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knife techniquesfor the the unwieldy and inexperienced!

SUPER EASYD in ing Out

iSSuE no.1 winter 2011$12 USD

WHAT'Sin a

GRAiN

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Welcom

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rst is

sue o

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EASY Seriously, the Easiest Italian Sub You've Ever Made...

FAST Bacon Quesadilla

FYI Dining Out: Why Eating In is Better for You

DEFINE Tapas

TECHNIQUE Super Easy Knife Techniques for the Unwieldy and Inexperienced...

MUSHROOMS

COLLECTIVE Submissions from Readers and Eaters

Fungi Facts

The Classic, The Versatile, the Easy: Mushroom Sauce

Shiitake: You Don't Know Shiitake

Crimini: When I Grow Up I Want to be a Portobello

Portobello: The Giant

MADE FROM SCRATCH The Hand-painted Restaurant Signs

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TOOLS The Most Essential Cooking Tool14

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MEAT COURSE Know Your Beef22

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COMPARE What's in a Grain13

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tECHnIQUES

knife techniquesfor the the unwieldy and inexperienced!

SUPER EASYKnife skills and techniques are about much more than

simply getting the food small enough to fit in the pot.

Having the proper knife techniques creates consistency

within a dish providing aesthetic charm, but more im-

portantly allowing a uniform cooking time for ingredi-

ents. With poorly chopped ingredients the dish will

look sloppy and pieces of food may be overcooked while

others are undercooked. The size and consistency of

the cut can even affect flavor and texture. While a fine

chop will cook very quickly and the textures will gener-

ally fade, a fine chop more quickly pulls out the flavors

of the ingredient such as a fruit or vegetable. On the

other hand, a more coarse chop is better suited to main-

tain the integrity of the textural elements on an ingredi

ent but the flavor components become harder to extract.

In any case, no single slicing or chopping size is perf-

ect for all occasions, so it is very important to have

a good knowledge base of how to achieve both fine and

coarse cuts and anywhere in between with proper

knife handling technique.

SLICEthe

to cUt wIth a long pUllIng StrokE

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REmEmbER: a SHarp kNIfe iS A safe knifE.dUll knivEs ReQUIRe moRe stRAIN and thuS, moRe aCCIdEnts.

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To get started, holding a knife is the most basic of basics.

The hand gripping the knife should be high on the handle

with your thumb resting parallel to the blade, your index

finger curled on the opposite side of the blade and your

remaining fingers wrapped around the handle. A picture

explains this better than a paragraph of text, but what is

important about using this grip is the following: Good

chef knives are balanced around the typical knife grip.

Therefore, gripping the knife in this way gives you more

control over the blade and a higher degree of precision

even if it takes a little getting used to at first. The knife

should become an extension of your arm and hand so

the better the grip is balanced, the more naturally you

will be able to control it.

So now that we have the grip down let's move on to the

fun stuff. Different ingredients require different chopping

techniques. However, some general principles apply to

nearly any food item you chose to work with. Generally, use

the first third of the blade nearest to the tip for small work

while using the thick section of the knife for more forceful

cutting. Another important thing to remember this that

knives cut best when moving in two dimensions; meaning

the knife should move forward or backward as it is moving

downward. Doing so will result in easier and smoother

cutting. Move the knife in a see-saw rather motion than

going straight up and down as you cut through ingredients.

Keep your off-hand fingers curled under your knuckles

and out of the way and keep the food held in place firmly.

With some of these basics mastered, we can work on

some various methods of breaking down specific ingredients.

For example, in the case of celery, if attempting to achieve

a fine chop for use as a soup or stock base, first remove the

inedible sections, then split down the stalk to form smaller

ribs of equal size and finally chop all of the thinner ribs at

the same time to get uniform slices or smallish cubes of

celery that will quickly soften and release flavor. A similar

technique can be used for a variety of long, thin ingredients,

especially if they would otherwise be awkward to breakdown

while whole. Varying the size of the lengthwise and cross-

wise cuts can provide a range of useful but unique attributes

to control cooking evenness and flavor profile.

Slicing and chopping are really two sides of the same

coin. The major difference is that slicing usually refers to

thin pieces with a relatively larger surface area whereas a

chop is in the form of small cubes or bits.

One of the items that is fun to slice up is bell pepper which

has a tricky but fun method to break it down. Start by cutting

off the ends of the pepper. Next, make a lengthwise cut

just to get the knife inside and begin carefully working the

knife around the inside cavity of the pepper to separate the

seed pod from the ripe flesh of the bell pepper. Then, simply

remove the seed pod, flattened out the bell pepper and

begin making thin, uniform slices ensuring that you cut

all the way through the skin if the pepper.

The classic ingredient to chop or slice is an onion.

There are multiple ways of tackling a chopped onion but a

generally accept method is to cut in half leaving half of

the root on each piece, cut off the end opposite the root and

remove the outer skin. Next make a few straight up and

down cuts on the onion half with the end of the knife while

holding the root end, make a couple horizontal cuts going

through most of the onion, and finally turn the onion side-

wise and begin chopping to form small chunks of approxi-

mately even size.

Other ingredients require much less effort to slice or

chop and may be sliced or chopped without much altering

of the natural state of the ingredient. The important thing

is to remove any inedible parts of the item and get it into a

state that is easy to stabilize and achieve uniform sized pieces

in length and thickness. With just a little patience and practice

you can master every kind of cut imaginable bringing better

flavor and more elegance to all of your dishes.

tECHnIQUES

"SliCinG and cHoPping aRE rEally two SidES of tHE SAmE CoIN."

(the proper way to hold a chef's knife)

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faSt

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3 strips of bacon

1 Tbsp butter

1 flour tortilla

1/2 cup of shredded mexican cheese

1 small onion (opional)

� Fry up some bacon in a pan

� If you like onions, dice up the onion very finely and cook the onion

in the bacon fat on medium heat for just a couple minutes. The

should turn transluscent. If you don't like onions, simply discard

the bacon grease.

