Category Archives: Chefs

Cuckoo for Cukes

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A very good cucumber salad, indeed.
A very good cucumber salad, indeed.

As the days warm, I excitedly ready my cucumber seedlings to plant.

Positioning them gently in pots of soil in my yard, I can’t help but already hunger for their snappy crunch and refreshing juiciness to use in salads of all kinds.

Including “Cucumber, Dates, Pistachios,” that’s as simple and straightforward as its name implies.

This light, bright salad is from “Very Good Salads” (Smith Street Books, 2022), of which I received a review copy.

It’s by Shuki Rosenboim and Louisa Allan, who own the proudly named Very Good Falafel in Melbourne, Australia, a tiny 20-seat cafe where falafel is a staple but the salads change regularly with the whim of the seasons.

The cookbook showcases 52 of those vibrant salads and vegetable dishes, from “Broad Bean and Macadamia-Stuffed Artichokes” in spring and “Frozen Grapes, Herbs, Zucchini Flowers” in summer to “Roasted Quince, Pearl Barley, Walnut, Pistachio, Saffron” in autumn and “Beetroot Dip, Pistachio Hazelnut Dukkah” in winter.

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Lyon-Style Chicken with Rosé Vinegar Sauce

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A whole cup of vinegar stars in this Lyon classic dish.
A whole cup of vinegar stars in this classic Lyon dish.

If you were to peek inside my pantry, you’d spy upwards of 10 different vinegars at all times.

That may seem excessive, but each has its purpose and distinct flavor profile. And there’s nothing like vinegar to perk up and round out a dressing, soup, stew, marinade, sauce, and even cocktails.

So, when I was asked if I wanted to be one of the first to sample the new Ponti Rosé Wine Vinegar, I jumped at the chance.

This ninth-generation, family-owned Italian company selects local rose wine that meets its standards, then turns it into vinegar.

Ponti's new Rose’ Wine Vinegar.
Ponti’s new Rosé Wine Vinegar.

The result is a luminous pink vinegar that’s quite sharp yet wonderfully floral, and with a pointed strawberry note.

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You Say “Potato”? I Say “Crispy Potato Waffles”!

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A different way to make potato waffles.
A different way to make potato waffles.

By now, we all know how to waffle stuffing or mashed potatoes to crisp up and give new life to leftover sides, especially the day after Thanksgiving.

But “Crispy Potato Waffles” are novel, because they get their start with raw russets, meaning you can skip the step of making mashed potatoes altogether.

I think it results in waffles that taste even more potato-y, too.

The recipe is from the unique “Homage” (Chronicle Books, 2022), of which I received a review copy. It’s by Chris Scott, a “Top Chef” finalist and New York-based chef who’s the owner of Butterfunk Biscuit.

Scott recounts his family’s journey over seven generations, from his great-great-grandmother who was enslaved in Virginia in the mid-1800s to his great-grandmother who migrated to Pennsylvania after the Emancipation Proclamation, and his grandmother Nan who instilled in him a sense of discipline and an unbridled passion for cooking, to finally to his own upbringing in Pennsylvania Amish country and eventual ascendant culinary career in New York.

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The Fried Bacon Hack

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Like deep-fried bacon -- without actually deep-frying.
Like deep-fried bacon — without actually deep-frying.

This is probably one of the shortest — and easiest — recipes around.

And definitely one of the most delectable.

If you are a bacon fan, this method will blow your mind, as it results in the crunchiest bacon that will decidedly up your morning breakfast or BLT game.

“Joe’s Famous ‘Fried’ Bacon” is a recipe from “Food52 Simply Genius” (Ten Speed Press, 2022), of which I received a review copy.

This handy-dandy cookbook is by Kristen Miglore, a founding editor of Food52, the online portal for recipes and culinary content.

Food52 cookbooks are usually thematic, and this one is no different, centering on genius tricks, tips or methods to make cooking easier, quicker or more scrumptious.

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Hawaii Eats: Pacifico On The Beach, Maui

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The impressive mahi mahi Wellington at Pacifico on The Beach.
The impressive mahi mahi Wellington at Pacifico on The Beach.

Lahaina, Maui, HI — If you’re lucky enough to be on Maui from now through Saturday, you can enjoy the inventive dish that landed Assistant Executive Chef McKenna Shea of Pacifico On The Beach victory on the Food Network’s “Chopped” last month.

For the past month, the inviting beachfront restaurant has featured that special abalone salad that helped her trounce three other chefs and score the $10,000 prize.

Admittedly, she was initially befuddled upon opening up the mystery basket to discover abalone and ube cheesecake. Who wouldn’t be, right?

Not only that, she had never worked with abalone before. But harnessing the skills she’d learned from her mentor, Pacifico’s Executive Chef Isaac Bancaco, she set to work.

The "Chopped'' special abalone salad.
The “Chopped” special abalone salad.

Visiting Maui last month, I had a chance to dine at Pacifico, a 28-year-old restaurant that Bancaco was hired to revamp a year ago. Don’t be surprised if some of the fresh catch of the day was actually caught by Bancaco, who’s an avid fisherman, too.

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