8/8/2019 FoodFest 365! http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/foodfest-365 1/49 A YEAR-LONG PARTY WITH A RECIPE A DAY! November 10: V nill Cupc ke D y J a n u a r y 4 : S p a g h e t t i D a y September 26: Pan cake Da y Yvan D.Lemoine THE OFFICIALLY FUN FOOD Holiday Cookbook D e c e m b er 1 0 : L a g e r D a y 3 6 5 ! F O O D F E S T
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Transcript
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A YEAR-LONG
PARTY WITH A
RECIPE A DAY
November 10 V nill Cupc ke D y
J a n u a r y
4 S p a
g h e t t i D a y
S e p t e m b e r 2 6 P a n c a k e D a y
Yvan D Lemoine
THE OFFICIALLY
FUN FOODHoliday Cookbook
D e c em
b er 1 0
L a g er D
a y
3 6 5
F OODF E S T
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Praise for FoodFest 365
ldquoYvan is a talented and creative young chef Since our time together at Le Cirque2000 Yvan has continued to pursue his passion for food and cooking with a
sense of humor and style Whether you are looking for a delicious dessert orfun ideas for refreshing cocktails they can be found within these pages Filledwith fun easy and imaginative recipes FoodFest 365 is a must for any cookrsquoslibrary Strap on your rollerblades and racemdashdonrsquot walkmdashto get your copy Iknow I amrdquo
mdashJacques Torres MOF (Meillure Ouvrier de France )Chocolate Executive Officer Jacques Torres Chocolate New York
ldquoFood should be fun To make food fun every day you need a secret weaponand FoodFest 365 is it Yvan the lsquochefologistrsquo gives us ideas twists fun storieschef tips pictures and recipes so awesome you want to lick rsquoem off the pagesExplore experiment and make food fun and delicious with Yvan as your guiderdquo
mdashKeegan Gerhard ChefOwner D Bar DessertsHost Food Network Challenge
ldquoI have had the pleasure of watching (and judging) Yvan when he competed on
the Food Network show Chopped and it was such a pleasure watching this chefdemonstrate his passion and creativity in such a difficult setting Yvan provednot only his skills as a cook but showed that a true artist lives inside him andmanifests itself in his playful whimsical and lsquooutside-the-boxrsquo dishes I haveno doubt Yvan [and his company iFood Studio] is going to go a long way andreinvent many many dishes in the process and that FoodFest 365 is just thefirst look at what this talented chef can do Kudosrdquo
mdashChris Santos Executive ChefPartner The Stanton SocialJudge on Chopped
ldquoFoodFest 365 is an amazing book chock full of fun and playful recipes andideas I love how Yvan really captures the essence of spirited youth FoodFest365 is sure to bring the family together both in the kitchen and at the tablerdquo
mdashJohnny Iuzzini Executive Pastry Chef Jean Georges RestaurantAuthor ofDessert FourPlay Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef
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ldquoBeautiful happy recipes a masterpiece from Yvan Love the Little Devils andthe juicy burger A must in your kitchenrdquo
mdashCyril Renaud ChefOwner Bar Breton
ldquoFoodFest 365 is easy to follow caring and happy just like Yvan whorsquos alwayson your siderdquo
mdashAkiko Katayama Food Writer Judge onIron Chef America
ldquo[Mr Lemoinersquos] desserts verge on spectacularrdquo
mdashNew York Times
ldquoYvan Lemoine is one of the most talented chefs in the country His fanciful cou-plings of flavor and texture put him in a league of his ownrdquo
mdashCarmen Marc Valvo Fashion Designer
ldquoItrsquos refreshing to find a cookbook that really has so much fun with food andinvites the entire family to participate and enjoy the process of cooking andeating together Yvanrsquos simple and delicious recipes will teach you proper tech-nique and have you looking forward to holidays yoursquove never before heard of(like Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day) for years to come Itrsquos a book that will have yousmiling from the beginning of the recipe until the very last biterdquo
mdashAndrea Strong Writer and Founder ofthe Popular Food BlogThe Strong Buzz
ldquoYvan is a talent that is rarely seen He creates masterpieces that satisfy notonly the palate but the eye as well He puts heart and soul into his work and asyou can see from this book it shows I commend him to the fullest extent andalways look forward to experiencing his future endeavorsrdquo
mdashJonathan Pogash NYC Beverage Consultantwwwthecocktailgurucom President NY Chapter United States Bartenders Guild
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoWe all know about the big food holidays like Thanksgiving Easter PassoverChanukah Christmas and July 4th but this book gives us a valid excuse to
celebrate food each and every day Yvanrsquos enthusiasm for food comes throughloud and clear in this energetic book and his passion for enjoying food is onlymatched by his skill in preparing it He has put the fun back in our mouthsby celebrating the things hemdashand wemdashlove to eat Each recipe is a cookinghistory lesson and a reassurance of kitchen success for seasoned chefs andhome cooks who havenrsquot been to cooking school but can handily prepare thefoods they love to eat and try some new ones too As an added bonus thisbook offers a perfect explanation for when yoursquore indulging Need to explain toyour personal trainer why you had salted caramel flan for breakfast Once heknows that itrsquos National Caramel Day hersquoll simply have to forgive you Of coursehe may make you drop and give him twenty but itrsquos well worth it if you followedYvanrsquos delicious reciperdquo
ldquoThis book is exactly what you need for inspiration every day of the year Itrsquos funfab and fascinatingrdquo
mdashGary Regan ArdentSpiritscom
ldquoI had the pleasure of preparing food and drinks with Yvan in my studio Therecipes were not only easy enough to follow for a beginner cook such as myselfbut they tasted delicious and looked amazingrdquo
mdashDiana Falzone TV Personality and Host of Cosmolicious Radio
ldquoI have known Yvan since his high school days when he showed signs of inde-pendence imagination and creativity His talents are many and his accom-plishments to date are truly amazing His first book (for I believe there will bemany more) is filled with recipes that show his joy for life knowledge of foodand his desire to have fun in the kitchen Enjoyrdquo
mdashRichard Grausman PresidentFounder C-CAP(Careers through Culinary Arts Program)
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoYvan is a genius Nothing more nothing less His recipes are simple and full ofhis voice Reassuring playful encouraging and inventivemdashall at once Buy this
book if you want each day to be a festival celebrating food family life and loveThese are recipes that will give you reason to be at the table sharing with lovedones without fuss and with much aplombrdquo
mdashSuvir Saran ChefOwner American Masala and DeviAuthor of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking
ldquoEvery day for me IS a food fest so the fact that Yvan D Lemoine created thiscookbook titled FoodFest 365 pretty much makes him my soul mate I mean
National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day I was already observing that high holy dayon my own and now thanks to Yvanrsquos recipe for PBampJ Doughnuts his gourmetguidance gathers my fellow food followers as one His foodie words of wisdomserve as a pied piper of sorts and make me want to eat pierdquo
mdashAllison Hagendorf TV Personality Food Writer and Enthusiast
ldquolsquoYrsquo is an energetic presence to the culinary world with his undying quest for newtechniques exotic ingredients and anything funrdquo
mdashKevin Lasko Executive Chef Park Avenue Restaurant
ldquoA true free spiritrdquo
mdashFood Arts Magazine
Praise for FoodFest 365
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Av n Ma ac u tt
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
J A N 1
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
J A N 2
J A N 3
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
J A N 4
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
J A N 5
J A N 6
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6 FOODFEST 365
T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
J A N 7
J A N 8
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
J A N 9
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8 FOODFEST 365
B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
J A N 1 0
J A N 11
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
J A N 12
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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Praise for FoodFest 365
ldquoYvan is a talented and creative young chef Since our time together at Le Cirque2000 Yvan has continued to pursue his passion for food and cooking with a
sense of humor and style Whether you are looking for a delicious dessert orfun ideas for refreshing cocktails they can be found within these pages Filledwith fun easy and imaginative recipes FoodFest 365 is a must for any cookrsquoslibrary Strap on your rollerblades and racemdashdonrsquot walkmdashto get your copy Iknow I amrdquo
mdashJacques Torres MOF (Meillure Ouvrier de France )Chocolate Executive Officer Jacques Torres Chocolate New York
ldquoFood should be fun To make food fun every day you need a secret weaponand FoodFest 365 is it Yvan the lsquochefologistrsquo gives us ideas twists fun storieschef tips pictures and recipes so awesome you want to lick rsquoem off the pagesExplore experiment and make food fun and delicious with Yvan as your guiderdquo
mdashKeegan Gerhard ChefOwner D Bar DessertsHost Food Network Challenge
ldquoI have had the pleasure of watching (and judging) Yvan when he competed on
