Kicking off a Health-FULL 2011 with #FNIchat

How's your pantry? Ours still holds remnants of preparing too many batches of holiday cookies, so many snacks for those last-minute drop-in guests, and enough fixings to make a few amazingly over-the-top GoodFood Gatherings...

We're shifting gears now that the new year is in swing.  We're looking at getting back to a more healthy regime in our kitchen and our pantry.

Where to begin?

7 De-Stress Techniques...when the Holidays HIT HARD!

Colette Candle Grande $25.95

With a lot of business travel, busy SavvyHostMarket season, and holiday entertaining looming on the horizon, no wonder The Savvy Host has been stocking up on techniques to DE-stress!

Here's a short list of tips and tricks shared with us, or that we've discovered, for getting back our "zen".  Keep a few on file to fight off holiday hosting stress!

Discussing Good Food Pantry Essentials with Robyn Webb

Have to introduce you to the delightful and ever-so-savvy Robyn Webb, and her blog, Fabulous Food Finds.

Her creativity in cooking - her knowledge of nutrition - and healthful food preparation - have been a go-to resource for our entertaining.

We have the pleasure of discussing Good Food Pantry Essentials with Robyn today as a featured guest on her blog, Fabulous Food Finds.

Following the wisdom shared by Julia Child, 

you don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients, 

we explore 12 essential pantry items to have on hand to play up the freshest of ingredients, ensuring the mouth-watering success of many Good Food Gatherings.

Baked Eggs by Any Other Name | NO-FAIL Brunch Idea

Shirred eggs...baked eggs...Oeufs en cocotte...no matter which name you prefer (or think sounds most delicious), we must share our new favorite NO-FAIL brunch dish – Baked Egg Cups.

SO versatile, SO tasty, SO presentable, and so EASY to make.  Just a few basic ingredients and then let your creativity take over!

Dress them up with brie, chevre, asparagus, chorizo, prosciutto and fines herbes…OR keep them casual with cheddar, bacon or sausage, and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.  Serve individually - at table - or from a buffet.

This is one dish that has become a permanent replay in our brunch repertoire.  And we're sharing this recipe for brunch success!

Eggplant. Scorpacciata. GodBlessYou. Good Food Gatherings (Menus #18-#20)

Scorpacciata.

Don’t get offended – we didn’t just invoke some old Sicilian curse.  As we learned from friends at Eatocracy – and as Chef Mario spoke of today on CNN - scorpacciata refers to consuming large amounts of a particular local ingredient while it's in season. (Jill Billante, Scorpacciata – Farm Stands, Eatocracy). 

Snack Attack? Break with us at Foodies Night In (8/16)

It's been a long MONDAY already...just enough time to share our inclination to take a munchie break with you - our fellow foodies - this afternoon at Foodies' Night In.  We celebrating foodie fun with a Snack Attack for #fni today at 3pCT/4pET!

From treats to power bites to mid-morning munchies, we’re talking snacks, snacks, snacks.  Think you can handle it? Crunch away and join us ;-) 

Our special sponsor today is newcomer, Nuts About Granola.

Nuts About Granola is dedicated to providing fresh, wholesome, natural granola, from local ingredients to satisfy your hunger. We offer unique flavors, handmade in small batches and served fresh from the oven. This unique treat can be found in our beloved café or through our many outlets. Our simple recipes are full of flavor and made with love. We are truly nuts about granola.

Our emphasis is on building a local, sustainable economy. We support our local community by sourcing local ingredients, sponsoring local events and donating to local charities. We take pride in our affiliation Buy Fresh, Buy Local and the Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network. We only sell to independent retails with an emphasis on Farmer’s Market to encourage our customers to buy even more local products.

Serving up Bread & Sandwiches at Foodies' Night In

It's SANDWICH NIGHT at Foodies Night In (#fni) today, and are we ready to share so many different things you can do with bread, cheese, meat, veggies and condiments...with our sponsor, Kitchen Monki, you KNOW it's gonna' get a little crazy in the kitchen!

Do you know Kitchen Monki?

We raved about them in Monki-ing around is good for entertaining.  Kitchen Monki is THE Storage Unit and Power Organizer for all your recipes.  Similar to how iTunes organizes music, Kitchen Monki can catalog, sort and search personal recipes. Members can also use Kitchen Monki’s seamless integration with Facebook and Twitter to share recipes—or its convenient mobile application to have their shopping list delivered to their phone. Follow them on Twitter - @KitchenMonki.

Guest experts this week adding some meat & cheese between slices fo #fni fun include:
@kendurbin - sharing his perspective from training at The Midwest Culinary Institute.

