Can It Forward Day

Are you interested in canning? Want to learn more?

The fifth annual Can-it-Forward Day was August 1, 2015. If you're not familiar with it, I wrote about it here, and there's a recipe for a pretty amazing red pepper spread.

Wandering back to 2013, I wrote about it here, and there's a recipe for salsa you don't want to miss.

And you can come here to watch a recording of the official Can-it-Forward Day as soon as they get it uploaded. I'm pretty excited that I get to host it here this year. Kind of neat, yes?

Right there.

There was supposed to be a live broadcast on August 1, but due to technical difficulties on their end, it was recorded and will be available for you to watch here (and on their site), as soon as they get the bugs worked out.

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Inside Food Network Star with Jay Ducote

All photos courtesy of Food Network

If you're a fan of the TV show The Next Food Network Star, you may have wondered what it's like to be on the show. I mean, we get to see what the producers and editors want us to see, but you know it's got to be different to be on the other side of the camera.

I had a chance to interview Jay Ducote, one of this year's contestants. Full disclosure: I've "known" Jay for quite a while, online, and I'm rooting for him to win. We belong to a blog group called Virtual Potluck, but we've never met, and until this phone call, we've never had a conversation that didn't involve typing at each other.

The folks at Food Network were nice enough to set up and interview, and I was armed with a few questions. Just like the guy you see on television, Jay was easy to talk to and super-nice. And I'm sure the ears at the network were listening in to make sure I didn't ask any questions about future episodes. You do know it's not a live show, right? It's filmed ahead and we're watching things that happened a while ago.

Jay originally auditioned for the Season 10 show, which was last year. He said he got pretty far through the interview process, but didn't make the cut. This year, he got a call back from the network who said that they had liked him the year before, and they encouraged him to apply again. Even though he was invited to apply, he said it was still a long process and a lot of interviews and paperwork.

So, it's not like you interview once and wait for the results. You go step by step by step, and then when the call comes, you have a short time to "put your life in order" so you can run off to be on the show. Jay said that he got the call while he was at a restaurant and while he couldn't say too much, he toasted his two employees and said, "Have fun running the business without me." Besides blogging at Bite and Booze, Jay does pop-up events and hosts a radio show. He also has his own line of barbecue sauce, and it's pretty darned good!

Jay and his sister had watched The Next Food Network Star together many times, and his brother also knew what the show was about, but his parents were a little more in the dark. He said that his mom had never actually seen the show, and his dad might never have seen the Food Network at all. Once he told them the news, his mom watched the previous year's episodes to get an idea what her son would be facing. I'm pretty sure they're both watching it every week now.

Of course we had to talk about cooking challenges, and Jay said that the hardest one for him was the restaurant challenge, for two reasons. First, it was the only challenge where he had to collaborate with someone on a single dish. There were other team challenges, but in those, people worked on their own dishes. In the restaurant challenge, the two contestants had to collaborate and create a single cohesive dish.

The other reason it was hard, he said, was because it was done in a commercial restaurant kitchen, and that's not something he's used to. The equipment is much different from home cooking, and the space was small and cramped.

The Food Network Star kitchen certainly isn't like anyone's house, but he said it was nice because it was so roomy, and the equipment was more like something high-end home cook would have, so it was easier to work with.

What about that equipment? What cooking things did Jay wish he could have brought home with him?

"They had a really good selection of cast iron Dutch ovens and skillets," Jay said, and noted that if you watch closely, that's pretty much what he goes for every time. Once, Dom beat him to the punch and got the cast iron skillets in the pizza challenge, and Jay's pizzas ended up with underdone crusts. I have to agree with Jay that when you need cast iron, you NEED cast iron!

Speaking of Dom, Jay said that Dom is one of the funniest people to be around when the cameras aren't rolling. While he seems shy on-camera, he's very fun when the contestants aren't competing.

Jay mentioned that he's made good friendships during the show, and that they continue to stay in touch, even though filming is over.

He also said that the contestants all had the attitude that they wanted to get ahead and to win by being the best they could be, and no one wanted to win because someone else screwed up. They were all cheering for each other, while also being competitive.

One big question is whether they all get to nosh on each others' food, and for the most part, they don't. Sometimes they will sample some component someone's dish in progress, if the other person asks for an opinion. But there were times when they didn't even get a chance to sample their own finished dish, like with the pizza challenge. They each made three pizzas for judging, and although they could taste the components as they made them, or perhaps a bit of topping that fell off, no one got a chance to try a slice of their own, or anyone else's pie. The judges were the only ones who got a chance to taste.

For some challenges, though, if there's leftover food after an event, they might have a chance to do some sampling, like at the Fourth of July event where teams had food that wasn't served to guests. But it doesn't happen often.

When it comes to best and worst dishes, Jay said that his gumbo will probably live in infamy, but it truly wasn't as bad as it was made to seem. Bobby Flay said that the flavors was good, but the dish was "murky."

Jay explained that he was going for a slimy dish, since that was his challenge. He chose to do gumbo because okra can be slimy. He said that what he ended up with was more of a stew than a soup, but he said it wasn't as bad as it looked. Still, if he had a chance to do it over again, he would like a chance to re-do that dish and get it right - even if he only had 45 minutes.

As far as dishes he liked, the outdoor cooking and grilling events were the most comfortable for him, and he chose the Fourth of July event as his ultimate favorite. His steak was well-liked, he redeemed himself with the okra, and he did a great job with his presentation. For a non-grilled recipe, he was very happy with his crazy calamari dish that had to incorporate pink lemonade and the color black as part of the improv challenge.

A really tough challenge for almost everyone was the grocery swap challenge. Jay said that he was happy with what he got (Dom's beautiful steaks) but other contestants "were dumbfounded" when they had to cook with things that other people had shopped for. It was particularly hard for Rue, who had chosen South African spices to match her point of view - and when she lost all those spices to work with, she had to shift gears. And Dom is probably still looking for those steaks.