the Food Network show Chopped and it was such a pleasure watching this chefdemonstrate his passion and creativity in such a difficult setting Yvan provednot only his skills as a cook but showed that a true artist lives inside him andmanifests itself in his playful whimsical and lsquooutside-the-boxrsquo dishes I haveno doubt Yvan [and his company iFood Studio] is going to go a long way andreinvent many many dishes in the process and that FoodFest 365 is just thefirst look at what this talented chef can do Kudosrdquo
mdashChris Santos Executive ChefPartner The Stanton SocialJudge on Chopped
ldquoFoodFest 365 is an amazing book chock full of fun and playful recipes andideas I love how Yvan really captures the essence of spirited youth FoodFest365 is sure to bring the family together both in the kitchen and at the tablerdquo
mdashJohnny Iuzzini Executive Pastry Chef Jean Georges RestaurantAuthor ofDessert FourPlay Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef
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ldquoBeautiful happy recipes a masterpiece from Yvan Love the Little Devils andthe juicy burger A must in your kitchenrdquo
mdashCyril Renaud ChefOwner Bar Breton
ldquoFoodFest 365 is easy to follow caring and happy just like Yvan whorsquos alwayson your siderdquo
mdashAkiko Katayama Food Writer Judge onIron Chef America
ldquo[Mr Lemoinersquos] desserts verge on spectacularrdquo
mdashNew York Times
ldquoYvan Lemoine is one of the most talented chefs in the country His fanciful cou-plings of flavor and texture put him in a league of his ownrdquo
mdashCarmen Marc Valvo Fashion Designer
ldquoItrsquos refreshing to find a cookbook that really has so much fun with food andinvites the entire family to participate and enjoy the process of cooking andeating together Yvanrsquos simple and delicious recipes will teach you proper tech-nique and have you looking forward to holidays yoursquove never before heard of(like Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day) for years to come Itrsquos a book that will have yousmiling from the beginning of the recipe until the very last biterdquo
mdashAndrea Strong Writer and Founder ofthe Popular Food BlogThe Strong Buzz
ldquoYvan is a talent that is rarely seen He creates masterpieces that satisfy notonly the palate but the eye as well He puts heart and soul into his work and asyou can see from this book it shows I commend him to the fullest extent andalways look forward to experiencing his future endeavorsrdquo
mdashJonathan Pogash NYC Beverage Consultantwwwthecocktailgurucom President NY Chapter United States Bartenders Guild
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoWe all know about the big food holidays like Thanksgiving Easter PassoverChanukah Christmas and July 4th but this book gives us a valid excuse to
celebrate food each and every day Yvanrsquos enthusiasm for food comes throughloud and clear in this energetic book and his passion for enjoying food is onlymatched by his skill in preparing it He has put the fun back in our mouthsby celebrating the things hemdashand wemdashlove to eat Each recipe is a cookinghistory lesson and a reassurance of kitchen success for seasoned chefs andhome cooks who havenrsquot been to cooking school but can handily prepare thefoods they love to eat and try some new ones too As an added bonus thisbook offers a perfect explanation for when yoursquore indulging Need to explain toyour personal trainer why you had salted caramel flan for breakfast Once heknows that itrsquos National Caramel Day hersquoll simply have to forgive you Of coursehe may make you drop and give him twenty but itrsquos well worth it if you followedYvanrsquos delicious reciperdquo
ldquoThis book is exactly what you need for inspiration every day of the year Itrsquos funfab and fascinatingrdquo
mdashGary Regan ArdentSpiritscom
ldquoI had the pleasure of preparing food and drinks with Yvan in my studio Therecipes were not only easy enough to follow for a beginner cook such as myselfbut they tasted delicious and looked amazingrdquo
mdashDiana Falzone TV Personality and Host of Cosmolicious Radio
ldquoI have known Yvan since his high school days when he showed signs of inde-pendence imagination and creativity His talents are many and his accom-plishments to date are truly amazing His first book (for I believe there will bemany more) is filled with recipes that show his joy for life knowledge of foodand his desire to have fun in the kitchen Enjoyrdquo
mdashRichard Grausman PresidentFounder C-CAP(Careers through Culinary Arts Program)
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoYvan is a genius Nothing more nothing less His recipes are simple and full ofhis voice Reassuring playful encouraging and inventivemdashall at once Buy this
book if you want each day to be a festival celebrating food family life and loveThese are recipes that will give you reason to be at the table sharing with lovedones without fuss and with much aplombrdquo
mdashSuvir Saran ChefOwner American Masala and DeviAuthor of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking
ldquoEvery day for me IS a food fest so the fact that Yvan D Lemoine created thiscookbook titled FoodFest 365 pretty much makes him my soul mate I mean
National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day I was already observing that high holy dayon my own and now thanks to Yvanrsquos recipe for PBampJ Doughnuts his gourmetguidance gathers my fellow food followers as one His foodie words of wisdomserve as a pied piper of sorts and make me want to eat pierdquo
mdashAllison Hagendorf TV Personality Food Writer and Enthusiast
ldquolsquoYrsquo is an energetic presence to the culinary world with his undying quest for newtechniques exotic ingredients and anything funrdquo
mdashKevin Lasko Executive Chef Park Avenue Restaurant
ldquoA true free spiritrdquo
mdashFood Arts Magazine
Praise for FoodFest 365
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Av n Ma ac u tt
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
J A N 2
J A N 3
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
J A N 5
J A N 6
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6 FOODFEST 365
T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
J A N 7
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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8 FOODFEST 365
B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
J A N 1 0
J A N 11
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
J A N 12
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
14
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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14 FOODFEST 365
PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
J A N 1 9
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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ldquoBeautiful happy recipes a masterpiece from Yvan Love the Little Devils andthe juicy burger A must in your kitchenrdquo
mdashCyril Renaud ChefOwner Bar Breton
ldquoFoodFest 365 is easy to follow caring and happy just like Yvan whorsquos alwayson your siderdquo
mdashAkiko Katayama Food Writer Judge onIron Chef America
ldquo[Mr Lemoinersquos] desserts verge on spectacularrdquo
mdashNew York Times
ldquoYvan Lemoine is one of the most talented chefs in the country His fanciful cou-plings of flavor and texture put him in a league of his ownrdquo
mdashCarmen Marc Valvo Fashion Designer
ldquoItrsquos refreshing to find a cookbook that really has so much fun with food andinvites the entire family to participate and enjoy the process of cooking andeating together Yvanrsquos simple and delicious recipes will teach you proper tech-nique and have you looking forward to holidays yoursquove never before heard of(like Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day) for years to come Itrsquos a book that will have yousmiling from the beginning of the recipe until the very last biterdquo
mdashAndrea Strong Writer and Founder ofthe Popular Food BlogThe Strong Buzz
ldquoYvan is a talent that is rarely seen He creates masterpieces that satisfy notonly the palate but the eye as well He puts heart and soul into his work and asyou can see from this book it shows I commend him to the fullest extent andalways look forward to experiencing his future endeavorsrdquo
mdashJonathan Pogash NYC Beverage Consultantwwwthecocktailgurucom President NY Chapter United States Bartenders Guild
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoWe all know about the big food holidays like Thanksgiving Easter PassoverChanukah Christmas and July 4th but this book gives us a valid excuse to
celebrate food each and every day Yvanrsquos enthusiasm for food comes throughloud and clear in this energetic book and his passion for enjoying food is onlymatched by his skill in preparing it He has put the fun back in our mouthsby celebrating the things hemdashand wemdashlove to eat Each recipe is a cookinghistory lesson and a reassurance of kitchen success for seasoned chefs andhome cooks who havenrsquot been to cooking school but can handily prepare thefoods they love to eat and try some new ones too As an added bonus thisbook offers a perfect explanation for when yoursquore indulging Need to explain toyour personal trainer why you had salted caramel flan for breakfast Once heknows that itrsquos National Caramel Day hersquoll simply have to forgive you Of coursehe may make you drop and give him twenty but itrsquos well worth it if you followedYvanrsquos delicious reciperdquo
ldquoThis book is exactly what you need for inspiration every day of the year Itrsquos funfab and fascinatingrdquo
mdashGary Regan ArdentSpiritscom
ldquoI had the pleasure of preparing food and drinks with Yvan in my studio Therecipes were not only easy enough to follow for a beginner cook such as myselfbut they tasted delicious and looked amazingrdquo
