Slow Fish Challenge: Baked Trout with Creme Sauce(Truta Cremosa)

The Slow Fish Movement is part of the larger Slow Food Movement. Slow Food is everything that fast food is not. It is slow in the making and in the eating. It is fresh and not processed. It comes from neighborhood farms and stores. It is dedicated to traditional ways of growing, producing, and preparing food.

The Slow Fish Movement promotes artisanal fishing and neglected fish species. It inspires reflection on the state of the Seas' resources by adhering to guidelines that foster sustainability and environmental responsibility. Most importantly, Slow Fish provides guidelines that consumers of seafood can follow to promote sustainability. These include:

• Buy less well-known species of fish and avoid buying salmon, striped catfish, tuna, cod, swordfish and farm raised shrimp. The less well-known species are less expensive and just as delicious. These species are easy to find. There are over 25,000 edible species but we only eat about 15. To learn more about these alternatives, visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium website and SeaChoice.
• Buy fish that are in season. This is the best time to buy fish because this is when they are not reproducing.
• Buy local fish. This helps to reduce pollution that occurs from transporting fish over long distances. Local fish will also be fresher and taste better.
• Respect local traditions. For example, traditional recipes for fresh soup use different fish depending on what is in season.
• Buy 1 medium to large fish (2 to 5 Kg) if you are cooking for a group of people.
  

In general, we should eat fish that are local, adult, seasonal, and have a short life cycle. It is important to find out how the fish was caught or farmed. These methods should not destroy ecosystems or deplete stocks. Finally, we should be aware of labels. These should list the name of the species, list the location from where the fish came, and it should indicate how it was caught and processed.

The Slow Fish Website is currently conducting the Slow Fish Challenge in which visitors to the site are encouraged to put together a dinner that features fish that adhere to the guidelines described above. We decided to have a family dinner that featured locally caught rainbow trout along with as many local ingredients as possible.

Our first stop for ingredients in the Slow Fish Challenge was at the Clifton Mill in Clifton, Ohio. Here we picked up the flour that we needed to make the roux for the creme sauce. The Clifton Mill is one of the largest water powered grist mills still in existence. It sits at the top of the Clifton Gorge and benefits from the natural hydraulic power of mass amounts of water being channeled into the gorge.

At one time, the United States had over 100,000 mills in operation. Now there are less than 100 mills that are operating and still in their original condition. You can learn more about the history of these mills at the Clifton Mill website and also at the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills website.


Young's Dairy is our second stop for ingredients in the Slow Fish Challenge. It was founded in the late 1940s when Hap Young bought this 60 acre farm. Over the years, it has grown into a family friendly destination complete with two restaurants, a miniature golf course called Putters and Utters, a bakery, an ice cream parlor, and a petting zoo. Young's Dairy still maintains its own herd of dairy cows and sells fresh milk daily. They also produce a wide assortment of cheeses. We purchased a roll of butter made from Young's Jersey cow milk and salt. We used this to make the creme sauce for the rainbow trout.



Our final stop for ingredients for the Slow Fish Challenge was at Freshwater Farms in Urbana, Ohio. Freshwater Farms is Ohio's largest indoor fish hatchery. They raise large-mouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, and channel catfish. Like Young's Dairy, this establishment is also very family friendly with tours, trout feeding, and a sturgeon petting zoo. They have a market that sells fresh and smoked trout fillets, caviar, and locally made jellies, jams, honey, and maple syrup.

Here is the recipe that we used for the Slow Fish Challenge: Truta Cremosa (Trout with Creme)

Ingredients:
4 Rainbow Trout fillets
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 rib of celery, diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, diced
1/2 package of bacon, diced
1 tspn sage
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1 pint of heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tspn Cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Coat a baking dish with olive oil and place the trout fillets in the pan skin side down. Be sure to pat any extra moisture from the fish before placing them in the dish. Lightly season the fillets with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the bacon. Remove the bacon from the skillet and save for later. Drain off 3/4 of the fat/oil that remains in the skillet.
4. With the skillet still over the medium heat, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the wine. Continue cooking until the vegetables reduce to a thick consistency.
5. Remove vegetable mixture from the heat and spoon it evenly over the trout fillets.
6. Top the fillets evenly with the parsley and sage.
7. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The trout is done when it easily flakes with a fork.
8. While the fish bakes, make a white roux by mixing the butter and flour together in a skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture turns light brown.
9. Add the whipping cream, milk, and Cayenne pepper to the skillet and stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Then add the Parmesan cheese to the skillet and stir until the cheese has melted.
10. Remove the baking dish from the oven and top the fillets with browned bacon bits.
11. Pour the creme evenly over the trout and then top it with the Italian bread crumbs.
12. Serve hot.

