How you doin’? Hopefully, you had as good a holiday weekend as could be expected. Thanksgiving and Black Friday are in the rearview mirror and Christmas and the New Year are still in front of us. In Los Angeles, we been advised to stay in place for another 3 weeks while “they” (whoever “they” are) are trying to get things back under control. In a new report “they” are reporting that the positive rate will rise to 1 in 148 people and may triple or quadruple before the end of the year if we don’t lock down now. Who knows for sure? Hopefully with a couple of successful new vaccines, 2020 will all be a memory and we can get back to some sense of normal shortly. Now let’s talk about some “infectiously” great soups to keep you warm as the weather begins to change.
 
Hail to the Bisque… the second most popular seafood soup after chowders. Bisques are hearty, creamy and all around awesome! This Corn Bisque is good with or without the seafood. Serve it with crusty French bread and maybe a cold beer!
 
Exactly what make a Bisque different from a chowder or ordinary soup? Bisques are smooth, creamy, highly seasoned soups of French origin, classically based on a strained broth of crustaceans—lobster, langoustine, crab, shrimp or crayfish.
 
The name is derived from Biscay, as in Bay of Biscay. The crustaceans are certainly bis cuites "twice cooked." They are first sautéed lightly in their shells, then simmered in wine and aromatic ingredients before being strained, followed by the addition of cream.
 
Bisque is made by extracting flavor from imperfect crustaceans not good enough to send to market, but good enough for soup. In an authentic bisque, the shells are ground to a fine paste and added to thicken the soup. Bisques are traditionally thickened with rice, which can either be strained out, leaving behind the starch, or pureed or milled during the final stages. That was one of the questions asked on the culinary school final—and I got it right.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup chopped white onions
42 ounces chicken broth
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
1/2 cup half-and-half
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
16 ounces lump crab or lobster meat
 
Directions

1. Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Stir in onion; cook until soft and translucent.
3. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in garlic, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.
5. Stir corn into boiling broth. Simmer about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low.
6. Remove 2 cups of soup and set aside to cool slightly.
7. Pour the rest into a food processor.
8. Pour in half-and-half. Puree for 30 to 45 seconds and set aside.
9. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and milk. Slowly stir into 2 cups reserved soup and return it to the pot. Stirring constantly, simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in pureed mixture.
10. Reduce heat to low, stir in crab or lobster meat, and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.

ChefSecret:  If fresh corn on the cob is out of season substitute with 6 cups of frozen corn.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  “Where do sick boats go to get healthy? The dock! ”
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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.
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#Soup #Bisque #Crab #HolidayRecipes #Entrees #Holidays2020 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? We hope you had a great Thanksgiving Day with plenty of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce. Here’s a great day-after after-dinner coffee drink—Huber’s Café Spanish Coffee.
 
Fortifying a cup of joe with a splash of booze isn’t exactly revolutionary. Coffee cocktails are no big thing… unless you do something spectacular with them. Countries around the world have their own versions of coffee and alcohol, from Italy’s Caffè Corretto to Ireland’s iconic mix of Irish whiskey, coffee, sugar and cream. Order a Spanish Coffee in Barcelona, and you’re more likely to be served a simple pour of coffee with brandy or rum, also called a Carajillo and dating back more than a century. Also, dating back almost a hundred years is the Special Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista in San Francisco. The flaming spectacle of Spanish Coffee, as we know it, is an American invention.
 
Landmark Restaurants (my brand), TGI Fridays and Margaritaville were new comers when it came to showy presentations behind the bar in the 1970’s. Long setting the theatrical standard for Spanish Coffee has been Huber’s Café in Portland, Oregon, where the drink is prepared tableside and could easily be accompanied by a soundtrack of Europe’s The Final Countdown. Listen here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw
 
The restaurant’s co-owner, James Louie, created what has become the establishment’s signature drink based on a version that was made at the now-closed Fernwood Inn in Milwaukie, Oregon (whose own version was inspired by a Mexican riff on the cocktail). “He just embellished it and made it a little bit safer,” says John Pierce, who’s been behind the bar at Huber’s for the last 38 years.
 
The dramatic fire play involves adding overproof 151-proof rum and triple sec to a sugar-rimmed glass and setting it aflame. After the swirling blue flames have warmed the glass and caramelized the sugar, the fire is extinguished with a pour of Kahlúa. The boozy blend is topped with hot coffee, a float of freshly whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.
 
It’s a heady mixture to be sure, having no subtlety in flavor and the flair and nostalgia of a fancy supper club classic—sweet, boozy and warming to the core. “The way we make them, you’re not going to find anywhere else,” says Pierce. “It’s a big show—people want to see.” You can see the show right here… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhz9QdgwaHk.
 
Ingredients
1 lemon wedge
2 teaspoons super-fine sugar, or as needed
3/4 ounce 151-proof rum
1/4 ounce triple sec
1-1/2 ounces Kahlúa coffee liqueur
3 ounces fresh-brewed strong coffee
lightly whipped cream and grated nutmeg to garnish
 
Tools of the Trade
Lighter or matches
Irish coffee or stemmed red wine glass (the glass must be tempered)
 
Directions:

1. Run the cut edge of the lemon wedge around the rim of the glass and press the rim into superfine sugar, shaking off the excess (the same way you would salt a glass for a margarita).
2. Add the rum and triple sec to the sugar-rimmed glass and carefully ignite, slowly turning until the glass has warmed and the sugar has begun to caramelize.
3. Add the Kahlúa coffee liqueur (the flame should go out at this point) and top with hot coffee.
4. Garnish by gently floating the whipped cream on top using the back of a spoon, then adding a shake of grated nutmeg.

