalo Wings—mine are air-fried. You can use the air-fry lid on your Instant Pot. The wings still have a have crisp salty skin with a hint of garlic and lemon pepper in every bite. These are seasoned to perfection and cook so fast with no marinating required! Now, they’re just waiting for my original Anchor Bar wing sauce (see recipe below). Prep time: 4 minutes Cook time: 16 minutes (or a bit longer depending on the model air-fryer) Total time: 20 minutes Yield: 2 to 4 servings Ingredients 1 pound chicken wings split into flats and drumettes 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 teaspoon lemon pepper (I prefer Lawry’s) Instructions
ChefSecret: You can easily use a conventional over or convection oven; you will have to adjust the time and temperature. To double the recipe, air fry for 18-22 minutes, or until the skin is crisp, flipping the wings halfway. The cooking time will vary based on the surface area of your air fryer basket. Anchor Bar’s Original Hot Sauce for Buffalo Wings (For tossing wings) Ingredients 2/3 cup Frank's Red-Hot Original Sauce (not wing sauce—it’s not the same) 1/2 cup margarine 1-1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon salt Directions
ChefSecret: While some recipes call for unsalted butter, I like the taste you get from melted margarine, better than butter (in this recipe). Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I went to this restaurant called The Kitchen last night. It’s a rip-off! You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal. I don’t have a clue how this joint stays in business.” ------------------------------------------- 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. #Appetizer #Snack #Chicken #BuffaloWings #ChickenWings #AnchorBar #AirFryer #FranksRedHotOriginal #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, Inc. 2020 The China Rose Collection  Asian Beers How you doin’? 你好嗎 (Nǐ hǎo ma). I’ve never been a lover of Asian cocktails (most are too sweet or just plain strange) and I don’t particularly enjoy wines with Chinese food. I usually order a variety of different flavors of entrees (hot & spicy / mild & flavorful) that are served family-style and I, personally, find it hard to make a satisfactory selection that will complement every dish. So I usually just order a beer (more on this below). But for those of you who are looking for a happy hour cocktail, here is an appropriate cocktail that may just be perfect for that before-dinner drink—Chinese Cocktail.
Chinese Cocktail Chinese alcohol predates recorded history. Dried residue extracted from 9,000-year-old pottery implies that early alcoholic beverages were already being consumed by the Neolithic peoples around modern China. Made from rice, honey, grapes, and hawthorn, it seems to have been produced similarly to that of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Ingredients 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate (don’t use plain orange juice) 3/4-ounce white rum 3/4-ounce Cointreau 1/2-ounce maraschino cherry juice 1/2-ounce grenadine 2 dashes of bitters 2 ounces of sweet & sour Orange slice for garnish Directions
Beers Beers in Asia have many influences from the many nations who have lived there and the available raw ingredients. The water in the countries also can have a great effect on the taste and quality of the brew. Some of the best beers I found in Taiwan are: Amy Yen, my friend and our Taiwan sourcing consultant, first introduced our team to Taiwanese beers at a pre-wedding party at the home of her mother. Princess Amy was descended from Taiwanese royalty and had great knowledge on everything from the island nation. We celebrated many occasions with many “gān bēi.” Roughly translated, “Cheers!” These were the cause of many “sù zuì” (hangovers) and “tóu tòng” (headaches). No matter the language, the pain is still the same.
Some of the best beers I found in Singapore are (in order of preference)
Some of the best beers I found in Philippines are
Some of the most popular beers I found in Thailand are:
Some of the best Craft Beers I found in Thailand are: Alcoholic beverages in Thailand are heavily taxed and it is hard to get a license. Some of the craft beers are made under license and some are just pop-ups or smuggled in cross border from Cambodia.
Some of the best beers I found in India are:
Some well-known beers found in China are: You may notice I am less enthusiastic relating to Chinese beer or anything else coming in from China these days. The cheat on ingredients and some food products just don’t taste the same from shipment to shipment. The fact is I just don’t trust anything imported coming in from China—foods, pharmaceuticals, hard goods and yes, even beer. The most consistent of the Chinese brands is Tsingtao. I will order that if there are few other choices.
ChefSecret: For best enjoyment with most beers, enjoy it beer from a glass bottle that has been chilled in salted ice. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “It is really difficult to be on lock-down for so long as the relationships between men and women have changed. For instance, if a woman says, “First of all!” during an argument run like hell, because she has prepared research, data, charts and will destroy you. ------------------------------------------- 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. #AsianBeer #Beer #ChineseBeer #ThaiBeer #TheChinaRoseCollection #Cocktails #ChineseCuisine #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020 The China Rose Collection  The China Rose Asian Chicken Salad How you doin’? 你好嗎 (Nǐ hǎo ma). Do you know who reinvented the original Chinese Chicken Salad? It was Sylvia Cheng, aka Madame Wu. According to the late Merv Griffin, aside from being a successful restaurateur, "Everybody in this town knows Madame Wu. One of the dearest, sweetest, most elegant women I've ever known."