Brasil

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Warm from the oven gluten-free crumble with quinoa flakes.

We've been blessed with fecund weather here in West Hollywood. Love is in the air. House finches are singing. Mourning doves coo. Roses are unfolding their velvet petals. Jacaranda trees are bursting with violet-blue corollas. In other words, picnic perfect.

I've been messing around with crisp and crumble dessert recipes this week, intent on creating an easy summertime dessert for backyard get togethers and grill side dining. So although I have featured a strawberry rhubarb crisp in the past (kissed with a hint of balsamic vinegar) I decided to play around with an alternative topping to the classic pairing of tart rhubarb and sweet ripe strawberries. And I grabbed a secret ingredient from my pantry.

Can you guess what it is?

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Full English Breakfast Recipe

The long awaited Royal Wedding is tomorrow. It will most likely be a long morning of TV viewing for many of you so you need to make proper preparations for breakfast. I can't think of a more perfect selection for this meal than the Full English Breakfast. Also know as a "Full English" or a "Fry Up", this is an old school breakfast popular throughout the UK.

Ingredients:
2 eggs, sunny side up
2 strips of bacon
2 sausage links
baked beans
grilled tomatoes
2 pieces of toast
marmalade
orange juice
tea

Preparation:

1. Prepare the baked beans.
   
2. Make a pot of tea. Preferably English Breakfast tea.
   
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage and bacon.
4. Remove the sausage and bacon from the skillet. Drain off the excess fat/oil and then cook the tomato slices on each side for about a minute.
5. Remove the tomatoes and set aside.
6. Cook two eggs in the skillet sunny side up or however you like them.
   
7. Toast the bread and apply butter. Serve with orange marmalade.
   

England

Brown Butter Pineapple Corn Muffins - Tastes Just Like Home's?

"Home" is a neighborhood restaurant I frequent, and they serve the most heavenly slice of cornbread. It's rich and dense, yet still has a nice light crumb. I'm not sure of all the ingredients, but I'm pretty confident it contains a fair amount of brown butter and seems to be studded with small particles of dried or candied pineapple.

You're probably wondering why I don't simply ask the chef for the recipe? Because that's no fun. There's a certain appeal to trying to duplicate a recipe without a recipe. Kind of like refusing to pull over for directions because the thrill of the search is just too riveting.

Anyway, this is my latest attempt at such mimicry, and comes to you in the form of muffins. When you're talking about cornbread, you're also talking about a big bowl of chili nearby, and nothing balances that big spoon in one hand like a warm corn muffin in the other.

Heads-Up: Michele and I are putting the finishing touches on our big food and wine pairing this weekend at the Frick Winery for the 22nd annual Passport to Dry Creek Valley. I'll try and post an update while on location, but if for any reason I'm incommunicado for the next couple days, that's what's up. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

3/4 cup finely chopped dried sweetened pineapple (or dried unsweetened pineapple plus 1/2 cup sugar)

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

Food Wishes is a Finalist in the 2011 Saveur Magazine Best Food Blog Awards!

It is with much pride and happiness that I announce Food Wishes has been chosen as a video category finalist for the 2011 Saveur Magazine Best Food Blog Awards! Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate us! This is an extra special honor since the finalists were actually chosen by a panel of live human editors, and not simply by most online votes.

Speaking of which, this final round IS done by popular vote. You've all been so supportive in the past regarding various awards and recognitions, and I'm sure I can count on you again! Please go to the 2011 Saveur Magazine Best Food Blog Awards page, and cast your vote. Thanks!!

My Snackpicks' No-Bake Macaroni & Cheese with Crunchy Cheez-It Gratin

One thing a cook never stops searching for is the perfect macaroni and cheese topping. If it's crunchy, or has the potential to be crunchy, we'll try it as a topping. This time, a handful of Cheez-It crackers, toasted in butter, are taking their turn, deliciously covering this creamy, no-bake mac and cheese.

By the way, just because I'm using this on a no-bake recipe, doesn't mean you can't use this in the traditional way. If you want to try this cheesy topping for a regular macaroni and cheese, just toss the crumbs and Parmesan in melted butter, but don't crisp it up in the pan. The topping will brown during the baking time, and will come out just as nicely.