� In a non stick pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Place the

tortilla in the pan. While it is warming, sprinkle the cheese over

the tortilla and let it melt. Be sure to scrape off any pesky pieces

of cheese that may have wandered directly onto the pan. We don't

want that to burn.

� Gingerly place the bacon on one side of the torilla. If you prefer,

you can dice the bacon into little bits to make eating a bit easier.

(But it's bacon so, no matter how you eat it, it's gonna' be good).

� Fold the tortilla in half and then flip the whole thing over.

� Let it cook for just about a minute longer and you're done!

� Slice it up and serve with sour cream and/or guacamole.

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D in ing OutWhy Eating In is Better For You

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Save money Over time I’ve learned to approximate

our favorite restaurant foods, so when I

am craving Indian food, Olive Garden

breadsticks or something else, I can make

it myself for a fraction of the cost. As an

added bonus, I’ve also found that many

other cultures base their food on seas-

onal produce, so I’m often able to make

us a great international meal for much

less than an order of fast food.

Be creativeI’m not afraid to try new things. Because

we’re on a budget I can’t always follow

recipes (especially for ethnic foods) exactly,

but over time, I’ve found creative ways

to substitute cheap ingredients for rare

or expensive ones. Extemporaneous and

flexible cooking is a great creative outlet.

NutritionWhen I make a recipe, I have a much

better sense of what I am eating than I

do when I eat out. At restaurants and

drive-thrus, it can be hard to gauge the

nutritional value of a food, or even

figure out what’s in it. In my kitchen, I

can make just about any meal healthier.

After a long day spent juggling the tasks of a busy lifestyle, it’s tempting to go out to eat. But what if going out to eat isn’t the best option for you and yours? Whether you are on a budget, on a diet, or on a quest to slow down your life, eating at home doesn’t have to mean hunkering down to joyless, boring or time intensive meals. Here are the top benefits I’ve discovered to dining in rather than eating out:

fYI

Get Some Satisfaction It’s satisfying to learn to make a fun

new dish, expand my horizons, keep me

healthy, and help steward my resources

by having a great dinner experience even

if it’s “just” at home.

TeachWhen I eat at home I can expose my

friends and family to foods beyond the

chicken nuggets and hamburgers.

While we prepare and enjoy a new type

of food, we learn about how people

from other cultures and parts of the

world live and eat.

Save timeIt may seem counter-intuitive, but I’ve

found that if I keep a few ingredients on

hand I can whip up a great homemade

meal in a fraction of the time it takes to

dressed in the morning. I can even make

a homemade pizza faster than Papa

John’s delivers. Keeping meal-sized port-

ions of cooked and frozen meat on hand,

cuts down dramatically on the time I have

to invest on busy nights, while still giv-

ing me the flexibility to make whatever

I'm craving.

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The Italian sandwich. It’s a staple in any and every sand-

wich shop from your local mom and pop to giants like Sub-

way and Quizno’s. Why then, is it so unreasonable to think

that we can’t enjoy the same sorts of flavors at home? All it

needs is the proper ingredients and making this sandwich

will take no longer than assembling a classic PB & J.

Step 1: Find a good baguette. A sandwich is only as good as

its bread - no matter how good the ingredients. Step 2: Slice

the bread in half, lengthwise and drizzle both sides with

olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Step 3: Pile on the cheese and

meat. For this sandwich, I used the mild Provolone cheese

and topped it with Chorizo and Prosciutto. Step 4: Devour.

(If you crave some green, feel free to add some fresh arugala

for a fresh peppery bite!)

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fast

WHAT'Sin a

GRAiNSouthern Long Grain

California Medium Grain

California Mochi

Thai Jasmine

Indian Basmati

Arborio

BEST TypE SizE

This is the most common type of rice consumed in the

U.S., and the world, as table rice. It is a long slender

kernel, four to five times longer than its width. This rice is

a firmer and not as sticky as medium grain varieties.

This rice needs a special temperate climate and is only

grown in a few places in the world, mostly in Asia. In

terms of a bland, clean taste, this rice is probably the best

in the world. Medium grain rice is shorter and wider than

long grain rice. The kernels are two to three times longer

than its width. This rice tends to be a little on the softer

side and is sticky.

This type of rice is also known as sweet rice, glutinous rice,

or waxy rice. Mochi rice is slightly sweeter than convention-

al rice, but the rice is not sweet and most palates would

not detect any sweetness. This rice is incredibly sticky.

Jasmine Rice from Thailand is an aromatic rice with a

strong aroma and taste that is unique. The rice looks

much like southern long grain rice before and after cook-

ing, but the texture is sticky, much like California medium

grain rice. The rice is best consumed after new crop is

harvested. None matches the unique texture, aroma, and

texture of Thai Jasmine.

Indian Basmati rice is also an aromatic rice, but has a very

different aroma and taste from Thai Jasmine. Some peo-

ple describe its aroma as popcorn like. This rice is grown

in the northern Punjab region of India and Pakistan, and

commands the highest price of any variety of rice grown in

the world. The raw kernel is long and slender like southern

long grain, but slightly smaller. The kernels increase in

length by more than three times when cooked to produce

a very long slender cooked grain.

Arborio Rice is an Italian variety of rice that is commonly

used in risotto dishes. It is close to California medium

grain in appearance and texture. It is a bigger kernel with a

distinct chalky center. When properly cooked, arborio rice

develops a unique texture with a starchy creamy surface

and a firm bite in the center.

used in absolutely

anything.

in Mediterranean

dishes, Spanish

rice dishes (such as

paella) and various

Asian dishes.

for sticky rice

dumplings, sushi,

and sweet dishes

is best used in

Persian and Middle

Eastern dishes

for any and all

Indian dishes savory

and sweet alike

is almost exclusively

used for risotto,

a creamy, Italian

rice dish

Ever find yourself cooking an delicious meal

only to find that your dish is completely

ruined by none other than the rice? Chances

are, you might be cooking it incorrectly...

but if you're cooking it correctly and it still

comes out wrong, what's the deal? Maybe

you're using the wrong type of rice for your

specific meal. Some rices are incredibly

sticky and would go horribly with some

dishes where the rice is required to be a

bit looser and firmer. So, just to give you an

idea, here's a brief chart for you to take a

look at, spend some time with, and eventu-

ally, make no more bad rice decisions!