mdashDiana Falzone TV Personality and Host of Cosmolicious Radio
ldquoI have known Yvan since his high school days when he showed signs of inde-pendence imagination and creativity His talents are many and his accom-plishments to date are truly amazing His first book (for I believe there will bemany more) is filled with recipes that show his joy for life knowledge of foodand his desire to have fun in the kitchen Enjoyrdquo
mdashRichard Grausman PresidentFounder C-CAP(Careers through Culinary Arts Program)
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoYvan is a genius Nothing more nothing less His recipes are simple and full ofhis voice Reassuring playful encouraging and inventivemdashall at once Buy this
book if you want each day to be a festival celebrating food family life and loveThese are recipes that will give you reason to be at the table sharing with lovedones without fuss and with much aplombrdquo
mdashSuvir Saran ChefOwner American Masala and DeviAuthor of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking
ldquoEvery day for me IS a food fest so the fact that Yvan D Lemoine created thiscookbook titled FoodFest 365 pretty much makes him my soul mate I mean
National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day I was already observing that high holy dayon my own and now thanks to Yvanrsquos recipe for PBampJ Doughnuts his gourmetguidance gathers my fellow food followers as one His foodie words of wisdomserve as a pied piper of sorts and make me want to eat pierdquo
mdashAllison Hagendorf TV Personality Food Writer and Enthusiast
ldquolsquoYrsquo is an energetic presence to the culinary world with his undying quest for newtechniques exotic ingredients and anything funrdquo
mdashKevin Lasko Executive Chef Park Avenue Restaurant
ldquoA true free spiritrdquo
mdashFood Arts Magazine
Praise for FoodFest 365
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Av n Ma ac u tt
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
J A N 5
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
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22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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ldquoWe all know about the big food holidays like Thanksgiving Easter PassoverChanukah Christmas and July 4th but this book gives us a valid excuse to
celebrate food each and every day Yvanrsquos enthusiasm for food comes throughloud and clear in this energetic book and his passion for enjoying food is onlymatched by his skill in preparing it He has put the fun back in our mouthsby celebrating the things hemdashand wemdashlove to eat Each recipe is a cookinghistory lesson and a reassurance of kitchen success for seasoned chefs andhome cooks who havenrsquot been to cooking school but can handily prepare thefoods they love to eat and try some new ones too As an added bonus thisbook offers a perfect explanation for when yoursquore indulging Need to explain toyour personal trainer why you had salted caramel flan for breakfast Once heknows that itrsquos National Caramel Day hersquoll simply have to forgive you Of coursehe may make you drop and give him twenty but itrsquos well worth it if you followedYvanrsquos delicious reciperdquo
ldquoThis book is exactly what you need for inspiration every day of the year Itrsquos funfab and fascinatingrdquo
mdashGary Regan ArdentSpiritscom
ldquoI had the pleasure of preparing food and drinks with Yvan in my studio Therecipes were not only easy enough to follow for a beginner cook such as myselfbut they tasted delicious and looked amazingrdquo
mdashDiana Falzone TV Personality and Host of Cosmolicious Radio
ldquoI have known Yvan since his high school days when he showed signs of inde-pendence imagination and creativity His talents are many and his accom-plishments to date are truly amazing His first book (for I believe there will bemany more) is filled with recipes that show his joy for life knowledge of foodand his desire to have fun in the kitchen Enjoyrdquo
mdashRichard Grausman PresidentFounder C-CAP(Careers through Culinary Arts Program)
Praise for FoodFest 365
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ldquoYvan is a genius Nothing more nothing less His recipes are simple and full ofhis voice Reassuring playful encouraging and inventivemdashall at once Buy this
book if you want each day to be a festival celebrating food family life and loveThese are recipes that will give you reason to be at the table sharing with lovedones without fuss and with much aplombrdquo
mdashSuvir Saran ChefOwner American Masala and DeviAuthor of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking
ldquoEvery day for me IS a food fest so the fact that Yvan D Lemoine created thiscookbook titled FoodFest 365 pretty much makes him my soul mate I mean
National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day I was already observing that high holy dayon my own and now thanks to Yvanrsquos recipe for PBampJ Doughnuts his gourmetguidance gathers my fellow food followers as one His foodie words of wisdomserve as a pied piper of sorts and make me want to eat pierdquo
mdashAllison Hagendorf TV Personality Food Writer and Enthusiast
ldquolsquoYrsquo is an energetic presence to the culinary world with his undying quest for newtechniques exotic ingredients and anything funrdquo
mdashKevin Lasko Executive Chef Park Avenue Restaurant
ldquoA true free spiritrdquo
mdashFood Arts Magazine
Praise for FoodFest 365
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Av n Ma ac u tt
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
J A N 5
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6 FOODFEST 365
T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
J A N 7
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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8 FOODFEST 365
B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
J A N 1 0
J A N 11
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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ldquoYvan is a genius Nothing more nothing less His recipes are simple and full ofhis voice Reassuring playful encouraging and inventivemdashall at once Buy this
book if you want each day to be a festival celebrating food family life and loveThese are recipes that will give you reason to be at the table sharing with lovedones without fuss and with much aplombrdquo
mdashSuvir Saran ChefOwner American Masala and DeviAuthor of American Masala and Indian Home Cooking
ldquoEvery day for me IS a food fest so the fact that Yvan D Lemoine created thiscookbook titled FoodFest 365 pretty much makes him my soul mate I mean
National Jelly-Filled Doughnut Day I was already observing that high holy dayon my own and now thanks to Yvanrsquos recipe for PBampJ Doughnuts his gourmetguidance gathers my fellow food followers as one His foodie words of wisdomserve as a pied piper of sorts and make me want to eat pierdquo
mdashAllison Hagendorf TV Personality Food Writer and Enthusiast
ldquolsquoYrsquo is an energetic presence to the culinary world with his undying quest for newtechniques exotic ingredients and anything funrdquo
mdashKevin Lasko Executive Chef Park Avenue Restaurant
ldquoA true free spiritrdquo
mdashFood Arts Magazine
Praise for FoodFest 365
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Av n Ma ac u tt
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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Av n Ma ac u tt
882019 FoodFest 365
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
J A N 5
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6 FOODFEST 365
T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
J A N 7
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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882019 FoodFest 365
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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I dedicate this book to my friend Michael Batterberrythe eternal flame
With special thanks to my family Mom Dad BeatrizJohnny Bas Jesse and Grandma for your patience and loveand to my dog Lucas for eating everything I dropped on thefloor while cooking
I love you all
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
J A N 5
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6 FOODFEST 365
T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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AcknowledgmentsAs they say ldquoWe all walk on the shoulders of giants who came before usrdquo Thatrsquos
why Irsquod like to take a moment to thank the people who have helped me along
the way The ones who paid when I was broke and didnrsquot have any money to buy
the food to test these recipes The ones who helped me clean the kitchen after I
dropped the flour all over the floor The ones who help me wash the dishes pots
and crusted stuck-to-the-pan cheese casseroles The ones who helped me clean
pasta sauce from the walls wipe up spilled soup inside the fridge and got rid ofthe burnt cookies The ones who tasted all the stuff I made and told me whether it
was any good or not Everyone who has taken the time out and had the patience
to teach me how to cook I apologize to all who gained 20 pounds from tasting all
the foodmdashI promise Irsquoll make it up to you To Suvir my good friend and guiding
light without you this book would not have been possible Diane you rock
Wendy my editor Irsquom sorry for all the missing recipes gram-ounce conversions
and ramblings you had to rifle through to produce this cookbook My community
of butchers farmers fishmongers and supermarket staff Thank you Cyril
Renaud my friend and mentor Michael and Ariane Batterberry my friends and
guiding light for always believing in me when sometimes I didnrsquot Joe and Dhanny
Palma for their love and nurture since I was a little irresponsible rugrat Ifeta and
