… from the California KitchenHow you doin’? I spent a lot of time at the Disneyland park as a kid and later as a consultant to all the Disney parks. They were magical to a 10-year old and even more impressive as an adult working behind the scenes. It’s fitting that we are coming into Mardi Gras as my favorite places is still New Orleans Square—one of the themed lands found at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California. It’s based on 19th-century New Orleans. It was the first area to be added to Disneyland since the park’s opening. According to Disney history, at nearly $18 million the roughly three-acre area cost as much as the original Louisiana Purchase; without adjusting for inflation, it actually cost more. New Orleans Square is home to Pirates of the Caribbean and used to be the home of the Disneyland Dream Suite. Now closed, at one point, it was the only overnight accommodations in the park open to the public. You can also find the Blue Bayou Restaurant and Haunted Mansion. The Square is also home to Club 33 a subscription venue that can cost over $40,000 for the initial membership fee, and $10,000-$25,000 in annual dues thereafter… and that’s if you’re lucky enough to be selected from the waitlist. In New Orleans Square they used to sell what they called “New Orleans Beignets” but were not true beignets at all, but an eggy fried choux dough (creampuff pastry). That later changed to a more authentic pastry several years ago. I always loved the original and tweaked it several times to fit one of my restaurants. It is great for weekend brunches. Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday… which falls on March 1st this year. Hey… that’s tomorrow! Prep time: 10 minutes Fry time: 11 minutes Yield: 25 small fritters Ingredients For the fritters 1 cup water 3 ounces unsalted butter 4 1/4 ounces all-purpose flour 1/4 ounce granulated sugar 5 large eggs Vegetable oil (for deep frying) For the topping 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar Directions
ChefSecret: It’s best to weigh out all the ingredients instead of just using cups and spoons. Quip of the Day: “If there was no New Orleans, America would just be a bunch of free-loving people dying of boredom.” ------------------------------------------- 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. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Desserts #Beignets #Fritters #DisneylandFritters #NewOrleans #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022
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Joan’s Healthy RecipesHow you doin’? Writing and testing new recipes several times a week is a monumental task. I’m not complaining, but I am always grateful when people send in some of their recipes that they would like memorialized on the Perspectives’ Survival Guide website. Here is one of those recipes—Beet, Blood Orange & Fennel Salad—that was sent to us from the fine people at Gelson’s Markets in California. This salad is the harbinger of healthful eating. It’s dressed in a tart citrus vinaigrette with touches of fresh mint. It is a great companion for earthy sweet beets and Spanish-style blood oranges. We’ve topped the beets with slices of blood orange, onions, roasted fennel and chèvre (goat cheese)—so every forkful of salad is a delightful mix of sweet, tart, crunchy and creamy. Between the golden beets, the blood orange, and the bright green mint, this is a gorgeous salad, and ideally, it should be enjoyed with family as a side or entrée salad. As light and refreshing as it is, the beets give it a certain earthy flavor with hearty versatility. Try pairing this salad with a grilled salmon fillet or slices of rotisserie chicken. Prep time: 45 minutes Cook time: 1 hour Cool time: 45 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 2 medium golden beets 1 bulb fennel, quartered and sliced ½-inch strips, fronds reserved 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick 1/2 cup red onion, sliced very thin 2 ounces chèvre 1 tablespoon shredded fresh mint Flakey sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions
Blood Orange Vinaigrette Ingredients 2 tablespoons minced shallot 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tablespoons blood orange juice 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar (rice vinegar also works) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 tablespoon chopped mint Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Sea salt, to taste Directions
ChefSecret: This salad has great staying power—it doesn’t wilt. It’s a great salad to take to a tailgate, brunch or dinner party or a barbecue. Quip of the Day: “I normally knock on the fridge door before I open it, just in case there’s a salad dressing.” Get it? ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- 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. #Entrees #SideDish #Salad #Lunch #Dinner #Beets #GoldenBeets #BloodOrange #Fennel #Vinaigrette #GoatCheese #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 Joan’s Healthy Recipes How you doin’? If you watched the Rose Parade on TV this year then you know that SoCal has been much colder than usual making it soup time. Soups are the perfect warming foods… from your tummy to the cockles of your heart. This is a traditional Italian soup recipe full of healthful, nourishing ingredients including lots of vegetables, beans and tomatoes. It’s a meal you will want to cozy up with not only when it’s chilly outside, but any time of year. Minestrone has a rich history that dates back hundreds of years. Its popularity began to take off in the 2nd century BC when Rome conquered different regions of Italy. During this time of geographic growth, a wide variety of new vegetables were introduced. Minestrone varies by season and by region: In the northern region of Lombardy, minestrone might include pasta and winter squash; farther south, in Tuscany, cannellini beans and cabbage or kale; in the coastal city of Genoa in the northwestern region of Liguria, it could be finished with pesto (my favorite). Joan’s Instant Pot Minestrone Soup as written is one of the very best Instant Pot soup recipes. It's full-flavored, easy to make, and healthy, too! Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 4 minutes Pressure release time: 30 minutes Yield: 8 servings Calories: only 285 calories per serving Ingredients 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onion 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup chopped celery 3 tablespoons minced garlic 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth 2 cups chopped Yukon gold potatoes 1/2-inch pieces 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 28-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes, drained 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, cannellini beans or Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained) 3/4 cup dry short pasta (small shells or elbow pasta), cooked separately 1/2 cup chopped green beans For Finishing (optional, for serving) A splash of lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (skip if keeping vegetarian) Directions
ChefSecret: Joan’s Healthy Recipe Minestrone is merely a suggestion of ingredients that can be used. You can vary the vegetables in this soup depending on what you have in the refrigerator and your personal taste.