(List does not include instant rice, that's for cheaters)

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comPaRE

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toolS

Have you ever read a recipe that

calls for "stirring with a wooden

spoon" and wondered why? Why

not stir with a metal spoon? Or

a silicone spoon or spatula? Is it

important what kind of wood the

spoon be made from? Even if you

haven't wondered about wooden

spoons before, I have done the

wondering for you, and I think I have

come up with some answers.

Advantages of a Wooden Spoon

First of all, let's talk about the feel of a

wooden spoon. There's nothing like

stirring a sauce or sautéing veggies with

a wooden spoon in your hand. Espe-

cially one that you've owned for a long

time. The handles are generally gently

rounded and just feel good to hold.

A spoon with hard edges can dam-

age delicate ingredients. Wooden spo-

ons, with their smooth, gentle curves

are much less likely to bruise, crush or

tear your ingredients as you stir.

Another reason that wooden spo-

ons are superior to metal spoons is

that wooden spoons aren't conductive.

That means that, if you leave your

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spoon in a hot sauce for a long time, the

wooden handle will still stay cool. (Be

care though, I have a bunch of wooden

spoons that have funny curves in them

from leaving them in a hot pot.)

Try that with a metal spoon, and

you'll end up with a burned hand. Yes,

you could get around this problem by

using a metal spoon with a non-con-

ductive handle, but you'll still have to

contend with those hard angles smash-

ing into your food.

Wooden spoons are especially

useful when stirring on a non-stick

surface. Metal spoons can scratch

nonstick coatings, while smooth wood-

en spoons will not harm non-stick

surfaces. Even while stirring in a

regular pot, metal spoons can also leave

scratches, and they make a scraping

noise that can become a bit bothersome

over time. Again, wooden spoons to

the rescue. They won't scratch your

copper, aluminum or stainless steel

pots and are nice and quiet to use.

When stirring acidic ingredients,

like lemon curd or tomato sauce, some

metal spoons can react with the acids

in foods and leave a metallic taste or

even change the color of the food you

are cooking. Wood is non-reactive.

Another score for the wooden spoon.

Last, here's a somewhat subjective

reason for using wooden spoons: I

have a friend who is a professional

chef, and he uses the same spoon every

time he makes his tomato sauce. He

tells me the flavors become part of the

spoon and add to the taste of his sauce!

I'm not sure I buy the "flavors

become part of the spoon" but it sou-

nds good and I do believe the history

in a spoon adds something magical

to a dish. As far as I'm concerned,

wooden spoons win. Hands down.

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dEfiNE/REfiNE

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Walking along the large boule- vards and numerous, small, wind-ing streets of Madrid can certainly work up one's appetite. Whether it's 10 0'clock at night, the middle of the afternoon, or the wee hours of the morning, there's bound to

a restaurant open serving up tapas. As Spain's very own snack culture, it's something we definitely lack here in America. Think of tapas like luxury fast food — they're usually fast, cheap, they're mostly healthy, and, oh yeah, they're delicious.

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Tapas are essentially a wide variety

of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. They

may be served cold, such as a few olives

and cheese, or warm, such as chopitos,

which are battered, fried baby squid.

In select bars in Spain, as well as some

parts of North America and the UK,

tapas have evolved into an entire, and

sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In

Spain, patrons of tapas can order many

different tapas and combine them to

make a full meal.

Tapas are designed to encourage

conversation because people are not so

focused upon eating an entire meal

that is set before them. Also, in some

countries it is customary for diners to

stand and move about and eat tapas.

According to legend, the tapas trad-

ition began when King Alfonso X of

Castille recovered from an illness by

drinking wine with small dishes bet-

ween meals. After regaining his health,

the King ordered that taverns would

not be allowed to serve wine to custom-

ers unless it was accompanied by a

small snack, and thus, "tapa". I don't

know about myths and legends, but

it's no fabrication that tapas simple and

delicious little morsels.

The word "tapas" is derived from

the Spanish verb tapar, "to cover".

According to The Joy of Cooking, the

original tapas were the slices of bread

or meat which sherry drinkers in Anda-

lusian taverns used to cover their gla-

sses between sips. This was a practical

measure meant to prevent fruit flies

from hovering over the sweet sherry.

The meat used to cover the sherry

was normally ham or chorizo, which

are both very salty and activate thirst.

Because of this, bartenders and rest-

aurant owners began creating quite a

variety of snacks to serve with sherry,

thus increasing their alcohol sales.

The tapas eventually became as impor-

tant as the sherry.

Tapas have evolved through Span-

ish history by incorporating ingredients

and influences from different cultures

and countries. For starters, most of the

Iberian Peninsula was invaded by the

Romans, who introduced the olive and

irrigation methods. The invasion of

the North African Moors, in the 8th

century, brought almonds, citrus fruits

and fragrant spices. The influence of

their 700-year presence remains today,

especially in Andalusia. The discovery

of the New World brought the introduc-

tion of tomatoes, sweet peppers and

chili peppers, maize, beans and types

of potatoes. And evetually, after these

were cultivated, the found their way

into Spain's most classic dishes.

In Spain, dinner is usually served

between 9 and 11 p.m., sometimes as

late as midnight. So naturally, Span-

iards typically go "bar hopping", ir de

tapas, and eat tapas in the window

of time between finishing work and

dinner time. Since lunch is usually

served between 1 and 3 p.m., another

common time for tapas is weekend

days around noon as a means of social-

izing before lunch proper at home.

But honestly, there's no set time frame

for tapas. Most restaurants are open

for long hours and serve tapas nearly

all day long.

It is very common for a bar or a

small local restaurant to have eight to

12 different kinds of tapas in warming

A stunning presentation of a classic tapa: pan de jamon y tomate - bread topped with tomato and ham. Shreds of ham are delicately set atop a smothering of tomato, all on a fresh baguette.

A menu from Una Tapeta? The tapas listed at the top of the menu are smaller portions whereas the platillos (plates) at the bottom are larger portions more fit for multiple people or an entree.