Jay said that watching the show on TV doesn't "do justice for how challenging and how crazy it is." The contestants don't have a clue what they will be doing ahead of time. "It's not like you have two days to think about making pizza," he said. The challenges are described, and the countdown starts, just like you see it on TV.

For those who want to consider applying for the show, Jay said that most people know they need cooking skills, but many lack the necessary presentation skills. Very crucial is the internal clock that allows you to know how long 30 seconds or 1 minute or 4 minutes is, so you can pace yourself and "wrap it up and get out on time."

Considering how many of the contestants leave dead air after they're done talking, or who are mid-sentence when the camera stops rolling, that's very good advice.

Another important thing is to know your cooking point of view. Jay said he was surprised that some people had no specific point of view and just said, "I like to cook everything." The network isn't looking for that - they're looking for people with a very specific point of view - not necessarily a gimmick or recipes based on geography - but a theme that works for the person, their stories, and their recipes.

Based on what I've seen so far (just on TV, I don't get any special viewings), this year's cast definitely has cooking chops. Jay said that the judges often commented on how good this year's cast is and how good the food has been from everyone. As far as Jay's recipes, I wandered through his blog to see if he might have a gumbo hiding there. I didn't find one, but I think I'd be even more happy with the crawfish rolls he recently posted.

Jay didn't even hint at what might happen in upcoming episodes, but I know that I'm glued to the TV every Sunday until it's over. How about you?

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Will JAY be the Next Food Network Star?

Back in 2011, I was one of a group of bloggers chosen by a book publisher to promote one of Emeril Lagasse's books.

At that time, it was a really big deal for me to get chosen for something like that. And it was the first time I worked that closely with other food bloggers.

It was a lot of fun and a lot of work, but the best part of the whole experience was working with some great bloggers,

When it was over, it got even better, because some of the bloggers who participated in that book promotion decided to virtually hang around together and work on our own group posts.

That group became Virtual Potluck and Jay Ducote was one of those bloggers.

Flash forward to 2015, and Jay is still part of our group, but he's also been a very busy guy, working on a lot of other things. He launched his own barbecue sauce, which I had a chance to try recently.

It was really good on ribs. I made these very simply, with a little smoke and no other spices or flavors, so I could really taste the sauce. It was a nice mix of sweet and heat.

And he has wine as well. And I don't know what else. Like I said, he's been a very busy guy.

But this isn't about Jay's product lines. It's about Jay's participation on The Next Food Network Star.

This year's competition premieres on Sunday, June 7, and for sure I'll be watching to cheer Jay on ... virtually, of course. Yelling at my TV isn't very useful.

I have no inside information on the show, but Jay has a lot of things going for him. He's a blogger, but he has also worked at events in front of people, so that should help him when he needs to do presentations.. And he's got strong ties to Louisiana, which will probably inform his culinary point of view, which is very important to the judges.

And, since he has commercial products, he should be good at packaging and pitching a product, even if it's not the same as the ones he has now.

I think he has a pretty good chance of going far in the competition - and I'm rooting for him to win. How cool would that be?

Jay Ducote on the set of The Next Food Network Star. Photo courtesy of Jay.

How about you? Could he be YOUR next Food Network Star?

There's only one thing left to say, and it's a New Orleans thing:

Yeah, it looks weird to me too. Go, Jay!

For more about Jay, check out what other Virtual Potluck friends posted:

• Diabetic Foodie
• 30AEATS
• Cookistry
• Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine
• Miss in the Kitchen
• Thyme in Our Kitchen
• Rachel Cooks
• GrooVy Foody
• Foodie

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12 things you might not know about Nadia G ... And lots of RECIPES!!!

As a food blogger, sometimes you get ... interesting opportunities. Like a chance to chat with Nadia G host of Nadia G's Bitchn' Kitchen and Bite This with Nadia G.

Possibly the quirkiest of the cooks on the network, I was curious what strange turns the conversation might take.

We were supposed to be talking about Halloween cocktails and appetizers she created for a company called Once Upon a Vine. It's a wine company, so the drinks are wine-related. The other recipes are just fun.

But of course, I bounced her off-track a number of times to make the conversation more interesting.

Things you might not know are that:

• Both of her parents are Italian.
• She was (and still is. Ha!) an only child.
• She got her cooking-show start on YouTube in 2007.
• She prefers white wine to red.
• She once dressed as a "prom zombie" for Halloween.
• Her favorite Halloween candy is ... chocolate. Maybe that's too easy. 
• Her second favorite is what she described as a pressed-powder candy that is sweet and tart.
• She started a cooking show on Canadian TV in 2010 and started on the Cooking Channel in 2011.
• She thinks Montreal bagels are the best in the world. They're smaller and fluffier and more delicate than American bagels, she says.
• For Halloween, her mom once dressed her in a potato sack and cowboy hat, with big red dots on her cheeks - she still doesn't know what that costume was supposed to be.
• She doesn't bake a lot of yeast breads, but she does bake sweet breads. A recent one was and apple bread with home made caramel.
• This year for Halloween, she's going to dress as "dead and rotting Martha Stewart."

Yeah, that last one's going to get me some weird search traffic. For sure.

In any case, we talked about her family, and her career and her recipes. And of course I slipped in the fact that I've got a cookbook coming out next month *Pats self on back*

I stopped just short of offering her a cookbook, because that would have been weird. But now that we're besties, maybe she'll buy one.

Speaking of recipes, I've got a whole lot of her recipes, just for you. I haven't tried any of them yet, but they look pretty good. Or creepy. Or good. Whatever.

The food recipes are below, and wine cocktail recipes are available from The Wine Bar. Click on over. Glug, glug.

One wine-cocktail recipe that sounded pretty good to me was something she called The Witch's Brew. It included pear nectar, which is a little unusual, but not terribly hard to find, as well as some white wine and some thyme.

She said that when creating wine cocktails, you need to make sure the drinks are balanced and that the other flavors don't overwhelm the wine. That makes sense.