This recipe is part of a series of eight snack videos I did for Kellogg's Snackpicks.com. When you click on the video player below, you'll be taken to their great snack-filled website to view the video and get the written instructions. If you have questions or comments, please come on back and post them here. Thanks, and enjoy!

Chicken with Chipotle and Green Onion Gravy - Practice Makes Pan Sauces Perfect

I know it's Easter Sunday, but the show must go on. I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this delicious chicken with chipotle and green onion gravy recipe, but this week is so insanely busy, I wanted to get it up as soon as it was ready.

Nothing groundbreaking this time, just a simple exercise in pan gravy perfection. If I only had one day to teach someone how to cook, you better believe this archetypal sauce recipe would be one of the first things I'd demonstrate.

This entire procedure takes about 20 minutes, and the basic technique can be adapted countless ways. I usually avoid those yawn-inspiring, "Easy Weeknight Dinner" recipe lists, but this fits that description perfectly.

It's also a great random chicken recipe generator. You could make this same dish every Thursday night for a year, and by switching up the flavorings and spices, never have the exact same recipe twice. You can also recklessly rotate the starchy, gravy-absorbing side dishes, as this shines with any manner of rice, pasta, or potatoes.

Anyway, enjoy the rest of your holiday, don't eat too many leftover Easter eggs, and the next time you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner, give this chicken and gravy recipe a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

3/4 cup chicken broth, or as needed to adjust thickness

1/2 teaspoon chipotle, or to taste

2 tablespoons minced green onions

Hot Brown Recipe

If you like the classic BLT (bacon-lettuce-tomato) sandwich, you will probably like this recipe for Hot Brown as it also features the winning taste combination of bacon and tomato.

This dish comes from Kentucky where it was a popular late-night snack after dances at the Brown Hotel in Louisville. The Hot Brown is topped with a Mornay sauce which gives it a creamy texture with a little spice.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp flour
1/4 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper
Kosher salt to taste
4 oz. smoked turkey
6 slices of thick bread
2 Roma tomatoes, cut into 6 slices each
12 strips bacon
4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook the strips of bacon until brown and crispy.
2. Lightly toast each of the slices of bread.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
   
4. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, stirring the mixture constantly until it becomes golden brown.
5. Add the milk slowly to the saucepan whisking it constantly.
6. Add the salt and cayenne pepper to taste. Cook until the sauce has thickened (about 15 minutes). Keep in mind that when you add the cheese the sauce will thicken even further.
7. Position the top oven rack about 5 inches from the broiler element and preheat the broiler.
8. Lightly toast the bread in a toaster. Both sides should be brown.
   
9. Lay the toasted bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Top each piece with 2 slices of turkey, 2 Roma tomato slices and 2 bacon strips. (Be sure to form a small "X" with the 2 slices of bacon).
10. When the sauce has thickened remove it from the heat and add cheddar cheese. Stir the sauce until it is smooth.
    
11. Pour the sauce over the open-faced sandwiches and then sprinkle each with a little Parmesan cheese.
12. Place under the broiler for about three minutes until the Parmesan is bubbly and the edges of the bread are browned. Serve hot.
    

United States Kentucky

Some Happy Easter Lamb Ideas

I want to wish everyone who celebrates, a Happy Easter tomorrow! No fresh new holiday-appropriate video to post today, but since lamb is such a classic Easter dish, I wanted to share some of my favorite lamb recipes from posts past.

All of these would make for a lovely Easter dinner tomorrow. For dessert I'd go with hollow chocolate rabbits and marshmallow peeps. Enjoy!

Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb

Toasted Sesame and Root Beer Glazed Lamb

Grilled Lamb Chops with Orange and Fresh Mint Sauce

Jinx-Proof Braised Lamb Shanks

Grilled Lamb Steaks with Minted Honey Sherry Vinaigrette

Melty Butter Sizzle Slide

I just filmed a tasty chicken with chipotle/green onion pan gravy video, but I won't be able to finish editing it until this weekend. It was a short and crazy week, with returning from the Club Sandwich event in NYC, and getting ready for our humongous wine and food pairing event in Sonoma (stay tuned for details). So, I was just happy I had time to film a new dish.

With that said, I give you another installment of random food porn. This is "Melty Butter Sizzle Slide," and comes fresh from the aforementioned video recipe. There are so many great visual meditations that happen while you're cooking, and this is one of my favorites. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Whole Grain Strawberry Muffins - Summer Goodness

Gluten-free whole grain strawberry muffins. Tender and fabulous.

