Category Archives: Food TV

Tyler Florence Cookbook Winner & New $100 Food Gal Contest Giveaway

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The family rolling pin.

The rolling pin above is as old-school as it gets.

It’s not in vogue like those slender, tapered, elegant French rolling pins coveted by today’s bakers.

The red color on the handles long ago started fading away in spots.

It may be worse for the wear, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

You see, it was my late-Mom’s rolling pin.

I’m not even sure when she acquired it. All I know is that for as long as I can remember, it was stored in a cupboard in our family home, along with all the other baking equipment.

As a kid, I’d rifle through that cupboard till I found it, then roll out dough for peach pies in the summer or fanciful decorated cookies for Christmas in the shapes of stars and snowmen.

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Sunny Side Up a la Tyler Florence and Food Gal Giveaway

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This is one of those great breakfast dishes that is really perfect most anytime of day or night.

Need to feed a crowd at brunch? You bet.

Want a simple, yet satisfying lunch? This is it.

Need a late-night nosh after an evening of carousing? This will hit the spot.

“Gallina de Madre” (‘Mother Hen’ Toast) is from the new Tyler Florence cookbook, “Tyler Florence Family Meal” (Rodale).

Marin County resident and chef-owner of Wayfare Tavern in San Francisco, Florence learned how to make this dish on a visit to Barcelona.

It takes ham and eggs to a whole ‘nother level. Imagine biting into a toasted, thick slice of country bread topped with slices of sweet-salty Serrano ham,  a sunny side up egg and a drizzle of thick, creamy Manchego cheese bechamel sauce spiked with horseradish and nutmeg.

If that doesn’t perk you up, I don’t know what will.

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Scenes from “Worlds of Flavor” 2010

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Cold soba noodles in gelee at the 2010 "Worlds of Flavor'' conference on Japan.

Over the weekend, the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena presented its 13th annual “Worlds of Flavor International Conference & Festival.”

It was the first time that the conference — attended regularly by top chefs, restaurateurs, purveyors, food scientists and media — focused entirely on the cuisine of Japan.

For good reason.

A Japanese dancer.

Everywhere you turn these days, you can’t help but notice the influence Japanese cuisine is having around the world — from sushi being sold in most every American supermarket to ingredients such as edamame, yuzu and nori finding their place in professional kitchens around the world.

Assembling curry udon for the crowds.

Okonomiyaki -- savory noodle pancakes -- get grilled.

Turn on the TV to watch the excitement of “Iron Chef”; visit New York to wait in line at Chef David Chang’s wildly popular Momofuku Japanese-style, street food-inspired restaurants; or pick up the latest Michelin Guide, which awarded its highest honor of three stars to an astounding 12 restaurants in the Kansai region of Japan — more than any other area in the world.

The conference, “Japan: Flavors of Culture, From Sushi and Soba to Kaiseki,” was attended by 750 people, including more than 54 presenters from Japan, some of whom were visiting the Napa Valley for the first time.

It was a kick to see Masaharu Morimoto, Hiroyuki Sakai and Yukio Hattori — all of “Iron Chef” fame — wandering around the storied culinary campus. And even more memorable to hear Morimoto belt out an a cappella song in Japanese at the end of his cooking demo.

Morimoto cooking with suckling pig at a demo.

And what cooking demos there were — from watching a chef from Japan painstakingly make soba noodles from scratch on stage to the intricate details that go into making a perfect dashi stock to seeing Chef Doug Keane of Cyrus in Healdsburg prepare a broth made with his favorite matsutake mushrooms, which he confessed to loving even more than prized European truffles.

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A Gingery Time for a Good Cause

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Fresh-baked gingerbread stars to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation. (Photo courtesy of the Lark Creek Restaurant Group)

Satisfy your gingerbread craving while doing a good deed, too.

You can if you purchase a bag of star-shaped, iced gingerbread cookies for $10 from participating Lark Creek Restaurant Group establishments throughout November. All proceeds will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which makes wishes come true for children with severe illnesses.

The cookies, available on the dessert menu, were designed by One Market Pastry Chef Patti Dellamonica-Bauler. Glam them up with frosting, sprinkles and candies to enjoy at the restaurant or take them home with you in a decorative box.

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Getting into the Spook-tacular Spirit

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Chef Jamie Oliver and Steve Ells, founder of Chipotle, in their "frightening'' costumes. (Photo couresty of Chipotle)

Boorito Time:

Chipotle Mexican Grill has teamed up with UK Chef Jamie Oliver for a clever Halloween promotion to expose just how scary processed foods can be.

Just visit any Chipotle restaurant between 6 p.m. and closing on Oct. 31, dressed as a horrifying processed food product, and you’ll be treated to a burrito made with naturally raised ingredients for just $2.

Proceeds from the “Boorito 2010,” up to $1 million, will benefit “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” a campaign to get people to cook and eat fresh, healthful food.

Chipotle also will host an online costume contest, where customers can be photographed in their frightening processed food costumes at Chipotle’s, then can post the pic online here.

The grand prize winner will receive $2,500; five runners-up will get $1,000 each. And 20 honorable mentions will receive a burrito party for 20 guests at a Chipotle’s of their choice.

Better get cracking now on that one-of-a-kind costume to win.

Pumpkin Carving:

Yankee Pier in Larkspur invites kids to come in, Oct. 28-31, for its annual pumpkin-carving contest.

There will be various prizes for different age ranges, including giveaways of toys and bookstore gift cards. Contest winners will be announce on Oct. 31 via Facebook.

This week, the Lark Creek Restaurant Group also will be concluding its annual “Pumpkin Festival” of dishes that showcase fall squashes.

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