Quip of the Day: “I saw this guy on the scale in the gym the other day sucking in his stomach. I said, ‘that’s not going to do any good to lower the weight.’ ‘Sure it is,’ he replied, ‘that’s the only way I can see the dial on the scale.’” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. In this New Year, seek out the good in people and avoid conflict. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America. #Entrees #InstantPot #Soup #Minestrone #Vegetarian #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2022 … from the California Kitchen How you doin’? Ahhh, Quiche Lorraine—This specialty comes from the Lorraine region of France, a part of the world that claims some of my favorite culinary specialties. Alsace and Lorraine hug the border between France and Germany, so that makes Alsace and Lorraine both French and German, and also their own unique places within both countries. I will save the most famous Alsatian tarte—Tarte Flambée—for a separate article, the most ubiquitous dish from Lorraine is Quiche. And the specialty quiche from Lorraine features gruyere cheese, sautéed onion, fatty bacon (French lardons) and nutmeg as its primary flavors. The history of quiche, a dish we think of as quintessentially French, is actually a liminal one, in that the dish is of German origin. The word 'quiche' comes from the German word kuchen, meaning cake. Thus quiche is a savory cake, and Lorraine is a rather new name for a region that, under Germanic rule, was called the Kingdom of Lothringen. There are 13th century recipes for egg and cream baked in a dough crust in Italy, so it is difficult to say exactly where such a simple and pervasive approach to baking first began. In the 14th century English recipe collection, The Forme of Cury, there is a recipe like this with the unappetizing name 'Crustardes of flesh'. The oldest recipes for quiche Lorraine were simply an open-faced pie (that is, crust on the bottom and sides only), filled with a mixture of egg and cream and chopped bacon. The dough was simply bread dough, but in the 20th century this evolved into the more sophisticated puff pastry crust. Let me make this crystal clear, a proper quiche should be rich, custardy and luxurious, not some baked omelet in a pie shell. Making a quiche is surprisingly easy with bacon, leeks, and Gruyere cheese. Here are some tips on making that perfect quiche every single time.
Here is the perfect Quiche Lorraine recipe for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner or just an indulgent snack! Bacon, Gruyere cheese and onions mingle in perfect harmony amidst the eggs and cream in this timeless custardy classic. Prep time: 15 minutes Bake time: 55 minutes Cool time: 10 minutes Total: 80 mins Yield: 1 9-inch pie / 5 to 6 servings Ingredients 1 (9 inch) prepared pie crust (homemade or store bought) 12 thick slices bacon, chopped 1/3 cup caramelized minced onion 1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese 3 whole large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks, beaten 2 cups light cream 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white sugar 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (topping) Directions
ChefSecret: Use my secrets to make the perfect quiche.
Quip of the Day: “Never in my whole life could I have imagined that on given day my hands would consume more alcohol than my mouth.” ------------------------------------------- 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. ------------------------------------------- To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Have a wonderful safe and healthy 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. #Baking #Brunch #Quiche #QuicheLorraine #Alsace #Lorraine #Gruyere #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 …from the California KitchenHow you doin’? You may have seen a version of a Monte Cristo on the menu of a local French café, but never thought to make it at home. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy this popular brunch order is to make at home, and how much better it tastes, too. It’s as easy to make as French toast. While Monte Cristo sandwiches are ideal for breakfast, brunch and lunch, it’s also great at dinner time, too. Most food historians believe the Monte Cristo originated in France as a simplified version of the Croque-Monsieur or Croque Madame sandwiches. It became popularized by California Googie-designed cafes in the 1950s and 60s, where it first appeared on a menu as The Monte. As a former Disney cast member, I remember it became a staple at Disneyland California in New Orleans Square and the employee cafeteria. Prep time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 servings Ingredients 4 large eggs 1/4 cup half-and-half 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 8 slices sturdy white or sourdough bread 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 1/4 cup mayonnaise 8 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated 1-pound sliced honey ham 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided Powdered sugar and ham, for serving (optional) Directions
Quip of the Day: “What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator!” 😊 ------------------------------------------- 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 and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. 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. #Entrees #Sandwiches #MonteCristo #Lunch #Dinner #Brunch #Ham #Gruyere #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021 |
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