Safari Plates - Zebra

@daisymaesmarket - an entrepreneurial market with a fresh approach to fresh produce.
@alouttecheese - with the motto "Slow Down & Savour", a favorite spread to class up our sandwiches!

From Rooftop to Table

Whether you appreciate the local food movement (we do), or think organic is important (we do), you must agree that the fresher the ingredients, the better the taste.  Whether from a farmers market, roadside stand, or your very own garden, the smell and taste always seem to be more intense.

In our personal style of entertaining and cooking, fresh ingredients are a must.  They offer a more healthful as well as tasteful foundation for cooking.  We think emphasizing the fresh ingredients is part of getting back to the basics of what makes food good.

But is planting and tending to your own garden necessary?  Of course not!!  But we thought we'd share a little of our zeal and enthusiasm for creating our own "rooftop to table" local food movement...

We didn't have to start an edible garden.  We're lucky to have Green City Market a mere 10 minutes away.  We belong to a most delicious CSA program through Simply Wisconsin (so delicious in fact that we purchased memberships for our extended family to make sure they got a chance to enjoy!).  And, our family has a home along Lake Michigan in Indiana with access to so many delicious farm produce throughout the summer.

But if you enjoy a little dirt under your nails, if greenery is visually appealing to you, and even from a budget standpoint, investing the time in event a small garden of herbs, vegetables, and fruit can yield much fun and produce.

One of the main reasons we bought our current loft was the private rooftop deck and what it offered ~  entertaining al fresco, space for masterful grilling, and a rooftop garden.  Please understand that we're the type to get jazzed about picking the tomatoes and basil just a few minutes before we craft an-ever-so-fresh Insalata Caprese!

Being city dwellers, we don't have the backyard option that many do.  We considered working with one of the shared garden projects, but weren't sure that we would have the time to get there to take care of it regularly.  Our rooftop provided the best option.

(We'll save the landscaping, furnishing & decor part of the rooftop beautification story for another post.)  

In terms of vegetation selection, we start with a few rules of the house:

1. Must be produce we use regularly in our cooking.
2. Can't require special handling (this is a hobby, not a full-time occupation).
3. Must tolerate the existing conditions - hot, dry, full sun and lots of wind.
4. Must yield enough to make the effort worthwhile.

Based on a few years of experience, here's what's growing upstairs and regularly available on our dining table:

Tomatoes - believe it or not, many of the heirloom varieties do VERY well - Cherokee Purple, Green Zebra, and Brandywine as well as Yellow Teardrop (image top left), Red Pear and Cherry Super Sweets (image above right).  Be forewarned that we've gotten the best results with fairly large containers, giving the plants room to take root.  Tight on space? The "Patio Tomato" containers available at most garden stores yield amazing results! 

Swiss Chard - (image to the left) such a beautiful, bright leafy addition to any garden, we also like the Rainbow version.


Kale - both Lacinato and standard love the conditions and grow well all season.  We frequently harvest for our Summer Minestrone, and the plants just keep growing all season long... 


Peppers (Bell, Jalapeno, Banana, Thai Chile and Habanero) - they didn't like the long cold Spring this year, and did need a little special attention. But they are already producing the buds that should make for a nice first crop of the season.

Zucchini - we LOVE having months of the baseball size orange blossoms available to us for frying, stuffing and quesadillas - such a delicious treat.  And, this plant requires so little effort (as long as it's in a BIG container... it has an extensive root base,)

Strawberries - (image to the right) a truly perfect container plant, the bonus is that ours come back EVERY year!  These plants propagate quickly during the season, so be sure to have a good, medium size container to accommodate growth enough for jam!

Raspberries - both a Golden and a Ruby Red grace our rooftop (see image below left).  These are a wonderful container bush that also returns each year.  Some types bear fruit early in the season, some are late-blooming.  From the number of blooms thus far, we're looking at a bumper crop!

Arugula - why pay for this at all during the summer when it grows and grows and grows on its own?  We love our "field of arugula" in its container box.

Lettuce - (image below right) it's so easy in any size space to grow your own lettuce.  Our garden includes Red Leaf and Green Leaf, along with Romaine.  The sweetness and flavor of the leaves is not to be missed.  Starter container kits are even available at Home Depot!  Imagine salads full of fresh baby greens every night of the week with only a little watering effort required...

Cooking Herbs - (image near top left) this is really a no-brainer - especially when the small packages of cut herbs are $2-$3 EACH at the store.  You can purchase starter plants - or even full-size plants - for $2-15 each and you'll have fresh herbs all summer! A small container of whatever cooking herbs you prefer can sit on a windowsill, or even a small balcony... At a minimum, grab some basil, dill, marjoram, thyme and parsley and enjoy the benefits!