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trays with glass partitions covering

the food. They are often very strongly

flavored with garlic, chilies or paprika,

cumin, salt, pepper, saffron and some-

times in plentiful amounts of olive oil.

Often times, one or more of the choices

is seafood, mariscos, often including

anchovies, sardines or mackerel in olive

oil, squid or others in a tomato-based

sauce, sometimes with the addition of

red or green peppers or other season-

ings. It is rare to see a tapas selection

not include various types of olives,

such as manzanilla or arbequina olives.

One or more types of bread are usually

available to eat with any of the sauce-

based tapas.

In Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha,

Castilla y León, Asturias, Extremadura,

and in parts of Andalucia, when one

goes to a bar and orders a drink, often

a tapa will be served with it for free.

As a drink, it is usual to ask for a caña

(small beer), a chato (glass of wine)

r a mosto (grape juice). In several cities,

entire zones are dedicated specifically

to tapas bars, each one serving its own

unique dish.

In northern Spain, they are also

called pinchos (pintxos in Basque) in

Asturias, in Navarre, Basque Country,

Cantabria and in some provinces,

such as Salamanca, because many of

them have a little pincho or toothpick

through them. The toothpick is used to

keep whatever the snack is made of

from falling off the slice of bread but

also mainly to keep track of the num-

ber of tapas that the customer has eaten.

Differently priced tapas have different

shapes or have toothpicks of different

sizes. The price of a single tapa can

range from one to two euros. Another

name for them is banderillas, dimin-

utive of bandera, meaning "flag", in

part because some of them resemble

the colored spears used in bullfighting.

Tapas can be "upgraded" to a

bigger portion, equivalent to half a

dish, media ración, or a whole one

ración. This is generally more econo-

mical when a tapas are being ordered

by more than one person. Big or small,

the best way to enjoy tapas is with

other people: friends and family all

gathered round, tapas covering the

table and a good bottle of wine.

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Spanish culture epitomized: a man casually sits outside the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca. Spaniards eat at all hours of the day and becuase the weather there is so generally lovely, you'll find them all eating outside, enjoying the food and the weather.

(opposite) Meatballs. Every culture has their own version. The Spanish have Albondigas. These meatballs are trad- itionally served in a tomato-based sauce. They're too good for pasta.

(below) This is what a tapas table generally looks like. Tons of tiny plates covering the table while people choose which tiny delicacies catch their eye. Spaniards are not afraid of having a quiet tapa alone, but truly, tapas are best enjoyed family style.

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mEat CoUrSE

For those of you who prefer the carni-

vorous lifestyle, knowing where your

meat comes from can be the difference

between a good meal and a bad meal.

But even moreso than that, knowing the

right types of beef can contribute to a

healthier meat-eating lifestyle. Beef is

easy to love because of its taste and var-

iety of preparations. But it’s also a

naturally nutrient-rich source of ten ess-

ential nutrients. The protein in beef

helps strengthen and sustain your body.

Evidence shows that protein plays an

important role in maintaining healthy

weight, building muscle and fueling

physical activity.

And when you’ve got all that going

for you, you and your loved ones are one

big step closer to a healthier lifestyle

and at lower risk for disease. Too much

beef can lead to health problems, so

enjoy, but do so in moderation.

You should know that there are 29

cuts of beef that meet government

guidelines for lean. Each one contains

less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5

grams or less of saturated fat, and less

than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per

3.5 oz. serving. Each cut of beef is very

unique and used for different times,

temperatures, and meals. On the follow-

ing pages you will find a few of the

most important cuts.

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YOU HAVE A CHOICESo what the heck is "choice" beef? The

word "choice" is a quality grade given

by the U.S. Department of Agriculture

to describe very high quality beef and

other meats (veal and lamb) in terms

of tenderness, juiciness and flavor.

Choice is the second-highest meat qual-

ity grade, with prime being the highest.

This meat quality grade is given bas-

ed on a combination of marbling and

maturity. Marbling (or flecks of fat with-

in the meat) adds flavor, and younger

beef produces the most tender meat.

Therefore, the "choice" grade will be

given to meat that comes from very you-

ng beef with moderate marbling, but

not as much marbling as meat that has

been graded prime.

If you prefer prime, or have the cash

to front for it, by all means, buy it.

Choice is the best quality you'll get for

the price, but keep in mind that fat

equals flavor. And, no, no one will judge

you for slicing off bits of fat while eat-

ing your giant T-bone steak. Always

keep in mind that with beef, modera-

tion is key.

Use the following page as a impetus

to experiment with different flavors

and techniques. Once you have a basic

knowledge of cuts and know how to

use them, you will be on your way to

making delicious and healthy meals.

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CHUCK RIB

PLATEBRISKET

Since the chuck comes from the forequarters of the animal that is exercised regularly, it contains a fair amount of connective tissue and can be tough. However, it has a higher fat content than some other cuts such as round. Therefore, chuck works well for braising, such as a pot roast, as stew meat or as ground beef.

Beef plate is located beneath the rib section of the animal and contains a lot of cartilage making it good for braising. However, the plate is also used for short ribs, skirt steak, and ground beef.

The rib is one of the premium cuts of beef. It can be used in an oven roast to make prime rib, as steak in the form of a rib eye, or other forms of dry-heat cooking. The rib offers a very tender and flavorful piece of meat.

Like chuck, beef brisket comes from the forequarters and is used in a similar manner for pot roast or stewing, however, the brisket is also used to make corned beef by brining the meat and then moist cooking it. The brisket can be divided into the point half, which is leaner, and the flat half which is fattier and therefore more moist after cooking.

CHUCK

PLATE

RIB

BRISKET(A.K.A THE SHOULDER)

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ROUNDSHORTLOIN

TENDERLOIN

SIRLOIN

FLANK

Top sirloin is typically used as premium steak or kabobs, while bottom sirloin makes for a health-conscious oven roast since it is leaner than many other cuts. In all cases, however, the sirloin sections are tender and make an excellent choice for barbecuing.