Just in time for the weekend- a lovely new muffin. And not just any ordinary, ho-hum, run-of-the-mill, starchy, gluten-free muffin. Nope. A tender, whole grain, vanilla scented muffin that bursts with fresh strawberry flavor. Warm from the oven, these pleasantly grainy breakfast treats were pull-apart soft, with hot bites of juicy strawberry. Sweet- but not too sweet. I used pure maple syrup for the primary sweetener, and a mere quarter cup of organic cane sugar. And now for the best part.

No xanthan gum!

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Easter Cake Recipe

Easter Sunday is this weekend. I almost forgot about it until my Mom called me and asked if I could make some dessert for the big family dinner on Sunday. I tried to think of something that was synonymous with Easter that I could incorporate into a dessert. Peeps strangely came to mind.

For those of you outside of the United States and Canada, Peeps are basically hunks of marshmallow that are formed into the shape of some animal and then dusted with food coloring and a light coating of sugar. These treats have been gracing childrens' Easter baskets here since the 1950's. They are produced by Just Born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Anyway, I wanted to use Peeps for this dish so I decided to make a yellow Windsor cake with butter cream icing. I also wanted a clean, uniform surface to mount the Peeps and also a few chocolate eggs so I decided to use yellow fondant icing. The end result was an unusual Easter cake that no one at Easter dinner will forget. Hope Mom likes it??!!

Recommended Equipment:
mixer
9 X 2 baking pan
long serrated knife

Ingredients:
2 tspn baking powder
7/8 cup sugar
1 1/3 cups baking flour
1/2 tspn Kosher salt
7 tbsp vegetable shortening
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp milk
2 eggs
1/2 tspn vanilla
butter cream icing
yellow rolled fondant icing (I used Satin Ice brand)
powdered sugar
Peeps
chocolate eggs


Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, mix together the baking powder, sugar, and salt. Set aside for later.
2. Cream the flour and shortening together in a mixer for 5 minutes.
3. Stop the mixer and add 1 tablespoon of milk and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.
4. Add the sugar mixture to the mixer and cream for another 5 minutes.
5. In another mixing bowl, mix together the eggs, 1/2 cup milk, and vanilla. Add this mixture to the batter 1/3 at a time mixing 2 minutes for each addition.
6. Scrape the mixing bowl and mix for 1 minute.
7. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Add the batter evenly to the 9 X 2 round baking pan.
9. Put pan in the center of the upper rack and bake for 25 minutes.
10. Check if cake is done by inserting a fork in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean,
11. you can remove the cake from the oven and let it cool.
12. Cover pan with foil and place in freezer for at least 3 hours.
13. Move cake to the refrigerator and let thaw overnight.
14. Using a long serrated knife, cut cake in half (like a hamburger bun).
15. Turn the bottom piece over so that the baked side is facing up and cover it with some of the butter cream frosting.
16. Place the top piece of the cake on top of the bottom piece with the baked side facing up.
17. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining butter cream frosting.
18. Using a piece of string, measure up one side, across the top, and down the other side of the cake.
19. Dust a flat surface with powdered sugar. Roll out the yellow fondant icing to a circle slightly larger than the diameter of the string.
20. Place the fondant icing on the cake. Using a sharp knife, trim excess fondant icing from the perimeter of the cake.
21. Decorate the cake with peeps and chocolate eggs. I used a small amount of the butter cream icing to attach the eggs and peeps to the top of the cake.

United States

Throwing Down with Bobby Flay at Hellmann's Club Sandwich

No, it wasn't actually a throwdown, but this is as close as I'm ever going to get. Here's a little video recap of my Hellmann's Club Sandwich experience, where I joined eight other food bloggers for a private sandwich-making demonstration by the one and only, Bobby Flay.

Getting advice on how to make a sandwich from a star chef like Bobby Flay may seem like a little bit of overkill; kind of like having Michael Phelps help you with your treading water skills, but as the Iron Chef told us in his intro, making a great sandwich is not as easy as it looks.

In addition to some great adaptations to three classic sandwiches, he also showed off a couple neat twists, like adding mayonnaise to the olive relish for an extra creamy muffaletta, and replacing the traditional sauerkraut in the Rueben with fresh coleslaw.

My favorite trick was something that I'll be demonstrating in an upcoming Club Sandwich post, regarding a very cool way to slice a sandwich. It's basically cutting the sandwich at an angle and on a bias, but it will but much easier to show than explain.