Her comment about Halloween food, though, really made me love her. She said that some Halloween food tastes as scary as it looks, with way too much food coloring and sugar. She likes food that tastes good, but still looks creepy.

The one that we talked about a bit - it fits her Italian heritage, and it sounded delicious, and it probably looks super-creepy - is her bocconcini eyeballs. It's cheese, olives, and prosciutto. That sounds tasty, right?

Nadia said that she prefers throwing Halloween parties rather than going out to bars where there are "twits in polyester costumes." Then she admitted that there could be some of those polyester-dressed twits at your own party, but at least they're your friends.

As far as her costume this year, it will involve a pastel sweater, too-high mom pants, and lots of blood and gore. That'll be perfectly appropriate when she's serving these:


Bocconcini Eyeballs with Blood Salsa
Recipe courtesy of Nadia G

For the bocconcini eyeballs:
8 large green olives stuffed with pimento
16 Bocconcini cheese balls
8 slices Prosciutto di Parma

For the blood salsa:
1 can whole San Marzano tomatoes
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red onion, minced
1 handful fresh flat parsley, finely chopped
1 handful fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
Freshly cracked pepper

Plus:
Crostini

Making the eyeballs: slice olives into 1/4-inch discs. Place an olive disc in the center of a bocconcini and trace around it with a sharp paring knife. Carve out a 1/2-inch piece of cheese from the outline and place olive slice in the hole. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around the bocconcini eyeball.

Making the salsa: pour whole can of San Marzano tomatoes into a bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, red onion, parsley, basil, Greek oregano, chili flakes, salt, sugar, and lots of freshly cracked pepper. Mix with hands.

Divide eyeballs into pairs and place on individual plates. Add a couple of tablespoons of salsa to each plate. Serve with crostini.

Note from me: There was no photo for this. I'm tempted to make it JUST for the photo. Or you make it and post it and I'll link to it. Please?


Coffin-shaped Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 
with Melted Taleggio Cheese, Caramelized Onions and Apples
Recipe courtesy of Nadia G

For the caramelized onions:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 red onions, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

For the sandwiches:
1 large loaf sourdough bread
1 McIntosh apple, sliced thinly
4 wedges Taleggio cheese
Sufficient quantity butter

Making caramelized onions: Heat a non-stick pan on medium. Add olive oil, onions, separate them, and salt. Sauté for 10 minutes, then turn down heat to medium-low and cook for another 35-40 minutes, until onions are deep amber in color.

Making the sandwich: Cut sourdough into 1/2 inch slices, then into coffin shapes. Heat a pan on medium low and melt enough butter to coat the pan. Lay down a slice of bread, a cheese wedge, caramelized onions, 3 apple slices, and top with another slice of bread. Press down and cook for 3 minutes, until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Remove grilled cheese from pan, and serve.


Milk Chocolate Chip and Maple Syrup Glazed Bacon
Witch Finger Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Nadia G

12 bacon slices, minced
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup unsalted butter, large dice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
Maldon salt, to taste
1 1/2 cup quality milk chocolate, in chip sized chunks
Raw skinless almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Note from me: You'll need witch-finger molds for these, but at this time of year, you can no doubt find them at the grocery store. Off-season, you can probably find them online.

Making the bacon: In a medium frying pan, sauté the bacon until fat has rendered and bacon is crisp. Drain the fat from the pan, and add the maple syrup. Stir to blend, and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until maple syrup becomes thick. Transfer immediately to a small bowl, and let cool.

Making the batter: With a standing or handheld mixer, blend the butter and sugars for 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg, and beat for 1 minute or until well blended. Add the vanilla, and beat for 30 seconds more. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Add the maple syrup glazed bacon, and chocolate. Stir to combine.

Place almonds into the fingernail part of witch finger molds. Scoop dough into the molds, filling them 3/4 of the way, and bake in the center of oven until golden around the edges (about 9-10 minutes). Remove from oven. Pull the cookies out while still warm and with a paring knife cut off the excess cookies around the finger to shape it. Handle carefully so cookie doesn't break.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spicy Onion Rings
Recipe courtesy of Nadia G

Canola or peanut oil
1 tablespoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn meal
3 large yellow onions, peeled, thinly sliced in rounds

In a high-sided saucepan heat the oil on medium until it reaches a temperature of 350F.

Making the batter: Combine the cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, pepper, and sea salt in a small bowl. Stir to blend.  Set aside.

Making the onion rings: Add the flour and corn meal to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine. Toss the onion rings in the flour mixture to coat.  Deep fry the onion rings in two batches until crispy, and lightly golden (3-5 minutes).  Drain on a paper towel for 1 minute, and then add the onion rings to a large bowl. Add a large pinch of the spice mixture, and toss the onion rings to evenly distribute the seasoning.

Season with salt if desired, and serve immediately.

Crispy Fried Rigatoni “Chips” stuffed Mascarpone 
with Bloody Spicy Raspberry Coulis
Recipe courtesy of Nadia G

For the rigatoni chips:
1/2 lb. rigatoni
Sufficient quantity canola oil
Sea salt

For the filling:
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon mint, chopped

For the bloody raspberry coulis: 
1 cup frozen raspberries, thawed
1 red chili pepper, halved, seeds and pith removed
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Making the rigatoni chips: Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until partially cooked (about half the cooking time recommended). Drain. Deep-fry the rigatoni in several batches in 350˚ F canola oil until crisp and golden.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Making the herbed filling: To a bowl, add the ricotta and the mascarpone and, using a rubber spatula, blend until smooth. Transfer filling to a piping bag with a small straight tip. Fill each “chip” with the filling.

Making the raspberry coulis: Puree raspberries and their juices, chili pepper and 2 tbsp brown sugar in a food processor.

Dip the rigatoni chips into the “bloody’ coulis and serve.

Thanks to Nadia G for taking the time to chat with me. I feel like we're BFFs now, so feel free to call any time, Nadia! You've got my number!