Looking for some how-to's to get started?  A few expert sources we rely on to stay savvy are...

~ Growing a Greener World including Joe Gardener. Download his 27pp ebook, Abundant Harvest: Your Guide to the Home Vegetable Garden - it's FREE!

~ The Yarden, "spreading the edible word" has a wonderful post about teaching new gardeners as a part of the historical Peterson Garden Project in Chicago.

~ Get in the Garden, "sowing a better world...one garden at a time" has a great section on Vegetable Gardening 101.

~ Herb Garden Plants offers the best of both worlds - indoor and outdoor information to help your herb garden to thrive.

~ Organic Authority's 7 Easy Steps to Get Your Organic Garden Started details starting out in containers (which may be where you decide to stay put if you don't have a yard!).  Also read 111 Herbs, Vegetables, Edible Flowers, & Fruit to Plant in Your Garden.

~ Join the tweet-up "Garden Chat" (#gardenchat) on Monday evenings.  You can also follow @JoeGardener,  @TheYarden, @getinthegarden, @HerbNut and @OrganicAuthorit for regular tweets to help keep things growing. 

If we've inspired you to try your own hand at growing a little local food, please share your adventures.  We'd love to know what other savvy hosts are sowing as favorite edible garden crops ~ whether backyard, balcony or rooftop!

No-Fail Dinner Party #2 - Shrimp

Another chapter in the dinner party options playbook.

This time we're working with frutti di mare, "the fruits of the sea".  Shrimp, as well as other shellfish, are a favorite at our table as they work well for an informal gathering (think Shrimp/Crab Boil) or can dress up for a more elegant crowd (think Lobster Thermador).  For the purposes of this no-fail discussion, we'll focus on shrimp, and offer other shellfish references whenever possible.

As a dinner party option, if you plan to serve shrimp or shellfish it's a good idea to let your guests know your gameplan to avoid any last-minute problems with food allergies.

AT THE STORE...

While the general preference with fish is always fresh - fresh - fresh, working with shrimp you will almost always be purchasing frozen as shrimp is harvested, cleaned and flash frozen before ever reaching the shore or your local fish market. A few seafood preparation tips to keep in mind courtesy of Whole Foods Market.

• Separate raw seafood from other groceries in your cart, shopping bag and refrigerator or freezer.
• All seafood should be refrigerated or frozen as soon as possible after it is purchased.
• As a general rule, refrigerated seafood should be used within two days. Live crabs and lobsters should be cooked the same day.
• Seafood should be marinated in the refrigerator, not on the counter at room temperature. Discard the marinade after use, as it may contain food-borne bacteria. Do not put it on any other foods unless they will be cooked.
• When cutting raw seafood at home, give that wooden cutting board the old heave-ho and instead choose a plastic one, which is less likely to harbor illness-inducing bacteria.
• Wash all cutting boards and utensils with hot, soapy water before and after they come in contact with raw seafood. Make sure all seafood is fully cooked at the proper temperature.

It's easy to select your shrimp with an eye towards sustainability.  With over 300 varieties worldwide, it's been well-publicized that there are significant problems both with wild-caught and farmed options.  Monterey Bay Aquarium offers the following recommendations of eco-friendly varieties to help avoid those options that contribute to over-farming and other harmful practices.

• U.S. Freshwater Prawns, farmed (also known as Giant River Prawn, Malaysian Prawn)
• U.S./Canadian Northern Shrimp, wild-caught (also known as salad shrimp, cocktail shrimp, ebi)
• U.S. Pink Shrimp, wild-caught (also known as Ocean Shrimp, salad shrimp)
• U.S. Rock Shrimp, wild-caught
• U.S. Pacific White Shrimp, closed systems/inland ponds

Don't get confused by the "count" noted on the labels or packaging.  If the label reads 21/25, this refers to the number of individual pieces per 1 lb.  The larger the number, the small the size of each shrimp.  The smaller the number, such as U/8, indicates much larger shrimp more appropriate to an entree.  The count is much more dependable than any other reference to "Jumbo" or "Colossal", which we tend to ignore.

Portion-wise, we plan on 1/3 to 1/2 pound cooked shrimp per person.  Keep in mind that 1lb of raw unshelled shrimp cooks down to approximately 1/2 lb of prepared shrimp.

Also take care to notice if they are pre-cooked, and if they are fully shelled, or tail-on, or shell intact.  If you are shopping at a fishmarket, they may also have heads intact. Depending on the which recipe you are using, and what time investment you can make, there can be a big difference in preparation.