Other key sandwich making commandments include spreading your mayo and other condiments on both slices of bread; and being sure to cover the entire slice all the way to the edges. By the way, if you happen have any secret sandwich making tips or tricks of your own, don't be holding out on us.

After the demo, we got to create our own signature sandwich, and as you'll see in the video, I was very happy with how mine came out. I really think the "Mitzeflaywich" could become a bona fide sandwich sensation. Not only is it delicious and easy to make, but the name is super catchy! 

Stay tuned for upcoming posts dedicated to helping you build your perfect sandwich. Speaking of which, be sure to head over to the Hellmann's website to enter the Build Your Perfect Sandwich Sweepstakes where you can win a $5,000 grocery gift card.

Disclosure: This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in Hellmann’s Club Sandwich Program. I'd like to thank Bobby Flay and Hellmann's for such a fun and informative trip to New York City, and for making this post and video possible. 

I hope you enjoy the video!

For more great sandwich-making tips and tricks check out these links from my fellow Hellmann's Club Sandwich members: Amanda Bottoms Kevin and Amanda, Shaina Olmanson of Food For My Family, Katja Presnal of Skimbaco Lifestyle,  Caryn Bailey of Rockin’Mama, Liz Latham of Hoosier Homemade, Kim Vetrano of She Scribes, Sarah Caron of Sarah’s Cucina Bella, and Daniel Garcia of Consumer Queen.

Gluten-Free Anise Biscotti

Sugar-free vegan biscotti infused with anise. Start dunking.

Sugar is taking a beating these days. Have you noticed? Studies left and right are accusing this sweet-talking Romeo of seducing us to a life of ruin and heartache. They've applied the words toxic, and poison. Is it really as bad they say? I'm not certain (and I'm not convinced they are, either; my sugar loving grandmother lived to the ripe old age of 93). But this I do know. Super refined corn sugar (aka HFCS) scares me. Not only because it cajoles our livers to convert the fructose to belly fat, but because it doesn't agree with me. Period.

I knew this the first time I drank a margarita that made me balloon and bloat like a pregnant Demi Moore (and while I concur that Demi was superbly gorgeous in all her fecund glory, in all honesty, I do not desire to emulate such a look- or frankly, such a fertile state- at my tender age of post- let's say- fifty). So I took a gander at the label of margarita mix to be sure it was gluten-free. It was. But the second ingredient? High fructose corn syrup.


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Heading Home from Club Sandwich

Just a quick note to say I'll be flying back to San Francisco today after a fun, and quite delicious three days in New York City. I'll be back in the office tomorrow and I'll try and catch-up on the comments and emails ("try" being the key word). The Hellmann's Club Sandwich event went very well, and I learned a couple cool tricks from Iron Chef Bobby Flay, which I can't wait to share. Stay tuned!

Prick Your Tongue with Chicken Piccata

As with any old recipe, there are numerous theories as to how the dish came to be named. The one I subscribe to claims it's an Italian adaptation of the French word "piquer," which means to prick or poke with something sharp. This makes absolutely no sense, until you taste it.

The "to prick" is apparently a metaphor for the sharp, intensely flavored sauce. Thanks to lots of lemon, capers, and wine, this sauce is about as subtle as a right hook (apologies to non-boxing fans for the reference).

Here, I've demonstrated a very basic version of a recipe that begs for variation. I'll sometimes add minced shallots, or garlic; sometimes I'll use wine, other times just straight lemon. Italian parsley is wonderful as the finishing herb, but switching that out for tarragon or basil will also bring much pleasure.

One note about the chicken: I like to use larger breasts, pounded to about 1/2-inch thick. If you are using small 6-oz chicken breasts, there's no need to pound out. Most versions I've seen call for the meat to be pounded extremely thin, but I believe this comes from the fact that the original recipe used thin veal medallions, aka scaloppini.

At home we have the luxury of a few extra minutes, and I think the slightly thicker chicken gives you a little nicer bite. Anyway, I hope this post "piques" your interest, and you give this quick and delicious recipe a try!

Chicken Piccata Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness

salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed

cayenne to taste

all-purpose flour for dredging

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon capers, drained (tip: for more intense flavor, mince 1 teaspoon of the capers, leaving the rest whole)

1/2 cup white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup water or chicken stock

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/4-in slices

2 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Hello from New York City – The Sandwich Capital of the World!