Gigi for letting me shoot at Diwine A big shout out to John of Brooklyn Bagel in
Astoria and Martharsquos Bakery Thank you to Sarah and Ryan Koo for letting me use
their babies and to Patricia Koo the talented photographer of all these delicious
food shots To a special family of food websites Eater Chowhound Serious
Foodtimelineorg and finally to TheNibblecom because thatrsquos where I got the
idea for a food holiday cookbook Thanks
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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14 FOODFEST 365
PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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IntroductionThis book is about our national foods holidaysmdashdelicious frivolous and daily food
holidays Because if therersquos something we all love celebrating itrsquos food When you
think about all the other holidays how do you remember them Christmas = ham
Thanksgiving = turkey cranberry sauce and stuffing The Fourth of July = burgers
and hot dogs of course I think all these holidays were created as an excuse to
get together and eat So why not cut out the middleman and go straight to the
food Well my friends in this book we do just that Inside yoursquoll find a celebrationof festive food holidays from simple to extravagant recipes for meals snacks
cocktails and desserts the kind of recipes the whole family can do together
The recipes range from simple fudge to an elaborate Spanish paella which might
lead you to ask ldquoWhatrsquos up with paella Thatrsquos not Americanrdquo Yoursquore right But
when you think about it what is American food We are a nation of nations a
jumbled up mess of immigrants from all over the world and our food reflects that
Consider our great ldquoAmericanrdquo treasuresmdashburgers hot dogs and
even apple pie arenrsquot technically native to the United States
We have immigrant-Americans to thank for bringing over an
incredible array of culinary wonders that have become an
integral part of our everyday menu American food is nothing but
a big mish-mosh of the worldrsquos greatest edible treasures and
that treasure is ours to gobble up This book aims to remind you
of what great American food is all about and to celebrate its
delicious and colorful history Eat well my friends
Cookrsquos Note Food holidays are as valid asMotherrsquos Day Valentinersquos Day orCinco de Mayo They come about asthe result of a group petitioning thegovernment to commemorate a par-ticular food on a particular day The
president then approves or deniesthem From there itrsquos up to us topromote it and celebrate it
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
B oo y Mary day Mmmm the Bloody Mary what a great way to start the book Originally believed to have been created by George Jessel around 1939 when he mixedvodka with tomato juice the modern Bloody Mary didnrsquot actually get its wings until
Fernand Petiot started adding spices and Worcestershire sauce while at the St Regis in New York At this point the recipe had no horseradish Today yoursquoll nd more variations on this recipe than any other cocktailmdashfrom a ldquoBloody Caesarrdquowith clamato juice to a ldquoBloody Mariardquo with tequila to a ldquoCheladardquo with beer or aldquoSteaming Maryrdquo served hot with a dollop of butter on top Herersquos a classic recipe to
get you started
❶ Combine ingredients and pour back and forth between two glasses
❷ Strain into highball glass garnish with celery and enjoy
Cookrsquos Note The trick is to leave it in the fridge overnight with your liquor of choice Alcohol absorbsflavors and by the time this is ready you wonrsquot taste the booze but just a wonderfulinfusion of flavors
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 3
Cr amPuff day
Cream puffs are made with a special dough called
choux in which our is added to boiling water and butter and cooked then piped and baked The steamcreated is used to leaven these little gems The termchoux means ldquocabbagerdquo in French and once yoursquove
baked these youll see how they resemble petit choux
ldquoCABBAgerdquo CReAM PUFFs
Makes 1 dozen
1 cup water1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons butter
5frac34 ounces all-purpose our (sifted)
4 large eggs and 1 egg white
Pastry Cream (Feb 20)
❶ Combine water sugar salt and butter in a potand bring to a boil When butter has meltedadd sifted our and stir with a wooden spoonuntil dough is formed Cook on medium heatfor 1 minute stirring constantly
❷ Remove pot from heat pour dough into standmixer Let cool until itrsquos warm Mix on medium-high adding one egg at a time until you havea smooth mixture Pipe or spoon mixture onto
a greased baking sheet Bake for 10 minutesat 400degF then lower temperature to 325degF
❸ Glaze cream puffs with egg wash (1 egg and2 teaspoons of water) and return to oven untilgolden (10 minutes) Remove from oven andleave out until cool (do not refrigerate) Cutpastries in half ll with chilled cream (using apastry bag) and enjoy
C rry-FC oco at day
From Shirley Temples to sundaes banana splits andmdashof coursemdashthese chocolates cherries add anelegant yet playful touch to any food they meet To
make the melty-gooey syrup encasing the cherry insidethe chocolate shell confectioners use the age-old trickof making fondant and letting it sit for about a monthwhich turns it into liquid sweetness This recipe fea-tures a chocolate lling
CheRRy ChoColATes
Makes about 2 dozen candies
1 jar maraschino cherries
3 tablespoons butter (softened)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1frac12 cups powdered sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
frac12 cup dark cocoa powder8 ounces good-quality dark chocolate (melted)
8 ounces good-quality white chocolate (melted)
❶ Drain cherries Place on paper towel until dry
❷ To make fondant Combine butter corn syruppowdered sugar salt and cocoa powder
and stir When dough comes together kneadwith your hands until smooth then place inZiploc bag to keep it from drying out
❸ Take a tablespoon of dough atten into thindisk and gently wrap around cherry leavingstem exposed Place on plate dusted lightlywith powdered sugar and refrigerate untilfondant is hard
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❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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4 FOODFEST 365
❹ To temper dark chocolate melt frac34 of choco-late in microwave until itrsquos liquid then stir inremaining chocolate until melted
❺ Coat cherries in chocolate and allow to coolDecorate cherries by drizzling with white choc-
olate Cover and keep at room temperature forabout a month this will make fondant melt
spag tt
day By law in Italy all spaghetti is made from 100 percent semolina our But spaghetti is consumed all over theworld with a thousand different varieties Growing upone of my favorite meals was a plate of piping-hot
spaghetti with ketchup and Parmesan on top It might sound odd but this is one of the dishes that always makes me feel like a kid As an adult Irsquove graduated tothis easy and delicious sauce
siMPle PAsTA sAUCe
Makes 3 cups
Olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 stalk celery (chopped)
1 carrot (chopped)Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 dried bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
❶ In large casserole pot heat oil over medium-high heat Add onion and garlic and sauteacuteuntil soft and translucent about 5 to 10 min-utes Add celery and carrots and season withsalt and pepper Sauteacute until all vegetables aresoft about 5 to 10 minutes
❷ Add tomatoes and bay leaves and simmeruncovered on low heat for 1 hour or until thickRemove bay leaves and check for seasoningIf sauce tastes acidic add unsalted butter1 tablespoon at a time to balance avors
❸ Add frac12 the tomato sauce into food processorCombine until smooth Continue with remainingtomato sauce Serve on al dente spaghetti with
plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cookrsquos Note If yoursquore not using all the sauce allow it to cool com-pletely and pour 1- to 2-cup portions into freezer plasticbags This will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 5
W pp
Cr am dayWhipped cream refers to cream that contains at least30 percent fat and has air incorporated into it by whip-
ping Chantilly a whipped cream with vanilla is saidto have been created by Francois Vatel chef at theChateau de Chantilly in France Whipped cream can
be savory as well as sweet and used as the base for simple mousses and to thicken soups
PeRFeCT ChANTilly CReAMMakes 2 cups cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or frac12 vanilla pod scraped)
❶ Combine sugar heavy cream and vanillaextract (or scraped pod) into metal bowl
❷ Set bowl over another bowl with ice Whip coldand slow to get the smoothest and most stablecream
❸ Serve on practically anything
Cookrsquos Note Cooking is all about intuition When you think somethingrsquosdone it probably is when you think itrsquos too hot it prob-ably is Trust your senses
s ortbr a
dayShortbread cookies are some of the easiest and mostversatile you can make as you only need four ingredi-ents vanilla butter sugar and our I use this dough
as the base for pies or when Irsquom working with kids because you can press this dough into pans and molds instead of rolling it out And because the dough has no eggs or leavening ingredients it wonrsquot melt or slide in the oven making it unnecessary to use pie weightsYoursquove gotta love the simplicity and the buttery texture
shoRTies
Makes 2 dozen
frac12 cup unsalted butter (softened)
frac12 cup margarine (softened)
frac34 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
2 cups all-purpose our (sifted)
Pinch of salt and granulated sugar