Round is from the hindquarters of the animal and therefore is tough, however, unlike chuck, round is also fair lean. Round is the tradi-tional source of cube steak but also works well as a pot roast or stew meat. If using the round tip, bottom round or eye round the section is often used as an inex-pensive oven roast.

As the name implies, this section is very tender and is the source of filet mignon as well as chateau-briand. In addition, tenderloin can also be used for oven roasts, kabobs, or other dry-heat cooking methods though it is usually more expensive than other cuts.

SIRLOIN

Beef short loin is the site for the most premium cuts of beef. The short loin is almost exclusively used for steak in the form of T-bone and Porterhouse, but also as strip steak also known as strip loin. Due to its tenderness, dry-heat cooking is typically used for cuts from this section

SHORT SIRLOIN

ROUND

TENDERLOIN

From the belly of the animal, flank is typically tough. Though it is often grilled, marinating the cut is required for a tender end product. To avoid marinating, flank is also suited for ground beef or braising as with a pot roast.

FLANK

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Mushrooms delicious

You are the fungi supreme

Forget truffles, k?

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portobEllo fRIEs PG 44 witH SpICY CHIPotlE mayo

fUngiour most favorite

of them all

mUShRoom SauCE

PG 40 witH CRIminiS anD ShIitakeS

anD CabbAGE SoUP pG 36

PG 31 tHE CLASsic, tHE VErSatIlE, tHE EASY,

tHE mUShRoomPG 30 fUN fACtS About

mUShRoom riSotto

ShIitakE mUShRoomRoaStEd PotatoEs and

sHiItakE mUShroomS

PG 32

29

maIn CoUrSE

Mushrooms are unique. They are

neither animal or plant. Some people

consider them to be plants for var-

ious reasons, but they differ from plants

in that they lack the green chlorophyll

that plants use to manufacture their

own food and energy. For this reason

they are placed in a Kingdom of their

own," The Kingdom of Fungi".

So, what are mushrooms? A mush-

room is but the fruit of the fungal org-

anism that produces them, much like

an apple tree produces apples to bear

seeds to ensure the continuation of it's

species, so the fungal organism pro-

duces mushrooms that carry spores to

ensure the prosperity of its own species.

Unfortunately, like most fruits and

vegetables, mushrooms are very deli-

cate things, they do not last, some have

a life span of less than a day others

may survive one week, and a group of

tougher mushrooms may last months

but they have a tough woody texture.

Most fleshy mushrooms do not last;

making research difficult.

Mushrooms even have a cult

following. There are those who forage,

collect and cultivate mushrooms.

Brave souls will wander out into the

forest, or perhaps just into their own

backyard, to find fruitful fungi in all

their natural glory. Of course, we all

know of the "magic mushrooms" —

ones that supposedly grant you magic-

al powers if you're high enough. As

much as I would like to shoot lasers

from my eyeballs, this is a cooking

magazine and not one about which

mushroom variety releases the most

toxin into your system.

Aside from their supposed powers,

one thing we do know is that mush-

rooms will give you nutritional powers

and they are delicious when cooked

properly. The pages that follow discuss

everything from how mushrooms are

cultivated to how they end up on your

table. The stars of our show include:

Shiitakes, Criminis, Portobellos, and

Oyster. These four were chosen bec-

ause of their availability. Although exotic

muchrooms are very fascinating, it

seems a bit impractical to have recipes

for mushrooms that are exclusive or

not readily available at your very own

local grocery store.

tHE fUngUS among US

30

tHE world'S moSt famoUS mUSHroomThe Mario Mushroom of course. This little guy made his

debut in 1981 with the first installment of Nintendo's Mario

videogame franchise. In addition to the 1-up mushroom,

there is the classic Mario enemy: the Goomba. A mushroom

in his own right, Mario fans have been jumping over or

on top of goombas for over 20 years.

HUmonGoUS fUnGUSPeople have known about the "honey

mushroom" for some time, but were

not aware of how large and invasive

this species of fungus could be. The

fungus was investigated more closely

by researchers when they realized that

it was responsible for killing large

groves of evergreen trees. Researchers

collected samples of the fungus from

a widespread area and analyzed the

DNA. A large sample of the speci-

mens they collected turned out to be

from a single organism.

Until August of 2000 it was thought

that the largest living organism was a

fungus of the same species (Armillaria

ostoyae) that covered 1,500 acres (600

hectares) found living in the state of

Washington. But then mycology experts

surmised that if an Armillaria that large

could be found in Washington State,

then perhaps one just as large could be

responsible for the trees dying in the

Malheur National Forest in the Blue

Mountains of eastern Oregon. Research-

ers were astonished at the sheer mag-

nitude of the find. This most recent find

was estimated to cover over 2,200 acres

(890 hectares) and be at least 2,400

years old, possibly older.

tHE dEath caPThe world's deadliest mushroom is

the death cap. The five different poisons

contained in the mushroom cause

diarrhea and vomiting within 6 to 12

hours of ingestion. This is followed

by damage to the liver, kidneys, and

central nervous system and, in the

majority of cases, coma and death.

HUmonGoUS fUnGUSConsidered one of the most beautiful

mushrooms in the world is the Bridal

Veil mushroom. It gets its name for

an obvious reason: it has a large flow-

ing "skirt" that drapes from the cap.

The "skirt" is used mainly to attract ins-

ects that will spread its spores. To top

it all off, this mushroom is edible. It is

mainly sold in Chinese markets and

used for Haute Cuisine.

mUshRoom cRazEdPeople love mushrooms. Whether they're edible or not. For

example, if you visit Etsy.com, artists and crafty-folk have

created over 10,000 mushroom themed products. From

Wonderland to your own backyard, from pop culture to

secluded forests, let's face it: they're aboslutely everywhere.

fUnGUS faCtS

31

mUShRoom SauCEtHE CLASsic, tHE VErSatIlE, tHE EASY,

2 Tbsp of butter

2 garlic cloves (minced, really tiny)

1 tsp of sage (ground)

6 oz of mushrooms

1 cup of heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

SERVES 2

The best thing about this recipe is that you can use absolutely any type of mushroom. I used oyster mushrooms (see below) but you can use anything from portobello to crimini. Depending on how meaty the mushroom is, the cooking times may vary. But honestly, it's so easy, you're a fool if you don't make this.