I just arrived in New York City to take part in a very exciting campaign called, "Club Sandwich." Hellmann's invited me, along with eight other food bloggers, to be brand ambassadors, and we'll be sharing our favorite recipes, construction tips, and other sandwich-related esoterica.

The campaign officially kicks-off on Monday, and will feature a demonstration by Bobby Flay. I don't think it's going to be a sandwich "throwdown," but nevertheless, I will have to make my own creation in front of the Iron Chef. Should be a lot of fun! Stay tuned for more information, and I invite you to follow along with me on Twitter. The event hashtag is #clubsandwich. Enjoy!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in Hellmann’s Club Sandwich Program. Visit www.facebook.com/Hellmanns to share how you build the perfect sandwich.

Interview: Anna Zoitas

Anna Zoitas is founder and CEO of Seven Deuce Inc., a specialty food product company that includes The Artisanal Kitchen and Urban Tribe brands. She is also the COO and marketing director for her family’s Westside Market chain in New York City.

In 2009, Anna was invited to be one of the judges for the sofi Award at the prestigious Specialty Food Show in New York where she tasted 3,000 food products, judged them and selected the best from each category.

Prior to her current career with Westside Market and as CEO of Seven Deuce Inc, Anna was a partner and owner in ZOI Moda, an online women’s apparel and accessories company located in Athens, Greece.

Fluent in Greek, Anna holds dual degrees from New York University, Stern School of Business, in management and organizational behavior with an emphasis on international business.


The Artisanal Kitchen's latest product: Three Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Anna sent us a sample of the Artisanal Kitchen's Three Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil. We tried her product with plain French bread and also as an ingredient in our Olio Verde recipe to see how it stands up to heat in cooking applications.

With plain French bread, we found the Three Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil to have a sweet, fruity taste with a complex aroma. It had superior flavor on its own. You could almost drink it straight from the bottle. This is a complex, high quality olive oil.

Next, we used Three Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil in our Olio Verde recipe. We first infused the olive oil with garlic over medium heat and then added basil, crushed red pepper, and balsamic vinegar to the mix. The oil did well in the heat and didn't seem to loose any of its character. It really enhanced this already flavorful sauce. I've made this dish many times and the Three Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil pushed it to a higher level of flavor complexity.

We will definitely purchase this product in the future to have it on hand for use in sauces and salads. If you are in New York, you can find it at any of the Westside Market locations or you can order it direct from the Artisanal Kitchen. It is available in a liter bottle for $13.99.


Q & A with Anna Zoitas

IRS: A couple of years ago you started your own business, Seven Deuce Inc. that now includes the Artisanal Kitchen and Urban Tribe brands. As a young entrepreneur in New York City, what were some of the greatest challenges that you faced?

AZ: As an entrepreneur you are constantly faced with challenges regardless of the point in time – they don’t seem to go away. Challenges is what makes the job so interesting and overcoming them is what makes it rewarding. From identifying a team to, to sourcing the product and optimizing the flavor, to selecting packaging and design , to delivering and bringing to market great quality and consistency there are constant challenges. I think the biggest challenge is to overcome the fear that keeps a lot of us from reaching our goals and true potential. Whether its fear of rejection or fear of failure or fear of success overcoming those fears was the biggest challenge for me to face.

IRS: Describe how you developed your company's latest product, Three Olives Olive Oil. Why did you decide to grow your olives in California instead of the traditional growing regions of Greece, Spain, and Italy?

AZ: I did a lot of searching before I found the ideal product with the quality and price that I was looking for. I wanted to offer something that had the quality of the Greek olive oil that I grew to know and love from my trips to Greece but that was locally produced. The reason I chose a California estate olive oil was because I have more confidence in the freshness. When olive oil travels such great distances you don’t have control over the quality and freshness. To truly enjoy my grandmothers olive oil in its freshest form it would cost a fortune none of the cost would be associated with the product but with the transportation of the product. My philosophy is to support small local farms and growers in the US to insure the deliciousness of my whole artisanal food line. California olive oil producers have developed the market and it’s following the same trend that took place in the wine industry. Three Olives Olive Oil is one of the leaders of that trend.

IRS: The International recipe Syndicate is a blog that features signature dishes from around the World. Do you have any favorite family recipes that you would like to share with our readers that come from your Greek heritage?

AZ: Spanakopita. One of my favorite greek artisan dishes is the spanakopita. Made with lots of fresh greens and feta cheese wrapped in a crusty phyllo dough. (See Anna's spanakopita recipe).