BASIC PREP...

Start with shrimp that have been rinsed well under cold water.  Clean shrimp, devein as necessary. Dry thoroughly before cooking.

Grilling
We prefer to use raw shrimp in the shell, and no smaller than the 21/25 count (Jumbo).  Easy grilling involves either skewering the shrimp (leaving space between each piece) or a grill basket.  If you have the time, consider butterflying the shrimp by slicing lengthwise along the underbelly from the head to the tail, but leaving the tail intact.  Open like a book and press firmly down to flatten slightly.  Simply toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and grill.  Beware! They only need a minute or 2 on each side.

Grilled Shrimp with Truffle Oil Vinaigrette (courtesy of What's Cooking America)
A Savvy Host Recipe RAVE!!

Spicy Lime-Ginger Grilled Shrimp (courtesy of Ferrari Carano Wine)

Make it your own!  With basic grilled shrimp, you can style up with any dipping sauces you'd like from asian nuoc cham to a New Orleans influenced remoulade.  Alternatively, create or use a marinade of your choice to introduce some flavor style before grilling.

Sautéing
For easy preparation, plan to use either the raw fully shelled or tail-on, and between 36/40 to 16/20 count (Medium/Large to Extra Jumbo).

Sautéed Shrimp with Buttery Balsamic Vinegar Sauce (courtesy of Fine Cooking)
A Savvy Host Recipe RAVE!!

Gambas al Ajillo (courtesy of Epicurious)

Make it your own!  The basic saute involves some butter or oil and the shrimp.  From there, you can work with garlic, or hot chiles, or smoky paprika, or asian fish sauce & ginger to create a sauce to suit your dinner party plan.  Serving a crowd?  Use pasta as a base for your sauteed shrimp, increase the quantity of sauce and stretch your entertaining dollar.  Linguine, farfalle, or fettucine work well ~ ravioli is a delicious add ~ also consider soba noodles!

Boiling

In true coastal tradition, you should plan to use raw unshelled shrimp, no smaller than 21/25 (Jumbo).  

We find that the some traditions are just meant to be, so we rely on Old Bay's version of a true shrimp boil...just grab the newspapers and roll up your sleeves.  And if you don't know about Old Bay seasoning, find out more about this tried & true favorite seasoning...and recipe RAVE!

Old Bay Shrimp Boil Shrimp Fest

Roasting
To maintain the moisture content of the shrimp, we prefer using raw unshelled shrimp, no smaller than 31/35 (Large).  Typically, this preparation involves cooking the shrimp for 20-30 minutes in a very hot oven (400 degrees) and a baking sheet or tray.

Salt-Roasted Shrimp with Lemon-Honey Dipping Sauce (courtesy of My Recipes)

Amazing Roasted Shrimp with Garlic (courtesy of Recipezaar)

Make it your own!  As with grilling, the options are limitless in terms of the dipping sauces or flavors to add to your roasted shrimp.  Lemon-thyme Olive Oil dipping for a lighter appeal, or a spicy BBQ sauce for a southern style.

If you have time or inclination, you can brine the shrimp before grilling or roasting.  What's Cooking America offers brining tips, and other useful shrimp facts, in All About Shrimp.

NO COOK options...

Bloody Mary Shrimp - at your local supermarket, purchase the prepared cocktail shrimp ring (in the seafood section).  At home, mix tomato juice, vodka, lemon juice, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco to your personal Bloody Mary taste.  Toss prepared cocktail shrimp in Bloody Mary blend and let sit for 15 minutes.  Serve in lettuce cup or over 1/2 avocado.

Shrimp Pizza - again, using the prepared cocktail shrimp ring from your local market.  Also purchase a prepared, uncooked pizza or flatbread.  We're fans of American Flatbread (available at Whole Foods in the freezer section) and use either the Tomato Sauce & 3 Cheese or the Ionian Awakening.  Either chop the shrimp or add them whole to the pizza topping, and follow the cooking instructions.

Mock Steamed Shrimp - grab a frozen bag of the fully cooked shrimp, preferably tail-on, from the market.  Add some cocktail sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, lemons and prepared horseradish to your cart.  Bring a pot of water filled halfway to a low boil.  Rinse the frozen shrimp in a metal colander until they separate, and then place the colander into the pot (but not into the water).  Sprinkle Old Bay on the shrimp and steam for 7-10 minutes.  Toss shrimp with more Old Bay and return the colander to the pot, but remove the pot from the heat. Leave standing while prepping a serving bowl, cutting lemon wedges, and "doctoring" the cocktail sauce with horseradish to taste.