� Over medium-high heat, melt the butter. When melted, add garlic,

sage, and sautee for about 5 minutes.

� Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until they're nice and soft.

� Salt and pepper. Add the heavy cream and warm until the texture is

velvety smooth.

� Pour over pasta, chicken or just about anything! Enjoy!

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33

Originally, the Japanese cultivated the mushroom by cutting

shii trees with axes and placing the logs by trees that were

already growing shiitake or contained shiitake spores. Before

1982, the Japanese variety of these mushrooms could only

be grown in traditional locations using ancient methods. In

1982, Gary F. Leatham published an academic paper based

on his research on the budding and growth of the Japan

Islands variety; the work helped make commercial cultiva-

tion possible in United States. Dr. Leatham is known in the

industry as the “father of shiitake farming in the USA.”

In the United States, shiitake cultivation got off to a slow

start, due to the USDA confusing the mushroom with an

invasive species known as Lentinus lepideus. The USDA

realized their mistake in 1972 and allowed importation

and cultivation.

For centuries, the shiitake was used as a medicinal

mushroom, taken as a remedy for upper respiratory

diseases, poor blood circulation, liver trouble, exhaustion

and weakness, and to boost qi, or life energy. It was also

believed to prevent premature aging.

Fresh and dried shiitake have many uses in the cuisines of

East Asia. In Chinese cuisine, they are often sauteed in

vegetarian dishes such as Buddha’s delight. In Japan, they

are served in miso soup, used as the basis for a kind of

vegetarian dashi, and also as an ingredient in many steamed

and simmered dishes. In Thailand, they may be served

either fried or steamed.

Shiitake are often dried and sold as preserved food in

packages. These must be rehydrated by soaking in water

before using. Many people prefer dried shiitake to fresh,

considering that the sun-drying process draws out the flavor

from the dried mushrooms by breaking down proteins into

amino acids and transforms ergosterol to vitamin D. The

stems of shiitake are rarely used in Japanese and other

cuisines, primarily because the stems are harder and take

longer to cook than the soft fleshy caps. The highest grade

of shiitake are called "donko" in Japanese.

Today, shiitake mushrooms have become popular in

many other countries as well. Russia produces and also con-

sumes large amounts of them, mostly sold pickled; and the

shiitake is slowly making its way into western cuisine as

well. There is a global industry in shiitake production, with

local farms in most western countries in addition to large

scale importation from China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere.

Because they can now be grown world wide, their

availability is widespread and their price has decreased.

CULTIVATION CULINARY USE

Shiitake are native to Korea, China and

Japan and have been grown in all three

countries since prehistoric times. They

have been cultivated for over 1,000 years.

In fact, the oldest record regarding the

shiitake mushroom dates back to AD 199.

ShIita

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34

CUTTINg THE POTATO

Once you have cut the potato lengthwise, make

3 simple cuts to get the same size everytime.

Uniform size means uniform cooking.

6 small to medium white potatoes, washed

2 cloves of garlic sliced

2 stalks of green onion, washed and cut to form ribbons

4 oz shittake mushrooms, washed, stems removed

1 sprig fresh rosemary coarsely chopped

1 tsp dried thyme

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

S/P

SERVES 3-4

ROASTED POTATOES WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

� Preheat oven to 375 F with empty baking dish (9x13).

I chose to use white potatoes but you could use red potatoes or yu-

kon golds depending on your preference. Not peeling the potatoes

because the skin can add nice flavor and texture as well as nutrients

but peeling is an option. If you don’t peel the potatoes just wash the

outside with a clean brush and cool water.

� Slice the potatoes into small 1/2 inch cubes.

(See figure below)

� Remove preheated dish from oven and add 2 Tbs olive oil or

enough to coat all of the potatoes. Toss potatoes in the olive oil to

evenly coat; beware of sizzling. S/P and add rosemary and thyme

and toss again.

� Bake for 30 minutes, tossing potatoes once halfway through.

Note: Baking time may vary depending on the type of potato used.

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ROASTED POTATOES WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

� Add shittakes and sliced garlic with 1 tbs olive oil and a pinch of

salt and toss to coat mushrooms. Olive oil will help the mushrooms

stay moist. Continue baking for 10 minutes. Garlic is reserved for

this stage to prevent burning if it is added too soon.

� To prepare the green onions, once they have been washed, hold

the bulb end and cut once lengthwise then cut the stalk in half and

remove the bulb. Then, using your hands, separate the inner layers.

This style of slice adds a contrast in shape to the other components

of the dish and creates additional elegance, however, if desired, a

standard chop can be used as well.

� Set your oven to broil a couple minutes to brown some of the

potatoes. This makes them nice and crispy.

� The potatoes are done when fork tender.

� Remove and serve garnished with the green onion ribbons.

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FRESH VS. DRY HERBS

3:1 / FRESH:DRY

Let’s face it. Not all of us have the luxury of keeping fresh

herbs in our refridgerators. They are tasty and pure when

fresh and pungent and delicious when dried — but when

should you use one over the other? Truth is, you can sub-

titute dry for fresh herbs anytime, as long as you use the

right ratio.

Keep in mind that fresh herbs are generally better for foods

with shorter cooking times and for garnishes. Dry herbs

are better for longer cooking times, as they hold up their

flavor and aroma.

36

1 small onion sliced and layers separated

2 tbs oil

2 tsp fresh grated (or finely chopped) ginger

1 tbs green onion

2 cloves Garlic finely minced

1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes

1 tbs soy sauce

6 leaves of white or napa cabbage roughly chopped

1/2 carrot sliced on a bias (optional)

4 shiitake mushrooms sliced

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

SHIITAKE MUSHROOM AND CABBAgE SOUP

� Over medium-low heat bring oil up to temperature and sweat on-

ions until soft. Add ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant.

� Add cabbage until wilted. Add red pepper flakes, shiitake mush-

rooms and carrot. and saute a minute.