❶ Cream butter margarine sugar vanilla lemonjuice and zest for about 2 minutes Sift ourand salt and add slowly to butter mixtureBlend until smooth
❷ On top of a piece of plastic wrap mold doughinto a log wrap and refrigerate for 2ndash3 hours
❸ Remove from fridge and slice into thin diskswith a knife dipped in warm water Place disksinto baking cups sprinkle with salt and granu-lated sugar and bake at 375degF for 15ndash20 min-utes or until golden
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T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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6 FOODFEST 365
T mpura
day Reportedly brought over by the Portuguese tempura is a light batter commonly made from sparkling water and kept chilled in order to produce a crispy crustwhen dropped in hot oil Initially only served from streetcarts it was later adopted into everyday Japanese cui-
sine I tested a dozen different tempura recipes withdisastrous results until I came up with this one which
is the epitome of simplicity with an explosion of avor(If you want a simple tempura batter simply omit the
spices )
TANTAliziNg Veggie TeMPURA
Serves 2
frac12 tablespoon egg white (chilled)
5 teaspoons all-purpose our plus extra fordredging veggies
7 teaspoons seltzer water (chilled)
Pinch of dried chili akes1 fresh rosemary or thyme sprig (leaves only)
Salt for sprinkling
1 small eggplant (thinly sliced)
1 small zucchini (thinly sliced)
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Add egg white to our and whisk well Slowly
add seltzer and whisk in well then add chiliakes and herbs
❷ Salt sliced veggies and let sit for a minute sosome water drains from them Pat veggies drydredge in our then dip in batter and fry at375degF until golden Remove from oil and setveggies on paper towels Make sure to saltand pepper as soon as they come out
engToff dayToffee is made from boiling sugar or molasses with
water and butter until a caramel is formed Dependingon the temperature and the addition of different ingre-dients results will vary from a sauce to a hard candy
English toffee is a very buttery form of toffee to which almonds are often added This is an easy toffee that you can make at home since it doesnrsquot require a sugarthermometer Just be careful because this stuff is hot
sUPeR-eAsy ToFFee
Makes 2 cups
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup white chocolate (melted)
frac12 teaspoon coarse salt
❶ Place Silpat on cookie tray that is at leastfrac12 deep (otherwise you run the risk of very hottoffee spilling over)
❷ In a deep and heavy pot melt sugar overmedium-high heat Stir constantly with a woodenspoon As sugar begins to melt little clumpswill form Break them up with wooden spoonand continue stirring until sugar is dissolvedReduce heat to low-medium Cook sugar untilit starts to smoke slightly and begins to foam
❸ Turn heat off and add melted white chocolateStir well until mixture is thoroughly combinedPour molten toffee onto Silpat or into individualcandy molds Sprinkle with salt and let cool
Cookrsquos Note A Silpat is a rela tively inexpensive rubber reusable heat-proof mat available online or in most baking stores
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 7
APRiCoT-AlMoNdTART
Serves 6ndash8
frac12 (14-ounce) package frozenpuff pastry
1 7-ounce box almond paste(cut into small cubes)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsaltedbutter (melted)
Pinch of salt2 eggs (beaten)
2 tablespoons all-purposeour
2 cups canned (or fresh)apricot halves
frac12 cup sliced almonds
Apr cot dayWhen ripe apricots are extremely sweet and packed full of vitamin A Their growing
season is short in California but they also come from Turkey Greece France andeven Japan Apricots are believed to have originated in China but migrated to the
Mediterranean where they thrived in the continental climate We can thank the Span- ish for planting them in missions when they came to the new worldmdashSan Franciscowas the perfect climate for them to ourish I use canned apricots for the lling of thistart Of course you can use fresh apricots but canned ones work great in a pinch
❶ Thaw one pastry sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes then unfoldand with a fork mold into a tart pan with a removable bottom Prick bottomof tart and set aside
❷ In a stand mixer combine almond paste with sugar butter salt and eggsBeat on medium until mixture is smooth Add in our and beat on mediumfor another minute Pour lling into about frac12 of tart
❸ Drain canned apricots and place seed-side down onto lling Sprinklewith sliced almonds
❹ Bake for 15 minutes at 400degF then turn heat down to 350degF Bake for 10more minutes until golden and set
❺ Serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream
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B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
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8 FOODFEST 365
B tt r w tC oco at
day I rst learned to make this from Jacques Torres MrChocolate himself Traditional chocolate mousse callsfor only eggs chocolate and sugar however most
recipes require a little bit of whipped cream too Nor- mally you have to whip the yolks then the whites and incorporate everything together with the chocolatewhich takes a while and dirties several bowls So when
I found out that you could do it with only whippedcream and chocolate I was sold This dessert is rich
yet light Itrsquos bound to disappear fast
ChoColATe VAMoUsse
Makes 6 cups
14 ounces bittersweet chocolate (melted)
1 quart heavy cream (chilled)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
❶ Melt chocolate over low-medium heat
❷ Whip cream with powdered sugar to verysoft peaks
❸ Add 1 of cream into warm chocolate and foldin well and fast using a rubber spatula
❹ Transfer mixture into remaining soft creamand fold in fast (Donrsquot worry if there are afew chocolate swirls and pockets of whippedcream still white in the mix when you eat it itcreates layers of avor)
❺ Scoop into cups or a large container and itrsquosready to eat or refrigerate to enjoy later
hot To y
dayThe traditional toddy recipe can be made with whiskey
brandymdashor even sakemdashbut the traditional recipe sim- ply calls for sugar hot water and the spirit I decidedto share my momrsquos recipe for her heal-all toddy Everytime any of us gets sick she makes it I donrsquot know if it
heals or not but it tastes awesome and I always feel better afterwards
My MoMrsquos ToddyHeals 4 ldquosickrdquo people
2 Red Delicious apples (peeled cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons honey
2 cinnamon sticks
Juice and peel of 1 lemon
1 quart water
2 cups applejack (or apple brandy like calvados)
❶ Heat all ingredients in a pot and boil for15 minutes
❷ Add the applejack and serve piping hot
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Hot Toddy Day January 11
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gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 3449
Hot Toddy Day January 11
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10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 3549
10 FOODFEST 365
gReeN CURRyChiCkeN
Serves 4
2 (14-ounce) cansunsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon fresh pepper
frac14 cup fresh ginger (slicedinto matchsticks)
1 lemongrass stalk (cut intwo bottom half reservedand cut in two lengthwise)
Peel of 1 lime
2 tablespoons greencurry paste
2 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
1frac12 pounds boneless andskinless chicken (cut into thinstrips)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
frac12 large Spanish onion (thinlysliced)
1 large green pepper (thinlysliced)
frac12 can bamboo shoots(sliced into matchsticks)
Handful fresh cilantro
Handful fresh Thai basil
Curr C ck n dayGreen curry is an incredible paste made by pounding or grinding green chilies
galangal fresh turmeric ginger garlic shallots and shrimp paste This is the mainavoring for the curry along with some coconut milk There are many types of cur-
ries spanning from Thai to Indian cuisine and itrsquos eaten all over the world This par-ticular dish comes from Thailand and I know some of the ingredients may sound a
little obscure but if you go to an Asian market you should be able to nd everything If not try ordering online I promisemdashitrsquos worth the effort
❶ Combine 1 can coconut milk salt pepper ginger lemongrass limepeel green curry paste and garlic in a bowl Whisk well and add slicedchicken Pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and marinate for at least 1 hour
❷ While chicken marinates prep veggies
❸ After chicken marinates take out two sauteacute pans one deeper than theother Put about 1 tablespoon of oil in each on high heat Drain chickenreserving liquid and pat dry with paper towels In one sauteacute pan dropchicken (gingerly) and partially cover with a lid (to cut down on splatterwhich makes cleanup no fun)
❹ In the other pan sauteacute remaining veggies adding a little salt and pepperWhen veggies have wilted add remaining can of coconut milk remainingliquid from the marinade and heat up
❺ When chicken is done on one side ip and continue to cook on otherside until almost done about 30 seconds
❻ Pour chicken into pan with veggies and coconut milk and cook foranother minute Add cilantro and Thai basil then taste to checkseasoning
❼ Cover and let steep for another 5 minutes Serve with jasmine rice andsliced green onions
Cookrsquos Note I always forget ingredients in recipes Donrsquot sweat it Just organize yourself I like puttingall my ingredients on a tray or bowl as I am measuring them This way when I start tocook I know everything in the tray has to go in Compartmentalize and conquer
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JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 3649
JANUARY 11
P ac