IRS: Choosing an olive oil can be daunting because there are so many brands on the market today. It is difficult to differentiate one from the other. Obviously, you would encourage our readers to try your product. Can you provide some general guidelines that they could use in choosing a good olive oil?

AZ: Some questions that you should ask yourself when choosing an Olive Oil are – What are you using it for? Do you want a strong olive flavor or light flavor? Choosing an olive oil is like choosing between a Merlot and a Cabernet. This is totally about preference.

Some guidelines you can follow are:

• Look for the dark bottle because that’s what protects the olive oil from getting rancid or losing it’s original flavor and antioxidants.
• Check the acidity level. For it to be Extra Virgin it needs to be under .8% acidity -Three Olives is .5%. The lower the acidity the better because there are lower fatty acids.
• Don’t let price drive you. Expensive is always the best and inexpensive isn’t always bad. The price point you should be looking at is $15.99 to $20. Trust the brand.
• Look for the seal whether domestic or imported make sure it is certified by an outside organization.

Three Olives Olive Oil is both gourmet and everyday. It’s flavor is delicate so you can use it for cooking, or pouring on a salad, other olive oils are better used for sautéing or drizzling. I encourage people to try different olive oils to see what they like. I would also encourage people to look for the California Olive Oil Council Seal.

The Artisanal Kitchen label for olive oil tends to be more beautiful reflecting the care that goes into creating the olive oil - into cultivating the olives, producing it and bringing it to market in small batches of high-quality oil that is healthier because of the low acidity, has more subtle flavors and is suited for everyday use.

IRS: You grew up in New York City. If you had to recommend one Greek restaurant in the Big Apple, which one would you choose?

AZ: There are so many to choose from but two of my favorite restaurants are Avra and Mylos. Avra has more of a traditional atmosphere, great seafood, delicious spanakopita and really authentic Greek cuisine. Cozy environment and great service. Mylos has a more modern feel to it, it is a nice open space, very elegant they also have fresh fish imported from Greece.

If you are looking for a Mediterranean restaurant with a great wine bar atmosphere I would recommend Vareli – great place with an exquisite wine selection and Mediterranean tapas offered in a cozy, romantic environment with a rustic feel.

Spanakopita Recipe σπανακόπιτα

Spanakopita or spinach pie is a popular snack in Greece. It's filling consists of spinach and other greens as well as feta cheese. When spinach is scarce, other greens such as chard, sorrel, and leeks are substituted.



Note: I made 1/2 of this recipe and it yielded 16 pieces.



Ingredients:

3 lbs. Spinach

4 bunches of Scallions

2 bunches of Dill

1 bunch of leeks

6 lbs. of Feta cheese

1 lbs. of Parmesan cheese

½ cup of The Artisanal Kitchen Three Olives Olive Oil

6 eggs

6 sheets of traditional phyllo

2 tablespoons butter

Salt & Pepper



Preparation:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash, cut and mix greens together in a bowl. Allow to dry completely.
3. Sautee greens in TAK Three Olives Olive Oil for five minutes.
4. Place greens back in bowl.
5. Add eggs and cheese to the greens and mix well.
6. Lay the phyllo on the bottom of the pan leaving so of the phyllo to hang off the pan.
7. Brush on TAK Three Olives Olive Oil on the phyllo.
8. Place mixture of greens and cheese into the phyllo evenly. Cover mixture with the remaining phyllo pieces and fold the pieces from the bottom over the mixture.
9. Brush the top layer of the phyllo with TAK Three Olive Olive Oil and butter.
10. Cook for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.
11. Cool and Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Anna Zoitas [interview]



Greece [ print this recipe ]

This is Not an Easter Bread Rerun – It's an Easter Bread Resurrection

I'm not that big on the whole organized religion thing (the resurrection joke in the title should have been a clue), so when I think of Easter, I think of one thing; warm, fragrant, shiny Easter bread (with sprinkles of course). If you grew up in an Italian-American home, chances are pretty good you've enjoyed something similar, but if you haven't, you should really consider giving this surprisingly easy recipe a try. Enjoy!

Click here to read the original post, watch the how-to video, and get all the ingredients.

What's Green, Misunderstood, and Full of Hot Air? Asparagus Souffle!

We also would have accepted the answer, "Al Gore." This video recipe demonstrates my basic game plan for any savory, vegetable-based soufflé. Contrary to popular belief, soufflés are not very difficult, as long as you respect the laws of physics.

The cartoon cliché of the housewife crying over a fallen soufflé (because her stupid husband slammed the door) has become an iconic scene of culinary incompetence. Well, I have some good news… these types of soufflés are supposed to fall down.