� Add chicken stock then bring soup to boil and reduce to simmer for

5 to 10 minutes then add green onion. Simmer for a couple minutes

more and serve hot with sriracha (optional).

This dish can be served with udon or vermicelli noodles to add ad-

ditional substance depending on preference.

SERVES 1-2

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39

In 1926, a Pennsylvanian mushroom

farmer found a clump of common

mushrooms with white caps in his

mushroom bed. Like white bread, it

was seen as a more attractive food

item and was very popular. As was

done with the navel orange and Red

Delicious apple, cultures were grown

from the mutant individuals, and most

of the cream-colored store mushrooms

we see today (like the ones over there)

are products of this chance natural

mutation.

Agaricus bisporus is now cultivated

in at least 70 countries around the

world. Global production in the early

1990s was reported to be more than

1.5 billion kg, worth more than US$

2 billion. Needless to say, these little

beauties are a hot commodity.

Criminis are the most basic of mush-

rooms. They also have many names:

whole mushroom, white mushroom,

brown mushroom, and yes, portobello.

The difference between these popular

varieties of mushrooms is just age.

CULTIVATION

CULINARY USE

The white button mushrooms, those

very familiar kitchen staples, are

simply the youngest variety. They have

been cultivated, too, for that white

color and soft texture. In the wild these

mushrooms are usually browner.

Criminis can be used for anything that

calls for a basic mushroom. They are

extremely versatile and have a decent

shelf life. If you find a recipe that

blankly calls for "mushrooms," these

are the ones you'll want to use.

Commonly, these are best used for

sauces, soups, and stuffing. Crimini

hold up there shape for the long cook-

ing times of sauces and soups. Cur-

rently trending is the classic stuffed

mushroom. In the grocery store you'll

find especially large criminis selected

just for stuffing. Everything from sau-

sage to cheese to squash can be stuffed

into the caps of these little wonders,

making them the perfect hour dourves

for your next get together.

In short, when you're unsure about

finding the right fungi, look no further

than crimini.

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1/2 pound fresh porcini or crimini mushrooms

4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

2 ounces pancetta, diced

1/2 cup chopped shallots (3 shallots)

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of

reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute

the pancetta and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter.

Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of the chicken

stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and

simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes.

Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every

few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry

before adding more of the stock mixture.

Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about

25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and

creamy and not at all dry.

Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls with

extra cheese.

SERVES 4

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41

crimIn

I

If you're curious about arborio rice, check

out page 13 for a little bit of information on

what makes this creamy rice different than

other grains of rice.

42

The giant, and well-loved portobello is native

to the grasslands of Europe and North Ameri-

ca. Agaricus bisporus is cultivated in more

than seventy countries and is one of the most

commonly and widely consumed mush-

rooms in the world. No surprise there. The

portobello is the meat of the mushroom

world and, more often than not, is the perfect

portion size.

43

If you read the crimini section, the you already know that the

portobello is the crimini's older brother. Essentially, they are

the same thing. What makes the portobello extremely unique

is its size. Thus, there are many recipes and culinary tech-

nique that are specific to this giant fungi.

The portobello is perfect for single portioned meals.

You can grill them and eat them as a healthy alternative to

a hamburger, you can fry them, bake them, and of course,

use them in any soup of sauce. These wonderful, rich, fruit-

ful, mushrooms will hold up to longer cooking times and

hold its shape.

On a side note, another wonderful thing portobellos are

used for is making lovely mushroom prints. To make one:

cut off the cap of the mushroom, and lay it gill-side down,

on paper. Cover with a bowl or glass to keep spores from

blowing away and to allow humidity to increase. Let sit

for at least an hour. You'll end up with a beautiful print

of feathered mushroom gills.

CULINARY USE

44

3 portobello mushrooms

Vegetable oil for frying

1 cup of flour

2 eggs

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese

1 tsp of red chili flakes

1/4 cup of chopped parsley

S/P

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 a teaspoon of cayenne pepper

S/P

PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM "FRIES"WITH SPICY gARLIC MAYONNAISE

� Pour vegetable oil in a pan at least an inch-high. Heat vegetable oil

to about 360 degrees.

Oil temperature can be tricky. If you don't have a thermometer, take

a small piece of the breaded portobello and drop it into the oil. It

should sizzle enthusiastically, but not pop. If popping is excessive,

turn down the heat slightly and try again. Once oil gets hot, it can

hold its heat for a while, so initially you may have to turn the heat up

higher and then as the frying process continues, lower the heat to

maintain a steady temperature.

� In one large plate or baking dish add the flour. To another at the

beaten eggs. To another add in the breadcrumbs, cheese, pepper

flakes, parsley, salt and pepper.

SERVES 2

FOR MAYO:

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ON BREADINgEver heard the old adage, "You can fry anything"? Well, it's

absolutely true. As long as you know how to do it properly.

The essentials are: to have your ingredients be patted dry, to

have a consistent oil temperature, and to have an efficient

breading station. (illustrated below) First you have your

flour. The flour ensures that your food is dry enough to

be coated with eggs. Next, the eggs provide a glue for the

chunkier bread crumbs to adhere to. Then, out of the bread

crumbs and into the fryer!

One last thing to keep in mind is that you should use

one hand for your wet ingredients and the other for your

dry ingredients. Otherwise you'll end up with chunky "glove

hand". Nobody wants that.

45

This chipotle mayo is quite possibly the most magical dipping sauce your ever likely to encounter. It is the perfect compliment to the crunchy mushrooms. in fact, feel free to make this spicy mayo for anything from avocados to french fries.

46

HAND PAINTEDHAND PAINTEDRestaurants and

Signs

scRatch madE fRom

Food critics everywhere claim that we eat with our eyes.

They say that, not only do we respond to the way food tastes,

but also to the way the food looks. The same is true for the

atmosphere of a restaurant. The way a restaurant looks, the

way its menu looks, the environment, all play a huge role in

the dining experience. So much of what we consume is visual.

