“Give me chicken salad or give me death.”

While this oft’ quoted line is erroneously attributed to Patrick Henry, it is not.  It is just from me.  And, loving chicken salad as much as I do, it is clear that I also love to switch it up a bit for taking this comfort food into new alleys of my gastronomic journey.

There are key essentials for me that don’t come and go.  Only breast meat.  Always garlic.  Always sea salt or kosher salt.  Always fresh ground pepper.  From there, all is negotiable.

Tonight there will be celery, onions, cucumbers and avocado oil mayonnaise.  But it’s as possible to have been apples, celery, and raisins.  Or, pears and craisins.  Some days fresh cilantro and others fresh basil.  Curry powder.  Then, cayenne.

All in all - while I love the steady - I say, innovate now and again.  Take your palate out for a rendezvous with adventure.  Take your comfort for an amble in the fields of change.  Not too much, just a bit.  A handful of ingredients.  That’s all.  And, viola!  Something new.

PS, I just love eating it without bread or a roll and with a favorite pile of chips.  It all blends so well in the chewing.  Mmmm.

Gigantes Plaki

GIGANTES PLAKI - giant Lima Bean’s slow cooked all day.  Add three cups of diced or chopped tomatoes, sea salt and black pepper to taste and 1/4 cup home made pesto (extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh basil).

One of my favorite Greek dishes.  Fresh basil, oil, garlic, and tomatoes push this over the top.

Ten Years Later - An Ode to the Chefs

I published this 10+ years ago and it stands now as then.  These are my FOUR GO TO CHEFS that gave me a culinary base and added layers to my ability.  Thank you, VINCE, MOLLIE, PETER, and JACOB!

*****

This blog is a blend of some very unique personal flavors that have influenced me over time.

My first introduction to professional cooking came to me while at Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts and was fostered in the summers by my dear friend Vincent Waugh.  Vince gave me a job in his restaurants, helping me to learn every aspect of the industry...including having a PASSION for food and the kitchen.  Vince is gone now, but there is not a week that goes by that I don't remember some fun line he said, or some craft of the trade he imparted.

Feeding that PASSION over time landed with three additional, extremely capable and nourishing CHEFS.

First is CHEF Mollie Katzen the iconic birth giver of THE MOOSEWOOD style and art of food.  All things natural, wholesome, unusually creative (especially compared to “American Cuisine” at the time, and sumptuous.  http://molliekatzen.com/  Mollie broke open the landscape and fashioned a niche in food culture and counterculture which lives on today.  Mollie has done more - single handedly - to convert our palates toward the good than any other American Chef.  She is an exceptional artist as well.  Her art has attended her recipes from the start.  That really helped birth this movement.  As of 2020:

bit.ly/37ZTd0O

bit.ly/37ZTd0O

Second is CHEF Peter Reinhart - http://peterreinhart.typepad.com/ - of what used to be known as Brother Juniper's Cafe.  Peter's love of breads and soups is one that I instantly connected with.  His work still moves through time and space challenging our original ideas about simple and basic meals and ingredients. As of 2020: 

bit.ly/2t160kR

bit.ly/2t160kR

Third is CHEF Jacob Burton - http://fredricksbistro.com/ - from Fredrick's Fusion Bistro.  Jacob's attention to educating other chefs and cooks alike was able to reignite my PASSION for food as I moved back into the arts and sciences of food.  His webcasts - http://freeculinaryschool.com/ - are jammed with all sorts of vocabulary and techniques that remind chefs not only of the lay of the land but also trip us out into the joy of why we love to do this thing called FOOD.  As of 2020: https://stellaculinary.com/content/chef-jacob-burton

Thanks to all four: Vince, Mollie, Peter, and Jacob.   It is in their names that I begin this blog.

Ciao!

+Tom

Image used with permission of Mollie Katzen

Ode to Wooden Utensils

Keeping a balance between metal, and wooden kitchen cooking and serving utensils is a must.  Plastic should be no where found save in the handle of a soft spatula for clearing bowls of batter and such.  The pans you use and the service ware can narrow down your choices.

I prefer wooden to metal most often.  Much more sensual is a wooden utensil in the hand.  Of course wood itself always fairs more sensual against metal.  They are great at keeping you from burns when left against a pans edge.  They display their scars better.

It is good to periodically wipe them all down with olive oil to feed them and let them glow.  I think the look better in the kitchen, too.  Using them for tasting also avoids utensil burns on the lips.  The crafting of them is also a great winter diversion to take up.  Carving tools or dremmels can be relaxing obsessions when given a fine piece of wood.  Variety abounds with them as well.  You can find great utensil craftspeople at many a fair.

Most people don’t think about it too much, but they should.  Give it some thought today.

I started using wooden utensils in the 80’s WOK CRAZE that swept the nation.  I have had them at my side ever since.