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home-cooking

The Problem with Farm to Table - health, finances, and education

by ChefPerry

  I know that this title is going to bring some folks here lookin’ for a fight, so before you start sharpening your pitchforks and hurling your organic, fair-trade rotten tomatoes, let’s be clear…  I love the farm-to-table concept.  I love my local farmer’s markets, and I take every opportunity to support my local artisan food purveyors; in part, because I believe it’s the healthy and more socially responsible choice, but also because the food just tastes better!  However, my love and support for the idea of farm-to-table do not negate that, in practice, the system is flawed.  Maybe a more fitting title would be "Farm to Table…the missing ingredient" because the farm-to-table model leaves out a critical step…creating a gap that is not just important, but imperative to fill, for the system to work.  Functionally, the equation is actually “farm-to-KITCHEN-to-table” The kitchen is the bridge (or, unfortunately, more often the gap) between the farm and the table.  What good is fresh, organic…
Score: 1.25

Proper Kitchen Knife Technique - Chopping, Slicing, and Dicing for Safe, Less Waste & Better Taste

by ChefPerry

    If you’re going to spend any time in the kitchen, you’re going to have to learn how to chop vegetables. Proper chopping, slicing, and dicing techniques help us reduce waste, stay safe, and improve the taste and texture of our dishes.   Those of us who grew up under tyrannical chef-fathers, toiling away in the Dickens-Esque sweat-shops of their prep kitchens (sorry Dad, just trying to make a point…), may have spent months or years doing little else than chopping veggies, and take the techniques required in stride. For those who grew up playing outdoors, with other children, in the sunlight…the following steps will walk you through how to prepare almost any fresh vegetable for cooking, in your own kitchen.    Gettin’ ReadyFirst, we need to prepare our veggies for chopping, as necessary, by rinsing, peeling, trimming, discarding roots, etc.  It doesn’t matter how pretty, clean, or pristine they looked at the grocery store, there’s always the chance of residual contaminants from chemicals…
Score: 1.17

Cooking with Kids: Part One

by ChefPerry

    I’ll let you in on a little secret, but only if you promise to tell everybody…  The #1 way to overcome Picky Eater Syndrome (and the parental guilt that often accompanies it) is to teach our children how to cook.  Kids a far more likely to try something new, if they prepared it themselves.It’s true!  One of the things I've most enjoyed, in this grand adventure of fatherhood, is teaching my little one the joy of cooking.You see, both my father and grandfather were chefs, and though their own teaching methods were not always…stellar, I'm excited about passing this passion and enjoyment of cooking on to The Pickle, and as many other kids as I can.        The Secret IngredientWorking closely with under-served youth, many of whom have (literally) never boiled water before, has taught me that fear and anxiety, which most of these kids are already dealing with, only increases the likelihood of an injury, mistake, and discouragement.  My personal philosophy is that the younger the child, the more praise…
Score: 1.06

Cooking with Kids: Part Two

by ChefPerry

After years of teaching kids to cook for themselves and their families, I’ve learned that there are those who are happy with omelets, and chicken breasts, and mashed potatoes, but there are others who, once mastering the basics, quickly become bored with “regular food”, and need to branch out into new culinary adventures to keep their interest.  I’ve gone through the following steps with children as young as five (including my daughter) and, with a little flexibility and patience, it can be a fun exercise in life-skills and making memories.  Chef’s Note: when it stops being fun, stop!   You’re not teaching at the Le Cordon Bleu, so tell your inner Iron Chef to lighten up! Forcing a kid to cook will only get you the opposite of what you’re shooting for…a lifetime peanut-butter and ramen eater. Give them a little time to forget those burned brownies or soggy rice, and their natural curiosity will bring them back to the kitchen.  Also, don’t let your own bias become theirs! If they pick a recipe…
Score: 1.06