ChefSecret:  The goal in making this drink, besides the drink and the show, is to be able to walk away with your eyebrows and hair still intact. 151-proof rum is high octane stuff.  When igniting the 151-proof rum, hold the glass well away from your face.

The Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  I was just wondering, do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
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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.
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Here is wishing you the very best for the holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.
Thanks for reading.

#Cocktail #HappyHour #HubersCafe #SpanishCoffee #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? Brussels Sprouts… either you love ‘em or you hate ‘em—they’re an acquired taste—really nothing in between. They are sometimes a bit stinky, a little bitter and taste a little like cabbage. That’s because Brussels sprouts, (Brassica oleracea, variety gemmifera), are a form of cabbage, belonging to the mustard family Brassicaceae. They are widely grown in Europe and North America for their edible buds called “sprouts.” Brussels sprouts may have been grown in Belgium as early as 1200, but the first recorded description of them dates back to 1587.
 
This recipe may even tempt young children (honey… kids love sweet flavors) to give them a try. Have you often wondered why kids are so finicky about strongly flavored vegetables (Brussels sprouts and asparagus)? Young people have about 7,000 taste receptors in their tiny mouths. That makes them very sensitive to strong or spicy flavors. As they grow into adulthood, many of the receptors will be burned or bitten; the adult mouth averages only 1,500 to 1,800 taste receptors. That’s the reason why as you grow older you are more willing to try foods you didn’t like as a kid.
 
Prep time:  5 to 10 minutes
Cook time:  20 to 25 minutes
Yield:  Serves 6 to 8
 
Ingredients
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup chopped cooked bacon
 
Directions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.
2. Meanwhile, trim the bottoms from the sprouts if they appear dry or yellowed, and peel away the loose outer leaves. Cut each Brussels sprout in half through the stem.
3. Place the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil and toss to coat. 
4. Season with the salt and pepper and toss to coat again. Arrange them cut side down.
5. Roast, stirring halfway through, then add the cooked bacon pieces.
6. Continue to cook until the leaves are dark brown and crisp, and the undersides of the sprouts are browned, about 25 to 30 minutes. 
7. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat.  Serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  You can speed the cooking process along by placing the Brussels sprouts in a covered, microwave safe bowl and cooking them in a microwave for about 5 minutes, before putting them in the oven. Warm the honey and the balsamic vinegar before tossing with the Brussels sprouts—it’s okay to mix them together.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I was just thinking, why are hemorrhoids called hemorrhoids instead of assteroids?”
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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.
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #BrusselsSprouts #Bacon #Balsamic #Honey#SideDishes #HolidayRecipes #Holidays2020 #Thankful #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                               ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

How you doin’? I’m a real “cookie monster!” I love my icebox cookies. Icebox cookies, also known as refrigerator cookies, are slice-and-bake cookies. The dough is formed into a log, chilled in the refrigerator (also known as an icebox), and then sliced into rounds before baking. Ice box cookies are short… mostly flour, sugar and butter. A short cookie is crisp and buttery like a piece of Walker’s Scottish short bread… yum.
 
There are hundreds of recipes for Icebox Cookies. Recipes come in all flavors, ranging from chocolate to vanilla, lemon, orange, etc. By alternating colors and flavors of dough, usually chocolate and vanilla, cookies can be made with patterns, such as checkerboards or pinwheels.
 
By exchanging the lemon zest for orange zest, the lemon juice for frozen orange juice concentrate and the pecans for poppy seeds you can make great Orange-Poppy Seed icebox cookies.
 
Icebox cookies are a great prepare-ahead-of-time dough because it can be kept refrigerated for 3 days in a form or other shape, or frozen for a month or so. Then, cookie dough can be cut and baked at any time, even if directly from the freezer.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  10 to 12 minutes
Chill time:  1 hour
Yield: 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon lemon zest (use a micro-plane, if you have one)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
 
Directions

1. Thoroughly cream the butter and sugar together. 
2. Add the egg, lemon zest and lemon juice; beat well. 
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture, mixing well.
4. Stir in the pecans. 
5. Shape the dough into rolls 2 inches in diameter.  Chill thoroughly.
6. Preheat oven to 325⁰F. 
7. Slice the cookie dough very thin and place on ungreased cookie sheets. 
8. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. 
   
9. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

ChefSecret:  You may be asking yourself, why do all Ed’s recipes call for kosher salt? The main difference between regular salt and kosher salt is the structure of the flakes. Chefs find that kosher salt, due to its large flake size, is easier to pick up with your fingers and spread over food. Kosher salt is also less likely to contain additives like anti-caking agents and iodine.

Special Note:  We actually had a real ice box in a rental vacation cabin at Big Bear Lake, California. Every morning around 8 o’clock the ice man cometh (really, he did) so we could keep things chilled another day.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day:  The World Health Organization announced that dogs cannot contract COVID-19. Dogs previously held in quarantine can now be released. To be clear, WHO let the dogs out.
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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. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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Here is wishing you the very best for the upcoming holidays. To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind welcoming in the holiday season. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thank you for reading.

#ThanksgivingRecipes #Thanksgiving #HolidayRecipes #ChristmasCookies #LemonPecanIceBoxCookies #Dessert #Snack #Holidays2020 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020