If you're doing a big cheese soufflé for a dinner party, or the classic Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert, then yes, by all means, bring it to the table straight out of the oven and fully erect. After a minute of oohs and aahs, you serve your highly impressed guests.

But these vegetable soufflés are a simple, seasonal side dish, and all that pomp and circumstance isn't necessary. You don't need to serve this right out of the oven, and you really shouldn't. To really appreciate the taste and texture, the soufflé should cool a bit.

Having said that, if you are doing these for a dinner party then you'll get the best of both worlds; since your guests will invariably be milling about the kitchen while you're cooking, they will see you asparagus soufflés in all their inflated glory anyway.

I hope you give this recipe a try, and also experiment with other vegetables. Broccoli, artichokes, leeks, spinach, or any other edible plant you can puree, should work with the same basic procedure. You can also play around with your cheese options, and as I mentioned in the video, a sharp, white cheddar is my fromage of choice. Enjoy!

Bonus Asparagus Souffle Coverage: This recipe was inspired by an Asparagus Souffle recipe I saw on my friend Elise's blog, the always outstanding, Simply Recipes. Check out her great post here!

Asparagus Souffle Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, (about 12 ounces by weight)

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt)

cayenne to taste

1 cup cold milk

1/2 clove garlic

1/2 cup finely grated cheese

4 eggs, separated

Creamy Penne Pasta Bake with Zucchini

A light and creamy pasta bake recipe for Spring.

Mac and cheese gets a makeover. Just in time for swimsuit shopping (also affectionately known around here as the annual Parade of Shame). It's time to start cooking light again, and give your body a break from all that white rice pasta, butter, and double cheese. It's time to kiss bacon good-bye. Hot weather is coming, Babycakes. The beach and poolside beckon. And I am not prepared. Are you?

I've been lax with my downward facing dogs (actually, I'm forbidden to do downward facing dogs these days, but that's another story). My lumbo-pelvic complex is cranky. My core is catnapping. And my biceps need curling. Or something like that. What it basically means is I've got some flab I need to banish. Remember that roll around my middle I call Doris? She's still here. She has not skedaddled. My usual winter weight gain of five hibernation pounds is eight this year.

I could blame those Raspberry Coconut-Almond Bars my husband keeps making (he who can eat cookies and brownies and still sport flat abs). I could blame fructan and fructose, and various unfriendly members of FODMAPs who may be the bottom line bloat culprit in my ongoing emulation of my halcyon pregnancy days (those of you with IBS symptoms despite going gluten-free might want to look into this fructose and polyol thing- it appears to have some merit).

But mostly I blame how much time I spend on the iMac. Sitting. Typing. Sitting some more. Social networking. The Internet is an amazing gift. But it is damn hard on the body. I'm vowing to get up and move more frequently. Shake my booty. Feel the burn. Or at least feel some heat.

So just in case you're in the same mood, too. I've made a lighter version of the classic baked mac and cheese.

I used gluten-free brown rice penne with rice bran for the pasta. Organic soy milk and Smart Balance vegan "butter" for the cream sauce. Zucchini and garlic and chives for a flavor boost. And it was fab. Light. Creamy. Perfect for Spring.


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Blackberry Pie Recipe

Although it may not look like it, Spring is here. Blackberries are in season in California starting in May. As such, I'm posting this recipe for blackberry pie so that you can take advantage of the fresh blackberries that will soon be available at markets.

This recipe for blackberry pie is really easy!! It uses a store bought graham cracker pie crust. We will make the filling from scratch and use some ground up vanilla wafers to top it all off. Feel free to serve it with whipped cream and a scoop of ice cream on the side.

Recommended Equipment:
food processor or blender

Ingredients:
3 pints fresh blackberries

1 graham cracker pie crust
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 tspn kosher salt
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups small vanilla wafers
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put blackberries in graham cracker pie crust.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add 1/3 cup flour and the salt.
4. In another mixing bowl, mix together the sour cream, maple syrup and eggs.
5. Mix the flour mixture and the egg and sour cream mixture together and pour over the blackberries.
6. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into small pieces and add to a food processor with the vanilla cookies.
   
7. Grind up vanilla wafers and butter together in a food processor or blender until a coarse powder.
8. Melt the butter and add 1 tspn of salt to the butter.
9. Mix with the vanilla wafers and then apply evenly on top of the pie.
10. Put the pie in the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Let pie cool completely before serving.
    

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