M ba day Peach Melba was created by renowned Chef of Chefs Auguste Escofer while working at the Savoy hotel in London Escofer created the dessert in honor of the beautiful Australian soprano Nellie Melba Even thoughthe name connotes a complicated and elaboratedessert itrsquos actually quite simplemdasha combination of
peaches vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce Theoriginal dessert was served on an ice swan but youcan omit this if you donrsquot have an ice swan lying around
somewhere (Or do you)
PeACh MelBA
Serves 6ndash8
2 cups canned peaches in syrup (preferably halvesyou can also use fresh)
3 cups Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
1 cup frozen raspberries
Granulated sugar to taste (depending on thesweetness of berries)
Juice of 1 lemon
Shortbread cookies or toasted almonds
❶ Warm peaches in the microwave for about1 minute
❷ Place a couple into a goblet and top with twoscoops of vanilla ice cream
❸ Blend raspberries with a little lemon juiceand add sugar a little at a time until sauce issweet then drizzle over the Melba
❹ Serve with shortbread cookies or sprinkle withtoasted almonds
hot Pa tramsan w c
day Legend has it pastrami was brought to the States by Jewish immigrants in the nineteenth century Therersquosdispute over who created the rst pastrami sandwich
in NYCmdashSussman Volk or the 2nd Ave Deli which both opened in 1887 Truth is it doesnrsquot matter as theywere both serving a sandwich that had been createddecades earlier What matters is that your sandwich has
a ginormous portion of meat served on rye with thick mustard and crunchy pickles My fave Katzrsquos Deli
PAsTRAMi
Serves 4
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 tablespoon juniper berries
frac12 teaspoon allspice
frac12 cup crushed garlic (fresh)
frac12 cup brown sugar
frac12 cup kosher salt
4 cups water
2 pounds trimmed beef brisket
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
frac12 tablespoon white peppercorns
cup kosher salt
cup paprika
4 cloves garlic (minced)
J A N 13 J A N
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
J A N 17
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
J A N 18
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
2 1
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
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P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
J A N 17
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
J A N 18
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
J A N 1 9
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
2 1
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
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oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 13
❶ Sift all dry ingredients Knead 1 tablespoonbutter at a time until it is all incorporated fol-lowed by margarine Add the eggs one at atime incorporating well each time
❷ When the dough comes together roll into a
ball place inside a Ziploc bag and refrigerateovernight
Fig FilliNg
2 cups dried or fresh gs (de-stemmed and cut intosmall chunks)
2 cups red wine
4 whole cloves
1 tablespoon of vanilla or 1 vanilla bean
frac12 cup brown sugarZest and juice of 1 lemon
1 egg for wash
❶ Cut gs and bring to a boil with red winespices brown sugar lemon zest and juiceSimmer until most of the red wine has evapo-rated and you have semi-dry gs
❷ Place in food processor and pureacutee then placein container and chill When both the llingand dough are cold assemble bars
❸ Flour a clean surface and rolling pin Grab 1 of dough and roll thick and 4 wide Spoong lling into the middle about a frac14 thick andabout 1 thick wide Use egg wash to brushthe edges of the dough and overlap the edges
on top to create a log-shaped pastry Flip logso that overlapping sides are face down andrefrigerate for 10 minutes
❹ Brush with remaining egg wash and usinga sharp knife slice 1 marks making sure toonly cut though the top layer of the doughSprinkle with brown sugar and a dash of saltBake at 350degF for 15 minutes until golden
Cookrsquos Note Break eggs into a separate cup so if a piece of shell fallsin you can catch it before it ends up in the dough
hot Butt rRum day
Around 1860 the country was divided into rye drink-ers whiskey drinkers and rum drinkers and cold toes
in New England were begging for warmth Right before Prohibition New England was guzzling up a ton of
rum up until it was no longer allowed After that they administered rum as medicine and it is said thatrsquos how Hot Buttered Rum was born Why the butter Apparently itrsquos only there to keep your mustache nice and lubricated Here is my favorite recipe mustache not included
hoT BUTTeRed RUM
Serves 1
2 ounces dark rum (Goslings Santa Teresa Myerrsquos)1 teaspoon dark brown sugar or molasses
1 ounce hot water
frac12 tablespoon butter
Whole cloves
Grated nutmeg
❶ Put rum and sugar in a coffee mug Add about
1 ounce of hot water and stir well
❷ Cut a pad of butter about frac12 tablespoon Studpad with a few cloves Drop butter into rum
❸ Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top and enjoy
J A N 17
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PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
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JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
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22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
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Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
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14 FOODFEST 365
PekiNg dUCk
Serves 4
1 5ndash6 pound Pekin duck
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons maltose syrup(or honey)
2 tablespoons honey
1 scallion sliced thin (plusmore for serving)
6 cups water
3 tablespoons fresh ginger(chopped small)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
P k ng duck day Peking duck is an Imperial dish hailing from Beijingmdashone of the quintessentialculinary representatives of the great red nation Peking duck is made with a spe-cial breed of duck (Pekin) and after an intensive drying-out process and multiple
cornstarch baths the skin becomes a glossy lm of crackling glass begging to be roasted Traditionally the ducks hung in ovens red by wood coals which imparted afragrant taste and caramel color but you can make it in a regular oven no problem
It takes a while but itrsquos an awesome showstopper
Cookrsquos Note If you have no patience or are a little creeped out by the sight of a head-on duck hangingfrom your kitchen cabinet then perhaps this is not the project for you It takes a whileto prepare Are you game Then read on The most crucial part of this dish is a hairdryer
Yes I said I use a hairdryer You donrsquot have to but it will save you a ton of time
❶ Call your butcher and asking him to order you a Pekin duck with the headon Ask him to prep it for you
❷ Rinse out duck and pat dry with paper towel Season cavity and allaround with salt and pepper Place duck breast-side up on counter Usingboth your hands apply pressure to break middle breastbone Take wingsand twist them backwards (like duck is being arrested) then push them alittle higher until they stay in place Use butcher twine to close cavity withremaining skin Make sure you tie it tightly donrsquot let any air escape Takestraw piece of thin hose or bicycle pump and stick it in hole in neck ofduck Pump air slowly while duck inates Push air through while pumpingslowly to make sure duck puffs up nicely Once duck is plump removehose while keeping pressure by squeezing with your hand in order toprevent air from escaping Take another piece of twine tie it around neckand secure with a few knots sealing in air Hang duck feet-side downfrom string around neck
❸ Place hairdryer on high about 2 feet from duck and position so it hits duckdirectly Dry on one side for 1 hour Flip around and do the same to otherside
❹ While duckrsquos drying bring remaining ingredients except cornstarch to aboil in wide pot Allow to simmer for 10 minutes to infuse avors Dissolvecornstarch in some water then whisk back into simmering liquid Whiskuntil thickened (it will still be liquidy resembling warm Jell-O)
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JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
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Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
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❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4449
JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
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20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
J A N 2 6
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
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22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4049
JANUARY 15
❺ Hang duck over pot and ladle hot mixture overduck Do this for about 3 minutes coatingevery inch of duck Return duck to where youhad it before for a little more drying placinga plate underneath to collect drippings Sethair dryer on high again and dry each side for
15 minutes Reglaze duck and dry for another15 minutes on each side Glaze a third timeand dry for 30 minutes on each side
❻ Heat oven to 350degF Place large roasting panlined with aluminum foil and frac12 of water atbottom and set up roasting rack on top Cookduck breast-side up for 15 minutes turn toone side and cook for 15 more minutes thento the other side for another 15 Finally place
duck breast side down and cook for a nal 15minutes for a total of 1 hour
❼ Serve with plenty of scallions hoisin duck orsoy sauce and Chinese pancakes Or blenda little ginger into olive oil and scallions for atraditional dressing
Popcorn
daySome popcorn was found in a cave in Utah that was