Sylvia Cheng was born into a wealthy, cultured family in Jiujiang, China in 1915. She was raised by her grandfather, who owned a bank and a department store—showering her with gifts and special treats, but he was also wise enough to teach her discipline. She was brought up in the traditional fashion, learning respect and good manners. She did not have a deprived childhood. When not away at boarding school, mooning over photos of Cary Grant, she would spend many hours covertly watching her grandfather's servants preparing delicious delicacies in the off-limits kitchen. As she wrote in her book Cooking with Madame Wu, she learned that "eating well-balanced meals containing selected herbs and spices would improve health, beauty, sexual vitality and longevity." After her beloved grandfather's death and the outbreak of World War II, Sylvia’s life changed. Her extended family moved to Shanghai and then to Hong Kong. A free flight to Calcutta resulted in an offer that would change Sylvia's life. A friend in India was about to join his wife in the U.S. He said she could come along if she agreed to go to college there. While pursuing an education degree at Columbia University, she became acquainted with King Yan Wu, a successful engineer from a distinguished Chinese family (both his father and grandfather served as China's ambassador to the U.S.). They were soon married and had three children. Sylvia settled into the role of sophisticated housewife and hostess. A personal chef, provided by her mother-in-law, assisted her. Eventually, Sylvia began to cook more herself and claimed she could prepare a full Chinese dinner for her family in under an hour. This was preferable to the Chinese restaurants in New York, which often left her disappointed. She was appalled by the manners of the waiters and the heavy faux-Cantonese dishes. By 1959, the Wu’s were living in Los Angeles. When her children were in their teens and didn't need her much, she began to think about getting a job. One day she told King she wanted to open a Chinese restaurant. Thinking she wasn't serious he made no objections, so she drove around and found a location in West Los Angeles. When King realized she wasn’t kidding and it wasn’t a whim, he tried to talk her out of it. In those days, most people who opened a Chinese restaurant were former waiters or cooks with no business sense. Sylvia had good sense. In 1959, Madame Wu's Garden opened on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica. The intimate space seated fewer than 50 people. They had just two cooks, two waiters and a dishwasher. Coming from a wealthy family Madame Wu had friends in high places. One such friend was the president of NBC who helped her write a letter promoting the opening of the restaurant, which she sent to the membership of her church and her daughter's exclusive school. That letter really brought the customers. Later Sylvia recalled, "We sold out the first night and people were lined up outside for six months." My parents were in the opening crowd which became an instant hit with the Hollywood in-crowd who were, charmed by Sylvia's impeccable manners and discreet, reverential treatment of them. Sylvia knew what her customers wanted and reinvented a brand of Cantonese signature dishes suited to the less sophisticated and informed American palate. Her Chinese friends would criticize the food, saying it wasn't authentic. But she was laughing all the way to the bank and telling them, “Look around, honey. Do you see any Chinese [people] dining here?'" Her spareribs, Peking duck, crab puffs, and shrimp toast were legendary. Her teen-age crush, Cary Grant (who would become a close friend), told her about a shredded chicken salad he had enjoyed at another restaurant, so she developed her own Shredded Chinese Chicken Salad, which is now imitated at restaurants around the globe. Prep time: 45 minutes Cook time: 12 minutes Put together time: 5 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients Peanut oil for deep frying 8 won ton wrappers, refrigerated cut in 1/8-inch strips (store bought) 1/3 (6-ounce) package white fine rice noodles 2 chicken thighs or breasts, skin on—bone in 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil 2 tablespoons light soy sauce 3 tablespoons toasted almonds, slivered 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white parts only 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (or greens) Directions
ChefSecret: Are you feeling really lazy or just don’t want to fry today? Here is an easy option—substitute leftover turkey or store-bought rotisserie or barbecued chicken for the cooked chicken. Substitute 2 cups of canned shoestring potatoes and one cup of canned fried onions instead of the fried won ton strips and rice noodles. It’s not the same, but it is passable. Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “Starbucks’ pandemic special--'I’ll have a café mocha vodka valium latte, to go please.’” ------------------------------------------- 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 #Salad #Chicken #TheChinaRoseCollection #ChineseChickenSalad #AsianChickenSalad #ChineseCuisine #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020 |
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Copyright © 2021 Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc. | 10550 Wilshire Blvd, #803, Los Angeles, CA 90024 | 310-477-8877