10 Trends in Savvy Entertaining (for 2010)

(French Cheese&Wine arrangement 

from www.williamssonoma.com)

Already in January, we see a shift in the focus, style and flair of entertaining for this year.  People are looking to enjoy time together and to appreciate what's good in our lives.

We've been giving this some thought ~ here's what's top of mind for The Savvy Host's entertaining in 2010.
  
(1) Revisiting the Cocktail Hour - it's the bewitching hour that transitions you from hectic worklife to relaxed socializing.  We see it taking back it's place as a significant part of entertaining.  Key players in the cocktail hour will be some refreshing twists on old traditions ~ White Cosmopolitan, Rose Royale ~ availability of nonalcoholic options ~ and even greater diversity of microbrews and craft beers.  21 Must Try Classic Cocktail Recipes at The Intoxicologist is a good place to start. 

(Photo credit: Antonis Achilleos, Elle Decor)

(2) Fresh means seasonal - more and more we see fresh and natural ingredients for menu and for decor shifting with what is seasonally available.  Taking advantage of what's best in Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter requires a little creativity, but is worth it in terms of taste and diversity.
  

(Artichoke arrangement www.crateandbarrel.com)

(3) Only Wines We Love - a $10 bottle of wine is still a waste of $10 if you don't like the taste.  We see savvy hosts and guests opting for value ~ and willing to savor what they truly enjoy rather than swigging carafes of something less than desirable.  This doesn't rule out consideration of inexpensive wines.  We love our Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon (~$15) and our Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay (~$12).   The point is to find what you enjoy - and to savor it!

(4) Eclectic Gatherings - getting together will take on a variety of formats in 2010 as savvy hosts optimize what they have in the way of time and budget for entertaining.  Dessert bars, tea time, cheese & wine events, games & pizza nights, and lazy afternoon BBQs will flourish - along with many other creative ideas.


(5) Back to Basics with Traditional Recipes - comfort foods give the feeling of being warm, safe and loved.  Many times, these traditional recipes involve inexpensive ingredients as well - think Pot Roast (epicurious.com), Meatballs (Bon Appetit), Cincinnati Chili (Saveur), Southern Fried Chicken (Fine Cooking).  We see these basics continuing to play a key role in entertaining this year.

(6) Plate Geometry ~ Veggies Taking Over the Neighborhood - for 2010, we will embrace Ellie Krieger's "The New Geometry of the Plate" (Fine Cooking) and share the majority of "plate real estate" with the vegetables for a healthier serving style.

(7) Mix & Match Guests - entertaining offers the opportunity to reconnect ~ we see this in terms of mixing and matching friends & business colleagues at gatherings.  Don't be surprised at the diversity of connections and interests at the next dinner or cocktail party you attend.  And don't be afraid to mix it up at your next gathering!  All we know is that good business grows from great relationships...why not use a little entertaining to support economic renewal?

(Photo credit White House Flickr.com)

(8) Decor - Strong, Natural & Impressive - there is renewed interest in strong, basic elements for dining decor, tabletop and home ambiance.  From the simplicity of potted green grass or herbs ~ or a centerpiece of artichokes ~ to the whimsy of crocodile salt & pepper shakers intricately playing on the table ~ to the beauty of cascading lemons brightening the entryway.  Functional and sometimes whimsical shapes and forms will take priority - along with an emphasis on natural materials and elements.  This seems to be an intentional move away from opulence and over-the-top extravagance as we refocus on the beauty of basics and essentials...

(9) Where to invest? Quality Kitchen Tools! - the best way to play up the amazing ingredients you are preparing is with the right kitchen and cooking tools.  Invest in the slow-cooker ~ mandoline ~ zester ~ chicken roaster or other cookware needed to make menu preparation fun and to get the most out of your kitchen efforts!

(10) Restaurants are a Cultural Center - from wine demos to baconfest (The Publican), from specialty menus celebrating "Truffles (Vie Restaurant)" to chef's tables, we see our favorite restaurants becoming a favorite cultural center for gourmet interests.  We take cooking classes, guest bar-tend and join CSAs through our favorite dining out locations.  We see this trend continuing to support "foodie" interests by offering a combination of cultural entertainment with exceptional cuisine.

(Crocodile salt & pepper shakers available from www.TableArtOnline.com)

Overall, we see 2010 as a time of renewal ~ giving every savvy host an opportunity to refocus their entertaining on what matters most - bringing people together in enjoyable surroundings ~ offering good food & drink ~ sharing stories, ideas, laughter, .. life.

What do you see as your entertaining priorities and interests in 2010?