Once our minds are satisfied with the way things look, we

begin to enjoy the food that is sitting in front of us. It is for

this reason that restaurants go to such trouble to tickle our

visual fancies. They want us to enjoy their food, and thus,

pay them for their hard work. It's no wonder then that

hand-painted signs have ruled the restaurant industry

for decades.

Signs are a vital part of how restaurants distinguish

themselves: appearing one after the other, mismatched

awnings and stucco facades create a unique visual land-

scape — each neighborhood displays their own partiuclar

style. Painted signs, of which no two are exactly alike,

express the history of a place through a unique and often

idiosyncratic language of images, symbols, and text.

46

47

The language of sign painting has a long history, spanning

centuries and countries all over the world. From 14th-centu-

ry English inn signs to the perfectly painted reproductions

of corporate logos on 21st-century storefronts, hand-lettered

signs have announced countless messages to millions of

people. Hand -ettering, which is related to but also distinct

from typography, frequently calls upon the artist to repli-

cate the appearance of printed type either with the aid of

stencils or through painstaking freehand drawing.

It is this ability to create distinctive lettering by hand

that separates the work of the sign painter from that of the

digital designer. Though both occupations require com-

mand of composition and layout, the technical skills invol-

ved in sign painting have their own heritage. Historically,

sign painters have learned their trade through trial and

error, by finding employment as a sign painter's apprentice

— or, more recently, by attending school.

Going back as far as the 1800s, students hoping to learn

the trade had a number of manuals and guides at their dis-

posal. While some sign painting books included historical

information and technical advice, others featured a wide var-

iety of typefaces and ornaments for painters to include in

their own work. Instead of using samples of text to demon-

strate the appearance of a font for a printer to purchase,

the pages of these books featured every letter of the alphabet,

both upper and lower case, for the sign painter to copy.

Some authors of the more technically-minded manuals

warned painters against making their work look too mech-

anical, in order to preserve what they viewed as the individual

spirit of the art. A 1920 book, "How To Paint Signs and Sho'

Cards", promises that technical mastery leads to individual

expression: "You can express just as much originality and

personality in lettering as you can in pictorial work." Letter-

forms themselves become image. Even during the sign

painting heyday, hand letterers were well aware of the stiff

competition posed by printers when it came to advertising

signage. As a result, they found ways to balance speed and

quality with the distinctive, homespun effects of handwork.

You can express just as much originality and personality in lettering as you can in pictorial work.

48

Despite their history of competition, typography and hand

lettering have powerful ties that reach back to the invention

of the printing press. The blackletter typefaces used in the

first mechanically printed books imitated handwritten scripts

used in medieval Western Europe. Even italics, once a dis-

crete typeface rather than a supplementary component of

roman fonts, were initially designed to imitate the calligra-

phy used by Italian state officials and scholars. Later, the

proliferation of printed matter and advertising over the

course of the 19th and early 20th centuries added a unique

twist to the relationship between the human hand and the

printing press, as the use of type to imitate writing comming-

led with skillful hand lettering techniques that imitated type.

More than merely imitating printed text, skilled sign paint-

ers could push the limits of letterforms. Their ability to alter

the sizes, shapes, color, and arrangement of words and ima-

ges with the stroke of a brush made it possible to quickly

produce an extensive, eloquent variety of compositions for

their clients. Sign painters continue to blur the boundary

between letters and pictures, often transforming even the

simplest text into a sophisticated array of symbols that

speak to different viewers. Even something as simple as a

color scheme can alter the meaning of a sign: national

flags, religious iconography, and personal taste might all

find their way into a single group of letters on a neigh-

borhood storefront.

Although the wide availability of digital vinyl lettering

in the 1980s sharply reduced the demand for hand painted

signs, the skill of hand lettering is by no means on the

decline. As an increasingly rare specialty, the ability to trans-

late written messages into richly textured images is not

simply an act of communication with the public, but also

of historical preservation.

Selected writings taken from Arden Stern's article entitled " The Street Museum: Sign Painting as Art and History "

49

"I heard you were doing the mushroom

issue and I couldn't resist! I found this

fancy little product while wandering

through the grocery store. These boxes are

packed with compost, soil, and mushroom

spores. You spray a bit of water on it every

now and then and out will grow your very

own mushrooms! I must try this!"

coLLEctivE

50

"It was a cold Friday evening and Lauren

and I were on our way to dinner and Christ-

mas shopping. We decided to stop somewhere

cheap to grab dinner. So, we snuck into this

little noodle bar and ordered up some Pho.

The waiters brought us these huge, beautiful

bowls of soup — perfect for a chilly evening.

The price of this meal? $5.75. We couldn't

believe it. Good thing it was so cheap!

Because we spent the rest of our money on

Christmas gifts for friends."

51

"Do Not Peep"

52

"The Publican is one of our absolute

favorite restaurants. Located in Chi-

cago's, Fulton Market district, we go

everytime we head up to Chicago. This

most recent time, we brought our good

friends, the Longs, with us and they

absolutely loved it — even if we did

have to walk a mile to get there. If ever

you make it to Chicago, go here and

prepare to be stuffed!"

53

"I will never forget this breakfast. It was a

cold, bright, sunny Spring day in Seattle

and my friends and I needed a place to

stop for a quick breakfast. We huddled

into this small cafe and I ordered these

divine cinnamon raisin pastries. With a

small cup of coffee, these morsels were the

perfect was to start a long day of sight-

seeing and shopping."

54

55

"One day while walking through

a local bookstore, I found this

great little zine. The author has

taken old cooking illustrations and

added new captions. Some of the

imagery is transformed into funny

and sometimes vulgar ways. It's

an incredibly creative little piece

that any foodie would have a good

laugh at."

56

Generated by CamScanner

Generated by CamScanner

"Okay, so I know I'm cheating. This is an

excerpt from one of this past year's Food

and Wine Magazines. I couldn't resist. It's

this recipe for a Spanish Stew that is ab-

solutely to die for and it's so easy to make!

The halibut will cost you a bit of money,

but I've made it with cod in the past and it

has turned out wonderfully. this is a recipe I

would share with anyone. Try it."

57

My grandmother's peanut brittle recipe.

Short and sweet.

58