For some music for your Halloween party, Nadia recommended Once Upon a Vine's Halloween party station on Pandora.

All photos courtesy of Once Upon a Vine. Recipes courtesy of Nadia G. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

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Two Colorado Chefs - KNIFE FIGHT

Kelly Liken. Photo courtesy of Esquire Network.

Okay, peeps, I've never even heard of the show Knife Fight, but I think I'll be watching this one, just because there are two prominent Colorado chefs involved.

And bonus points that Chef Kelly Liken was on Top Chef and that I met her and talked to her about a lot of food-related stuff.

So I really, really really have to watch. Wanna join me?

The show is hosted by Ilan Hall and it's on Esquire Network, which apparently I've apparently bypassed for too long.

According my my cable network, her episode, "Live Spot Prawns" will air on Tuesday, September 23. It looks like they're pretty good about reruns, but you'll have to check your provider to see when it will be shown.

Liken, who owns Restaurant Kelly Liken in Vail, met Knife Fight's host, Ilan Hall, while filming Bravo TV “Top Chef” season 7. That's the season where she made it to the finale episode filmed in Singapore. But she didn't win.

So she's back at it. At one point in the upcoming episode of Knife Fight  (according to my secret source), she says, “….there is no prize for second place, this is all about bragging rights.” You go, girl. I'm rooting for you!

Kelly Liken. Photo courtesy of Esquire Network.

The PR folks said, "This underground cooking competition brings together some of the nation’s leading chefs including James Beard Award winners and Michelin star chefs within a raw setting where no rules apply. Pitted against fellow Colorado chef Steve Redzikowski of Boulder’s Oak at Fourteenth, Liken, described as the queen of seasonal American cuisine, brings her game, no-holds-barred."

And there's more ...

"The crowd at The Gorbals, located in Los Angeles where Knife Fight is filmed, goes wild as Liken is challenged to cook with three secret ingredients: beef heart, wild dandelion greens, and lastly Santa Barbara Spot Prawns–̶ all under one hour. Liken starts off proposing three dishes she plans to prepare, including a beef tartare that features the dandelion greens, to present to the judges including Naomi Pomeroy and Brendan Collins of Waterloo & City, along with host Ilan Hall. Liken announces a second dish that will be a Southeast Asian inspired item followed by a braised beef heart on a crispy sope. America can expect surprising twists and turns throughout the half-hour episode. This hit original series is described as an after-hours war zone and America will see who takes home the win for 'Battle Colorado.'"

Kelly's Bio:

Kelly Liken was a James Beard nominee for Best Chef Southwest in 2009, 2010, and 2011, She likes to use ingredients that are unique to the Rocky Mountain region. She works with local farmers, ranchers, and artisan purveyors, many of whom supply ingredients especially grown for the restaurant, to develop a culinary program that reflects the seasonal bounty of Colorado.

Besides appearing on Season 7 of Top Chef  (Top Chef D.C.) she has also been on Iron Chef America on Food Network and The Talk on CBS. In print, she has been featured in Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and The New York Times.

Gonna be in Vail? Restaurant Kelly Liken is located in the Gateway Building at 12 Vail Rd. at the entrance to Vail Village. It is open for dinner seven nights a week from 6 ̶ 10 p.m.

For reservations, which are strongly recommended, call 970-479-0175. Valet parking is provided.

For more info about Kelly Liken, go to www.kellyliken.com or follow Liken on Twitter.

For more about Knife Fight, go to http://esquiretv.com/KnifeFight, follow on Twitter @KnifeFightESQ, or check it out on Facebook at http://facebook.com/KnifeFightESQ.

So tell me ... are you going to watch???

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Zesty Salsa for Can-it-Forward Day

Until recently, I didn't even know Can-it-Forward day existed. But I can get behind it. I mean, it's better than some of the other crazy holidays.

You know, like Dryer Lint Day. Okay, I made that up. But it could exist, right?

So, you'll never guess what company is celebrating this canning day, big time. Wait - you already guessed? Yeah, Ball - those people who make all the canning jars and stuff.

Me, I'm getting a jump on the day. I just made a bunch of salsa using a kit that Ball sent me. It was a pretty simple kit, and geared for folks who want to make small batches of stuff.

I mean, not everyone needs dozens and dozens of jars of cherry jam, right?

But if you've never canned anything before, I have to warn you. Canning is addictive. When you sit back and look at the pretty jars full of lovely products that you canned yourself, you'll probably be thinking about what you can make next. You start with a couple innocent jars of salsa, and the next thing you know, you've got three kinds of pickles, five kinds of jam, and a whole shelf full of tomato products.

But that's a good thing. Home-canned products are a great gift. And it's wonderful to be able to grab a jar of tomatoes in the middle of winter and know that you canned them in summer when produce was at its peak.

The salsa I made was from the booklet that came with the canning kit, and it's scaled to make less than a vat of salsa. I ended up with four pints of salsa plus another half-cup or so of sample salsa that didn't get canned. That went straight to the fridge. It's already gone

This salsa can be made more or less spicy based on the peppers you choose. It's a pretty basic recipe, but it's a good place to start.

If you're wondering why one jar in the photo looks a lot more green than the others, that's because the jar is one of the special edition blue jars that Ball started selling this year. I think it looks kind of cool.

Zesty Salsa
Adapted from the Beginner's Guide to Canning & Recipe Booklet

5 cups chopped, cored, peeled tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chopped, seeded green bell peppers
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/4 cups chopped, seeded chili peppers (hot banana, hungarian, etc.)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (optional)

Get your stockpot and jars ready for action*.

Combine all the ingredients in a large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat - but keep it boiling gently - and stir frequently. You don't want it to stick and burn. Cook until the mixture thickens a bit - about 10 minutes. No one wants a watery salsa, but you don't want it completely dry.

Note: Sometimes when I want a thick sauce that's still chunky, I'll blend part of the mixture. I usually use a stick blender to blend just a little. Or put a half-cup or a cup into a blender and blend until smooth, then add this back to the salsa in the pot.