more than 1000 years old making it one of the old-est American snacks Popcorn became the ofcial
movie snack during the Depression vendors would line up outside movie theaters selling little 5 cent bagsto crowds of moviegoers It didnrsquot take long for theaterowners to realize the money they could be making sothey invited the vendors inside until they realized theydidnrsquot need them at all This super snack is indeed afavorite gobbled up at more than one billion pounds a
year Thatrsquos close to 70 quarts of popcorn per Ameri-can per year
sAlTed CARAMel PoPCoRN
Serves 2
frac14 cup granulated sugar
frac14 cup brown sugar
Water
1 teaspoon butter3 cups popcorn popped
Coarse salt to taste
❶ In a deep pot pour sugar and a little wateruntil the sugar looks like wet sand
❷ Bring sugar to a boil then cover with a lidCook for 2 minutes on medium heat until large
bubbles form
❸ Take a spoon and dip into pot of sugars(caramel) and put in the freezer Remove aftera few seconds and touch caramel If itrsquos harditrsquos ready
❹ Turn off the heat and drop the butter in Stirwell then drop in popcorn Using a woodenspoon stir coating all kernels with caramel
❺ Pour popcorn onto a cookie sheet that hasbeen lightly covered with a nonstick spray
❻ Sprinkle salt all over popcorn then allow tocool
❼ Once cool pop in a movie and enjoy with yourpopcorn
J A N 1 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4149
16 FOODFEST 365
Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
2 1
J A N 2 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4249
JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
J A N 2 2
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4349
18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4449
JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4549
20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
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882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
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22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4149
16 FOODFEST 365
Clov rrsquo day
Technically all cheese starts out the same but thatrsquos
where the similarities stop Different cheeses are madedepending on what animal the milk comes from theirdiet plus the bacteria mold or acid that is introducedto the milk Today the same methods are used thatwere used thousands of years ago but on a much
larger scale Our fascination with cheese is so strongthere are literally thousands of different varieties from allover the world available at your local market And the
stats donrsquot lie On average we consume more than30 pounds of gooey meltidy creamy goodness a year
QUeso FResCo
Makes 2 cups
frac12 gallon whole milk
2 cups buttermilk
frac14 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
❶ Heat whole milk to 185degF stirring constantlyand scraping the bottom of the pot and keepit there for 10 minutes
❷ Turn off heat add buttermilk and vinegar andstir well You will start seeing little lumps in thewater Allow mixture to sit for 15 minutes
❸ Pass through a ne cloth (I use a clean pillow-case) and hang for 30 minutes over anothercontainer to collect dripping whey
❹ Remove cheese from cloth and place in abowl Season with salt and stir with a spoon
❺ Press cheese into a plastic container Refriger-ate overnight
N w eng anC am C ow r
day During one beach outing with myfamily my Dad collected clams
all afternoon and by the end of theday had a bag full of them We got home
showered and came down to my Dad cooking up a stormmdashintense garlic olive oil herbs and fresh clamswith spaghetti perfumed the house We sat down toeat when all of a sudden ldquoCrunch Crunch Crunchrdquo
In all his excitement Dad had forgotten to soak the
clams and rinse them out properly The moral of the story Donrsquot forget to clean the clams
3 tablespoons salt (depending on salinity of clams)
Olive oil2ndash3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups Spanish onion (frac12 slices)
1 cup celery (frac12 slices)
1 cup bacon (frac12 chunks)
5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons butter
Black pepper and salt to taste
4 cups potatoes (peeled frac12 cubes)
2 cups clam juice
2 bay leaves
1 cup water
2 cups half-and-half
frac12 cup scallions
frac12 cup fresh parsley
frac12 teaspoon white pepper
J A N
2 1
J A N 2 0
882019 FoodFest 365
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JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
J A N 2 2
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4349
18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4449
JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4549
20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
J A N 2 6
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4649
JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4249
JANUARY 17
❶ Clean clams with a small brush place them ina pot and cover with cold water and 2 table-spoons of salt Let stand for 10 minutesChange water and repeat the process
❷ Place a pot (big enough to hold clams and
still leave a little head room) on high heat Add2 tablespoons olive oil a few thyme sprigsand a handful of sliced onions When onionsstart sizzling add clams and cover pot Cookfor 10 minutes opening the pot and stirringonce halfway through or until all clams haveopened
❸ Line a pasta strainer with three coffee ltersand place over another bowl Pour clams and
onion mixture into the strainer The lters willcatch any sand left in the clam stock Reservestock for later use
❹ While the clams are straining in same bigpot sweat (sauteacute without any color) remainingonions celery bacon garlic and butter withblack pepper and pinch of salt Sweat mixtureover medium-high heat for about 5 minutesuntil onions are translucent
❺ Add potatoes and stir for 2 minutes more Addclam juice clam stock bay leaves and waterthen cover pot for about 15ndash20 minutes or untilpotatoes are almost cooked through
❻ While mixture is cooking discard the coffeelters and place the clams still in the pastastrainer under running water to clean out
any remaining sand (Either leave clams intheir shells or save the meat) After you havecleaned clams potatoes should still be a littleunderdone
❼ Add clams and half-and-half to pot and lowerheat Cook for another 10 minutes
❽ With a potato masher mash chowder a little inthe pot (this will thicken it up)
❾ Chop scallions and parsley add to chowderand turn heat off
❿ Season with white pepper and serve pipinghot with a dash of hot sauce and crusty bread
B on
Brown dayThe history of blondies predate our beloved brown-
ies by what seems to be centuries Ancient RomansGreeks and Egyptians made soft unleavened cakeswith honey spices our and nuts Chocolate was not
readily available or affordable for Americans until thetwentieth century By the 1950s blondies or ldquoblonde
browniesrdquo were popular all across America I love these as they are easy to carry around are jam-packed withavor and have a long shelf life
BloNdies
Makes 1 dozen
8 tablespoons butter (softened)
8 tablespoons margarine
1 cup light brown sugar
2 cup granulated sugar
frac12 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla2 whole eggs
2 cups self-rising our
2 cups baking white chocolate chips
2 cups macadamia nuts or peanuts (coarsely chopped)
J A N 2 2
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4349
18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4449
JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4549
20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
J A N 2 6
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4649
JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4349
18 FOODFEST 365
❶ In a large bowl whip butter margarine andsugars Add salt vanilla and eggs one at atime incorporating thoroughly
❷ With a wooden spoon add sifted our andcombine well Mix in chocolate and nuts
❸ Scoop batter onto a greased and oured bak-ing sheet Wet hands and press dough downinto an even sheet
❹ Bake at 350degF for 35ndash40 minutes until goldenCut while hot and eat warm
R ubarbP day
Rhubarb is a delicious vegetable that comes into sea- son mid to late spring to early Fall However hothouse rhubarb is available almost all year round It looks like pink celery and tastes like strawberries and plumscombined It is good to note that although rhubarb
is acidic and delicious the leaves are toxic Whencooked with a little sugar rhubarb turns into amazing
spreads and make an incredible lling for this pie Iuse a shortbread crust at the bottom and top it with acrumble for a little extra fun
RUsTiC RhUBARB PieServes 5ndash6
5 cups of fresh rhubarb (frac34 chunks)
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons water
frac12 teaspoon cornstarch
❶ Place rhubarb in a deep pan cover it withsugar cover with aluminum foil and bake at300degF for 30 minutes
❷ Remove from oven remove aluminum foil andallow to cool
❸ When it is cool combine the water with corn-starch to make a slurry then add to rhubarb
Crumb
1 cup granulated sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose our
1 cup instant oats
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
frac12 teaspoon vanilla extract
❶ In a bowl sift sugar salt and our then addoats
❷ Melt butter with vanilla and add to oat mixtureMix well with a wooden spoon until crumbly
P
Shortbread dough (Jan 6)
❶ Press shortbread dough into pie shell Trimedges and score the bottom with a fork
❷ Pour in rhubarb mixture and top with crumble
making sure it meets the edges of the crust
❸ Bake at 350degF for 35 minutes or until crumbleis golden brown
❹ Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes and servewarm with Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) orHomemade Vanilla Ice Cream (July 23)
J A N 2 3
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4449
JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4549
20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
J A N 2 6
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4649
JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4449
JANUARY 19
P anut
Butt r dayThe rst patent for peanut butter was given to Marcel-
lus Epson in Montreal Quebec in 1884 so in a waythis day honors him I love peanut butter Everything
about it reminds me of being a kid Therersquos somethingcomforting and simple about the nutty smell and thecreamy buttery taste that makes everything okay Mix
peanut butter with cheesecake and it becomes adouble whammy Put it inside a cone Jackpot
PeANUT BUTTeR CheeseCAke CoNes
Makes 6ndash8 cones
1 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup (8-ounce package) cream cheese
frac12 cup milk
2 cups heavy cream
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
6ndash8 sugar conesPeanuts for garnish
❶ Whip peanut butter and cream cheese untillight and uffy Add frac14 cup milk and continuewhipping until light
❷ In another bowl combine heavy cream andremaining milk with powdered sugar and
whisk until soft whipped cream forms
❸ Separate cream into two batches reservinga little to top cones later on Mix remainingcream with peanut butter mixture by hand untilsmooth Scoop into cones and refrigerate untilset about 1 hour Top with remaining creamand a few peanuts Serve right away
ir Coffday
The original Irish coffee is said to have been invented by
a Joseph Sheridan the head chef at Foynes in Limerick Ireland One night in the 1940s disgruntled American passengers landed from a terrible ight on a bitterly coldevening Sheridan spiked their coffee with Irish whiskey
and when the passengers asked if they were drinking Brazilian coffee he told them it was Irish coffee The trickto this recipe is to use soft whipped cream as opposedto stiff cream This creates a creamy-frothy head similarto that of a properly poured pint of Guinness
iRish CoFFee
Serves 1
3 ounces strong coffee
1 shot Irish whiskey
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Nata or Perfect Chantilly Cream (Jan 5) but notcompletely whipped just so it resembles soft custard
❶ Combine hot coffee whiskey and brownsugar in a sturdy glass mug
❷ Top with the soft whipped cream
J A N 2 4
J A N 2 5
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4549
20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
J A N 2 6
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4649
JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4549
20 FOODFEST 365
P tac oday
Pistachio trees were rst introduced to California in
1904 but were not promoted as a commercial cropuntil 1929 Pistachios can be traced back to western
Asia where they originated before making a huge impact on the Mediterranean world by way of Iran Pistachios are a green nut packed full of vitamins and minerals and make an awesome snack Here I incor- porate them into sweet crispy meringue with a dash of salt to make a super-yummy snack
sAlTed PisTAChio MeRiNgUesMakes 2 dozen little meringues
❶ Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until youhave soft peaks Gradually add granulatedsugar until it has been incorporated and whipon high until stiff peaks form
❷ In another bowl combine salt pistachios andpowdered sugar and toss to coat the pista-
chios well Add the nut mixture to whites andfold in thoroughly
❸ Spoon mixture onto greased aluminum orparchment paper lightly sprayed with veg-etable oil and cook at 225degF for about 45 min-utes checking them in the last 15 minutes tomake sure they donrsquot get browned
C oco atCak dayThis is my favorite type of cake Come
to think of it itrsquos my familyrsquos favorite too and probably yours Herersquos a simple recipe for a buttery-light choco- late cake Top it with chocolate frosting and you havethe makings of an incredibly delectable dessert I like to
make this for birthdaysmdashespecially kidsrsquo birthdays but then again arenrsquot we all just kids at heart anywaysWhen it comes to chocolate cake we are
ChoColATe CAke
Serves 8ndash10
1 cup water or coffee ( I prefer coffee)
1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1frac12 cups cake our or 1frac12 cups plus 3 tablespoonsall-purpose our
2 teaspoon baking soda
frac12 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1frac14 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
❶ Bring water or coffee to a boil and whisk incocoa powder Let mixture cool then mix with
buttermilk
❷ Sift together our baking soda baking pow-der and salt set aside
❸ In a large bowl cream butter and sugar untillight and uffy Beat in eggs one at a timethen stir in vanilla Add our mixture alternat-ing with cocoa mixture
J A N 2 7
J A N 2 6
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4649
JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4649
JANUARY 21
❹ Spread batter evenly between 2 or 3 greased9 round cake pans Bake for 25ndash30 minutes at350degF Allow to cool before frosting and serving
B u b rryPancak day
True to their name pancakes contain all the ingredi-ents yoursquod nd in a regular cake you cook in the ovenThe difference is that pancakes are rapidly cooked
and browned stovetop in a pan hence ldquopan-cakesrdquo
They are mostly leavened with either baking powderor whipped egg whites although yeast is sometimesused The earliest written account of a pancake actu-
ally dates back to 1430 The most popular variation of pancakes are blueberry pancakes and chocolate chip pancakes Here is killer recipe that can be eaten any-timemdashday or night
VeRy BeRRy BlUeBeRRy PANCAkes
Serves 2ndash3
1 tablespoon sugar
frac14 teaspoon salt
1frac12 cup all-purpose our
3frac12 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter (melted)
1frac14 cup whole milk
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
❶ Sift sugar salt our and baking powder into alarge bowl With your hand make a small wellin the middle and drop maple syrup egg andmelted butter
❷ Whisk slowly incorporating the our a little ata time while slowly adding the milk to create asmooth batter Add blueberries and stir well
❸ Cook on a hot pan or on a griddle sprayedwith a little nonstick spray
Corn C pday
Corn chips seem to be the most natural American snack since we are so wealthy in corn They come in many shapes and sizes but they are mostly fried and served with
dip Corn chips and tortilla chips are both made fromcorn our but their difference is that corn chips arefried from pure dough whereas tortilla chips are fried
precooked tortillas
CoRN ChiPs
Makes about 3 dozen
1 cup masa harina (corn our not corn meal)
1frac14 cup warm water1 tablespoon all-purpose our
1 teaspoon salt
frac12 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
frac12 teaspoon ground pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
❶ Combine all ingredients in a bowl and kneadwell Roll into a log cover with aluminum foiland refrigerate until hard
❷ Using a string cut very thin strips of thedough and fry in 350ndash375degF oil until goldenRemove from oil and drain on paper towelsbefore you dig in
J A N 2 8 J A N
2 9
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray
J A N 3 0
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4849
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4949
Purchase FoodFest 365
The Of cially Fun Food Holiday Cookbook
Yvon D Lemoine
Adamsmediacom
Amazoncom
Bar nesandnoble com
Borderscom
882019 FoodFest 365
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullfoodfest-365 4749
22 FOODFEST 365
oRo BAkeRyCRoissANTs
Makes 2 dozen
2frac34 cups plus frac14 cup unsaltedbutter (soft)
1frac12 ounces fresh or 3frac34teaspoons dry yeast
frac12 cup sugar
1frac14 cups plus frac12 tablespoon(10frac12 ounces) water at 100degF
Cro ant day Buttery delicious French croissants evolved from the Austrian Kipferl which was made in honor of a crescent moon Croissants take a bit of effort planning tem- perature control and plenty of patience My friend Dorina owns a bakery called ORO
in NYC and I think she makes the best croissants Irsquove ever tasted (If the bakery was any closer I would probably weigh 5 million pounds) Here is an adaptation of her recipe you can try at home or if you need inspiration and are in New York swing bythe bakery and have one of her amazing croissants Make sure to have an almondone too
❶ Take 2frac34 cups butter and mold into a 10 square butter pad about 1 thick
❷ In a bowl combine yeast sugar and water cover with plastic wrap and
leave in a warm place for 5 minutes to activate yeast After 5 minutestransfer to standing mixer with paddle attachment
❸ Sift both ours and salt and add slowly to yeast mixture so it starts com-ing together Switch to hook attachment and nish adding remaining ouralong with milk nishing with the remaining frac14 cup butter
❹ Knead dough for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until it becomes elas-tic Wrap bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 20 minutes
❺ Flour your clean surface and roll out dough to a 13 square Place but-ter pad so it forms a diamond inside dough Close all corners of doughin overlapping all edges and making sure there isnrsquot too much our onedges so they will seal when rolled out Refrigerate for 10 minutes
❻ Roll out dough into a long rectangle ouring the surface so it doesnrsquotstick Fold in one side at a time overlapping and creating a squareRefrigerate for 20 minutes Repeat process two more times
❼ Roll out dough frac14 thick on a large piece of parchment paper Refrigeratefor 30 minutes
❽ Take a ruler and measure out every 6 on top and bottom Cut acrosscreating triangles Make a small slit at the bottom of every triangle Rollcroissants and place on parchment paper on a double cookie sheetotherwise when baked the bottoms will burn Spray with nonstick spray