Culinary In Vogue; Food Bites in the News...
Delish Dish It seems the fastest way to the White House is through the revolving kitchen doors. The candidates and their wives can't get enough of the Food Network stars (past or present, Moi Included). Juliette Rossant, the creator and author of the award winning blog, Super Chef is keeping close tabs on the culinary adventures of the candidates.
In her latest piece, Michelle Obama and Paula Deen: Laying It On Thick, Ms. Rossant spills the beans on Paula Deen's red, white and blue, high profile guests. Turns out Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama and Sara Palin have all taped recent episodes with the Queen of Butter and Bliss.
Ms. Rossant is the author of Super Chef, The Making of the Great Modern Restaurant Empires.
"In Super Chef, veteran journalist Juliette Rossant takes you on an unprecedented tour inside the business of the food business, one
of the world's most glamorous -- and little-known -- industries.
You catch glimpses of them everywhere: on television, in tabloid gossip columns pictured at glitzy parties with Hollywood stars and power brokers, in national magazine stories about their latest business projects. You buy their products at your local supermarket or online, or maybe even stay at their hotels. Traditional chefs may have stayed in the kitchen and rarely ventured into the public eye, but a growing number of today's top chefs are utilizing skills seldom taught in cooking school -- trading anonymity for celebrity and rising to build culinary empires.
Juliette Rossant goes behind the scenes with these new moguls
to reveal the key ingredients that go into making a Super Chef.
Culinary talent remains the base component, but today's Super Chef must
be a whole lot more -- equal parts entrepreneur, realtor, fundraiser,
publicist, and media star."
Recipes to Take You Where You Want to Be, at Ms. Rossant's
Blog SuperChefBlog.com
Dessert
It's hard to digest juicy food news without a scrumptious dessert. I was recently given a one serving package (I jest) of the best darn licorice I've ever tasted. Despite it's New Zealand roots, it arrives perfectly moist and homemade-fresh.
RJ's Natural Licorice is made from the root of the Flowering Snow Pea Plant. Who knew? These soft and chew bites are loaded with that anise-y licorice taste licorice-lovers crave. The family has achieved the perfect balance of flavor and texture and they're keeping it a secret. But thankfully, they've "bottled" the magic and they're offering up their very fine licorice in gourmet stores everywhere.
If the calories serve as a deterrant (about 340 calories per serving), check out the many health benefits of licorice root listed on RJ's official website. Among them:
Hippocrates in the 4th Century BC recommended licorice for the treatment of ulcers.
The major active ingredient glycrrhizin was isolated and shown to have a cortisone-like action which explains its remarkable ability to reduce inflammation and speed the healing of ulcerated tissue.
Licorice can be used to counteract the side effects of steroid treatments and to prevent joint degenration.
I don't believe there's a finer licorice out there but I'll passionately test anyone's brand. RJ's Natural Licorice is available Zingerman's.com, $9.00 for a 300 gram bag (price does not include shipping or handling).
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