Ladle the salsa into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace*. Remove air bubbles, re-measure headspace. If needed, add more salsa to get to the right amount. Wipe the rim of the jar, center the lid on the jar, and screw the band on until it's fingertip-tight. You don't want to over-tighten, because air needs to leave the jar during the canning process.

Process the jars in a boiling water for 20 minutes (at sea level**). Remove the stockpot lid, wait 5 minutes, then remove the jars from the pot. Let them cool, then store them.

*If you're not sure about canning basics, I suggest checking out a canning book that explains all of it. Ball has a book - it's actually more of a thick magazine - with plenty of recipes along with complete instructions. I see it every year at stores that sell canning supplies. I also wrote a blog post about it here.

**If you live at higher altitude, you need to process longer. I had to let mine process for 30 minutes.

Can-it-Forward Day

So here's the scoop on Can-it-Forward Day. If you live in New York, you can experience the action, live. The rest of us get a webcast and social media stuff.

You want some salsa, don't you?

• On August 17 from 10am to 2pm (eastern), there will be a free, live webcast starring Ted Allen at FreshPreserving.com and Facebook.com/BallCanning with instructions on fresh preserving, along with crafting demonstrations. Viewers can questions and post comments in real time to be answered by canning experts. 
• The webcast will be broadcast live from the Union Square Greenmarket in Manhattan. Those in the area are welcome to come attend in person. 
• Participants can share photos, videos, questions and comments on the Ball brand home canning Facebook page, Facebook.com/BallCanning, where fresh preservers from across the country will connect on Can-It-Forward Day.
• All recipes and craft ideas from the webcast segments will be available for inspiration on the Ball brand home canning Pinterest page, Pinterest.com/BallCanning. 
• Users can also Tweet along with the hashtag #canitforward. 
• Consumers across the country are invited to host their own home canning parties on National Can-It-Forward Day to teach friends and family the joys of fresh preserving. A Getting Started guide, home canning recipes and more information is at www.FreshPreserving.com. 

So there you go. Go can some stuff.

Next for me: Pickles.

Uh oh. It's started. I better clear a shelf.

So, have you ever canned anything? Are you going to tune into the webcast?

Ball sent me a canning kit. I was not required to write a post.

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And now for a little video interlude

One of the most amusing videos I've seen on Facebook.

Enjoy!

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If your knife block and spice rack had a baby ...

... with a touch of mad scientist thrown in, you'd have the Spiceologist Block.

My friend Heather from Farmgirl Gourmet partnered with Savorx, a spice shop in her area, to create the Spiceologist Block, and now they're looking for funding on Kickstarter to pay for tooling and the first production run.

Most of my spices live in a kitchen cabinet, which is where they belong. But the Spiceologist block would be awesome for the spices that I use every darned day. And it looks cool. All retro-sciencey. I think it would be just plain FUN to pour my spices out of test tubes. I mean, really, I sort of cook like a mad scientist, so why not look like one, too?

Or wouldn't this be absolutely adorable for cake decorating supplies? Colored sugars, sprinkles, those little colored dots, edible glitter - can't you imagine that?

Or maybe for an array of salts and sugars for your bar. Or all of your favorite spices for popcorn. Or an array of chile powders, ranging from sweet paprika to ghost peppers. Or ... or ... whatever you can think of.

There's a starter block with 22 spices (or 22 empty holes or 22 empty tubes) and then you can add on with a second block that holds an additional 22 spices. I tell ya what. I've got NO space on my counter, but I want this thing just because it looks so awesome. And fun. And quirky.

But it's not for sale yet. First, it has to be funded. Then, it has to be manufactured. The estimated date you'd get your Spiceologist Block (if you fund the Kickstarter at that level) is November, 2013. Just in time for Christmas for you, or for a gift.

And if my friend Heather says that the spices from Savorx are good, then I believe her. I've already browsed the shop and there are some really interesting items I haven't seen elsewhere. And heavens knows I've got a ridiculous number of spices already. So if you can't fund at a level to get a Spiceologist Block, then maybe you need some spices.

Go, take a look. See what you think. See if it's worth funding. See if you've got $5 in your pocket to get an eBook, or a little more for some spices, or a little more to get a Spiceologist Block for yourself for Christmas. Won't it be a great conversation piece?

But don't do it for me. Do it for yourself. Because you want one of these, don't you? And do it for Heather. She's a great gal, and I'd love to see her vision become a reality. Check it out!

This is not a sponsored post.

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Contact High - It's all about the networking!

One of these days I'm going to get to a food blog conference. This is not the year. Mostly it's a financial consideration. Conference tickets, airfare, hotel.

And then there's the annoyance of travel. Might as well figure a full day at the beginning and end of the conference for travel time. And a day after to recover.

And then ... I wonder if I'm going to find something useful enough at the conference so I feel like it was worth my time and money. It's hard to know that before you go, right?

Or, maybe not. Casey Benedict, the guru behind the website Kitchen Play and the co-founder of the food blog conference Eat, Write, Retreat is offering a unique opportunity for bloggers to experience this conference without all the pesky traveling, and at your own pace. You don't have to attend all the seminars in two days, and you can use your time machine to re-watch seminars that you found particularly useful.

Or, you know, just watch the video again.

Sure, you have to pay something for it. Is it worth it?

Or in other words, is there some takeaway value? Do you learn new things that you can use? Do you have that "aha!" moment when you hear something and it just clicks?

Those are the things I hope for, but I never knew if food blog conferences delivered them. 

I previewed a video of a seminar about networking by Joy Manning called "Contact High." She laid it all on the table, including the amount of time she spends networking compared to the time she spends writing. And the time spent sending emails that no one will ever answer. It made me feel a little better about my schedule. I feel like I spend a lot of time not-writing, but Joy says that networking is a really important part of her job.

Joy Manning. Photo courtesy of EWR

She shared her first "accidental" networking success that showed her how important networking could be, and explained her current marketing strategies.

One of my favorite bits was when Joy explained that networking isn't a one-to-one exchange, and that you ought to plan on giving more than you get. And, she said, while most people see the value in networking with people who are more influential than they are, it's also good to network with - and help - people who are just starting out.

Because you never know what connections will be useful to you in the future.

Seeing this video made me wish I had gone to the conference. But it's a great idea to have videos of presentations. You can watch, re-watch, rewind, and refresh your memory about what the speakers said. Sure, you can't hand out business cards or schmooze, but you can watch all the educational components from the comfort of your own house.

And, it gives you a good idea whether you might want to attend the conference in the future.

If you're interested in buying the conference videos, they're available HERE. and through at July 31 you can get 20 percent off with the discount code EWRCookistry.

Disclosure: I will be receiving the full set of downloads a no charge.

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Resolving Issues with #SocialPower

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Social Power. All opinions are 100% mine.

Social networking has great power - but sometimes it has no teeth.

There's a new concept that might change that, and it's called Social Power. The idea is that you can post an issue that you're passionate about, and if 1000 people agree that your issue is important, Social Power will work to resolve the issue.

Here's how it works:

I think this is could be a game-changer for bloggers. I see the same issues raised in the blogging community over and over. But since it's one blogger at a time, the issues never get enough traction to get the attention of the entities who could help to solve the problems.

Most of these things aren't interesting to our readers. They aren't important to our readers. So we talk amongst ourselves - and maybe there are a lot of us talking - but we don't have the influence or the resources or the knowledge to get our problems solved. And we don't all have the same concerns at the same time.

But on Social Power, everyone doesn't need to get onboard at the same time. Those 1000 people agreeing don't have to band together. They don't need to do anything except agree that there is a problem. They don't need to write emails, send letters, or congregate in one place. They can make a difference simply by agreeing that a problem exists.

Just to see how this works, I created my own issue on Social Power about copyright violations on Facebook. Recently it's become a big issue in the food blogging community. It's not an unsolveable problem, but individual bloggers don't have a lot of influence when knocking on Facebook's door.

Perhaps Social Power is the answer. At least it's worth a try.

But it's not all about bloggers and our problems. Not at all. The issues posted so far range from local issues about public transportation, to getting certain fast-food restaurants to deliver, to addressing expired foods at grocery stores. Anyone can post an issue and try to drum up support.

Maybe you care about copyright violations on Facebook, or maybe you don't, but if you enjoy the blogs you read and you'd like to see your favorite bloggers spending productive time creating recipes, taking photos, and writing new posts instead of filing DMCA forms on Facebook, then "like" my issue and let's see if we can get this resolved.

We don't want to stop people from sharing our recipes on Facebook, we just want people to share in a way that's legal. And polite. And that benefits everyone involved.

And while you're over at Social Power, take a look at the other issues. Like the ones you support, or create your own issue. We've all got gripes. Maybe yours will be the first one that gets solved.

We all have issues. Some of us have subscriptions.

Let's give social networking some teeth, and see what can get done.

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It's almost over: #TopChef (and how to revive an inactive sourdough starter)

The Top Chef finale is coming soon - it's on Wednesday, February 27 at 10/9c - and I'm ready to make my prediction for the winner.

Drumroll, please ...

I'm predicting it will be Brooke. 

She started off feeling like an underdog, but has gained confidence and has won quickfires and challenges.. In the quickfire in the Even the Famous Come Home episode, she made an apple crostata with cheddar cheese in the crust.

I mean, really, that's something I might make. In fact, there's a good chance I will make something similar soon. Hmmmm. Maybe that's why I like her - because her cooking style fits so well with mine. When she was talking about the judge's comment about her crostata, she said, "It never really feels like a compliment when you're in a room full of chefs and you've made the 'homey' dish."

But she ended up winning the quickfire. So "homey" wasn't so bad after all.

I also like her because she didn't get involved in a lot of the drama. During the Restaurant Wars episode, when the chefs were at the Judges table there were fireworks between Kristen and Josie, but Brooke didn't get involved.

One of the judges asked, "How did the day go for you, Brooke?"

She answered, "Quickly."

Another one of her dishes that I really liked was the raised chicken from the Glacial Gourmet episode. That was another dish that I could imagine making at home. I mean, I've made braised chicken before. Many times. Recently, even.

She doesn't like boats or heights or confined spaces, but deals with them all. I get it. I don't like heights, either. I completely get it. But she didn't let that stop her. When she was in a helicopter in the Glacial Gourmet episode, you could see how scared she was at first, but then she finally opened her eyes and enjoyed the scenery.

And then later, she said how much she loved the scenery. Go, girl! And then she had a blast dogsledding. That really looked like fun. That was one of my favorite little non-cooking moments in the season.

And then she won the quickfire and got immunity in the next challenge.

The dish she made sounded pretty crazy to me = lamb-stuffed squid. The judges loved it and it was the first time I remember her stepping that far out of her usual comfort zone. Although I thought the dish was a little crazy (and I'm still not sure if I'd like it) I liked that she could have slacked off since she had immunity, but instead she went with something madly creative. Of course, it also could have gone horribly wrong, but it didn't. And she ended up winning a Toyota Prius.

Nobody's ever offered me a car for my cooking. How about you?

My favorite challenge - the one that I would have loved to cook along with - came in the Kings of Alaska episode. The chefs all made sourdough bread. I love making bread, and I love sourdough. I've got NINE different sourdough starters in my refrigerator right now. Some are relatively young, and one of them dates back to the 1800's.

But enough about me. Brooke made a sourdough that included dill. And she won the challenge..

Sourdough Tip:
How to Revive an Inactive Sourdough Starter

I've done a lot of posts about sourdough, including a step-by-step, day-by-day tutorial for getting a starter going. It uses nothing but flour and water, and although no system is foolproof, it has worked for me over and over.

BUT. Sometimes a starter doesn't get lively enough. Sometimes it bubbles but never rises up in the jar. Or sometimes you store a starter a little too long, and it it gets really, really sleepy. And it doesn't want to wake up.

Then what do you do? It's a question I get asked A LOT.

And the answer is pretty simple.

Throw out all but about a tablespoon of starter. You don't have to throw out the "discarded" starter. you can add it to a yeast dough for flavor, or add it to a quickbread for flavor, or add it to pancakes or waffles. The point is that you don't want to use it to grow your starter. You just want that one little tablespoon.

If the jar that you keep your starter in is particularly nasty-looking, you can take that tablespoon and put it in a clean jar.

Then, begin feeding the starter aggressively, doubling the amount each time, and feeding 2-3 times each day. After 2-3 days, you should have a very lively starter that's ready to use. And since you're doubling each time, you should have plenty to use.

And that's it. You should be ready to bake, just like a Top Chef.

I think my next sourdough will include dill, just like the one Brooke made. Yup, I like the way that gal cooks!

Who's your favorite? Who do you think will win?

I'll be hosting a Top Chef Twitter party on Tuesday, February 26 at 1 p.m est - that's the day before the finale. Follow me (@dbcurrie) on Twitter and you might want to follow @BravoTopChef too. Look for the hashtags #TopChef and  #winTopChefswag and join the party to win some stuff! No registration needed.

Get the party started!

Tweet this: Save the date: @dbcurrie + @BravoTopChef will be hosting a #TopChef Twitter chat on 2/26 at 1pm EST. #winTopChefswag

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, Bravo.

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Quickfire! Ginger! #TopChef (and a drink recipe!)

I had the bright idea that I could write a bunch of posts based on the Quickfire challenges on this season of Top Chef, but the past few weeks have been difficult. One week it was oysters. I've eaten oysters, but I've never shucked one. I decided to skip that week.

Another week it was about cooking with no pots or pans - just aluminum foil. I guess I could have done something with that, but I didn't have any blog-worthy ideas. Not even in jest. So I figured I'd skip that, too.

But, uh oh, last week the quickfire was about sharpening knives. No recipe there. Well, I guess I could have julienned a lot of vegetables and made a salad ...

Finally, on this past episode of Top Chef, the quickfire was about ginger. I immediately had a lot of ideas. First I thought of salad dressing. But there's no way I could win a quickfire with that. Then I thought about a cocktail, but I don't think there are cocktail ingredients in the Top Chef kitchen.

Next I was thinking about granitas and cakes and quickbreads and cookies. Sigh ... 15 minutes ... no way.

Then I thought about soup. Yeah, I could do that. A carrot-ginger soup would be good, right?

Here's what I would do:

Peel and dice some carrots, throw them in a pot with butter. Um, okay, the butter should be melting first. Do a quick little cook in the butter, then add a little water and boil the heck out of the carrots until they're tender.

Oh, wait. Ginger. I'd add a piece of ginger to the cooking carrots. Then, when the carrots were tender, I'd pull out the ginger and blend the carrot into a nice puree. A stick blender would be good. Add water to get the right consistency. Add salt.

Oh, and maybe a hint of cinnamon, but not too much.

Hmmm ... but that's not enough when everyone else is making ridiculously complicated multi-course dishes. So... let's see. Orange soup that's sort of sweet would need some green for contrast. So I think I'd blend up some watercress with some oil, then strain it and drizzle some of the green watercress oil in dots over the top of the soup.

Wait! How much time do I have? Maybe a little creme fraiche before the oil! RUN LIKE MAD TO THE PANTRY!!!

But wait! This needs some texture!

How much time do I have left??? AHHH! PANIC!!!

Maybe some thin shavings of carrots - or a small julienne - quickly pickled. That would add some crunch and a bit of acid, and it's also very cheffy to present an ingredient in both its cooked and raw states. A little haystack of the carrots on top of the soup would finish it nicely.

Needless to say, I haven't actually tried this recipe, so I have no idea if it would work. I think it would. What  do you think? What would Wolfgang Puck think (WWWPT)?

Wolfgang Puck was the judge for this episode. I love listening to him, and I'd love to cook with him. Cooking for him might be a bit intimidating, though.

So, if they did allow cocktails, this is what I'd make. It's interesting because the drink is completely clear, but it's got a lot of flavor.

Not Maryanne, But Tropical

Two small slices of ginger (smaller than a dime) peeled
1 ounce orange vodka
Cucumber soda

Skewer on of the ginger slices (Oh! Or if there's candied ginger, use that!) on a little cocktail skewer thing, or a toothpick.

Put the second piece of ginger in the bottom of a glass. A short one like you see over there on the right.

Add the orange vodka. Muddle/smash/mash the ginger to release flavor. Remove the ginger (or strain into another similar glass if you've made a mess of the ginger). Add ice. Fill the glass with cucumber soda.

Garnish with the slice of ginger or the candied ginger. Serve.

If you're watching the show, you can help keep your favorite chef in the competition. Check out the Save a Chef competition where you can vote via Twitter or by texting. Easy peasy!

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Quickfire! What would YOU make on #TopChef?

First, let me admit that I haven't been watching Top Chef since the beginning. Not my fault, though. It wasn't part of my cable package. People were talking about it, and it sounded great, but ... not for me. I felt left out of the conversations. Sad.

Then, suddenly, it was there in my TV lineup, and I was pretty excited to be one of the cool kids again. Since then, I've been watching the new seasons and catching up and watching old seasons.

So when Bravo TV contacted me about blogging about the show, I thought it would be fun. I mean, when I see the quickfires, I always think about what I'd make. Of course, I'm usually thinking in terms of what's in my kitchen rather than a fully-stocked commercial kitchen complete with sous vide machines and tanks of liquid nitrogen.

But it's still a fun sport. What would I make? Could I win?

In episode 4, chefs were faced with two beef primals during the quickfire challenge, and they had to butcher the meat and then cook a dish. Well then. That's a challenge for sure. I like cutting up chickens, but I've never had to cut up a hunk of beef like that. So if I was on that show, I'd have to make up for my butchery weakness.

I'd make ... fajitas!

Sure, it's simple, but a simple dish has fewer ingredients that I could screw up. And since I wouldn't need big pieces, it wouldn't matter if I was a little messy with the cutting. AND, I could use flank steak, skirt steak, flap meat, or any tender cut of meat. Heck, I could scavenge other people's trimmings.

To go with the meat, I'd make a nice little fresh salsa, chop some avocado - or maybe make an avocado cream. And then I'd make a couple little flatbreads.

Cookistry Quickfire Fajitas

1) Find appropriate bits of meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Under-seasoning is always a killer on these competition shows.

2) Find peppers. Bells are nice - the salsa would be hot, so there's no need for more hot peppers. Red and green would make a nice presentation, or yellow and green. Oh! And onion. Run to the pantry for an onion. Slice them all with great skill. If there are nice-looking mushrooms, that would be a good addition. I love mushrooms.

3) Run around madly for a while looking for ingredients or a proper pan.

4) Heat a cast iron frying pan, add oil. Quickly stir fry the peppers and onions (and mushrooms, if I found them).

5) Remove the vegetables from the pan, add the meat, sear quickly. The goal is a super-fast sear on all sides that would leave the center mid-rare. Seriously, in real life I would say medium rare. But all the judges say "mid-rare."

6) Worry on-camera that I might have over-cooked the meat. Does my hair look okay?

7) Pile the vegetables on the little flatbreads I made off camera. Top with the meat. Artfully add the fresh tomato salsa and the chunks of avocado that I prepared off camera.

8) Stand around nervously as my fajitas are tasted. If I cooked the meat correctly, I'd be golden. The salsa would probably be the key, because that's a huge burst of flavor. Would it be too messy to eat? Would I win? Probably not, but with a simple recipe with no major flaws, I think I'd stay out of the bottom three.

What would you make?

Oh! And one last thing! If you're watching the show, you can help keep your favorite chef in the competition. Check out the Save a Chef competition where you can vote via Twitter or by texting. Easy peasy!

And how about a little clip from Episode 6? Here ya go!

I'm required to disclose a relationship between my site and Bravo. This could include Bravo providing me w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

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MasterChef: The Inside Scoop

The MasterChef finale is coming soon, and I got a chance to participate in an interview with the two finalists, Christine Ha and Josh Marks.

Christine is notable because she's the first blind contestant on the show, but she's also an accomplished cook. In a previous interview, Gordon Ramsay said she had the palate of an angel.

One thing that I've been curious about the show was how all those amateur cooks were able to make some of the more ... precise ... recipes without any recipes in front of them.

I mean, you can cook a soup by taste, but when you're making cupcakes, you need to have a correct formula if you want them to rise and bake properly. I bake a lot, but even so, I need to look up formulas when I make most baked goods.

And I also wondered how much time the participants spent filming the show. On Top Chef, each episode takes two days to film, and they film several episodes each week so the chefs can be away from work for less time.

So how does it work on MasterChef?

I know. And now I'm going to tell you.

The cooks on MasterChef spend six days a week cooking - they get Sundays off - and they're there for 11 weeks. On the cooking days, either they're cooking on the show, or they're in cooking classes. A LOT of cooking classes. And while they don't know exactly what the challenges will be, in the classes they learn things they might use in the challenges.

Josh explained that while there might be a class on making pie crust, they weren't taught how to make a complete apple pie - it was just about making the crust. So it's not like they were taught absolutely everything they needed to know.

During down-time - Sundays and evenings - the contestants also have access to a library of cookbooks. There are enough of each title so each cook could have access to every book. That's a lot of books.

One last secret - Josh is known as the 7-foot chef, and he sure looks tall on television. But is he really 7 feet tall? Almost. 

He's actually 6'11 3/4". Close enough, I think.

The finale of MasterChef will air on Monday, September 10 on FOX. I know I'm going to watch. And I think I'll be cheering for Christine. I really like her attitude - I don't think I've ever heard her say anything negative about her fellow contestants. On the other hand, Josh is from my hometown, Chicago, so I'll also be cheering for him just a little bit, too.

Will you watch? Who do you hope will win?

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Preview Review: Time Machine Chefs on ABC

Art Smith, Chris Cosentino, Jill Davie, and Ilan Hall  

You might be asking yourself, "Do I really need to watch another cooking-contest reality show on TV?" The answer, much like that second scoop of chocolate ice cream (we'll keep that between us, m'kay?) is that it's not about need - it's about want.

If the show is good, then maybe you do want to add it to your must-watch list.

I got a chance to preview the pilot episode of Time Machine Chefs, and while it has a familiar format (three judges, four chef-testants) there are some interesting twists.

For one thing, the winner doesn't get a large sum of money or a new job. It's all for fun, and it looks like a heck of a lot of fun. I'd love to compete on this show, just because it's so ... weird.

The premise of the show is that the four competing chefs are shoved into a time machine that looks like a big blue ...

... refrigerator ...

... and they're whisked off to another place and time. And there, they compete in a cooking contest using historically somewhat-accurate tools and foodstuffs.

They're not using completely historically accurate equipment. No one's going to let these people into a museum so they can scurry off with actual ancient cooking equipment. The cookware and implements looked pretty fresh, but consistent with what was available back in the day. A cast iron pot is still a cast iron pot.

And I also imagine that the environment of those times was a bit ... grungier ... than what the chef contestants are faced with. But it's close enough for entertainment purposes.

Because this was pretty entertaining.

What's there, however, was not as interesting to me as what's missing. You might imagine they set the chefs up in an era with no electricity, but in the first leg of the competition there's also no running water, no whisks, no easy way to start a fire, and no modern clock. Yep, it's a timed contest, but the timing methods were rather ... creative. And for the first stage of the contest, pretty loud.

And the judges ate with period-accurate utensils. