Sunday, August 1, 2010

The Incredible, Edible, Egg(plant)

     I’ve had eggplant in my garden for each of the last three summers, and I have yet to even being to tap into the potential of this great ingredient. With every fruit I harvest I look for a new way to prepare it and looks as if I could grow eggplant for twenty years and not make the same dish twice. Click here for just a small taste of the possibilities for the eggplant, via The Food Network. It is probably not the most widely known, or utilized ingredient in American cuisine but the possibilities are certainly limitless with this violet veggie. There are only few main varieties that are readily available in the vast majority of grocery stores but a morning at the local farmer’s market or a trip to the local specialty foods store could yield any number of beautiful heirloom varieties with colors as varied as the shapes.

     The recipes and preparations of the eggplant are just as diverse as its shape and color. It perhaps holds up to as many different preparation strategies and cooking techniques as any vegetable. Deep fried, grilled, roasted, pureed, as an appetizer, side dish or a main course, it’s good in soups, stews, sandwiches, pasta, salads, dips, sauces… (did I mention the virtual limitlessness of the eggplant?) It can even act as the dish itself!!  Not only are you going to get great flavor and a wide range of applications, but the health benefits of eggplant should be just as appealing. It’s a good source of folic acid (cancer prevention) and potassium (helps brain/nerve function) as well as helping to fight off the formation of those pesky free radicals!

     I hope this short article will inspire next time you're at the market to embrace the eggplant.  As always, save yourself some time and find a recipe that appeals to you before you go to the market, I find that to be the best way to be sure you have all the ingredients on hand.


A couple of my Listada de Gandia variety

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Knifework

     Here are two videos that will cover everything you never thought you needed to know about knife and cutting board selection as well as many useful cutting techniques. Each video is about 10 mins. long.

Good Eats - American Slicer pt.1

Good Eats - American Slicer pt. 2


     I can tell you this from experience, after getting a new knife you may not realize how dull your previous knife really was so start slow.  Try to speed up and get too fancy and you may have a hard time the next time you're hitchhiking or trying to hail a cab. OUCH!


My two favorite knives, 6" Chef's knife and 7" Santoku.

Monday, July 12, 2010

The First Post

     The objective of this blog is to be a platform for me to share my passion for food and drink.  Content is sure to include recipes, restaurant reviews, demonstrations, links to outside sources, photographs, updates on my personal garden, and other tips and tricks in and around the kitchen. 
     I hope to update this page at least once a week with whatever inspires me and I hope to inspire you to embrace food as well.  Any and all feedback is welcome!!


Here is a few examples of the photography from my personal garden...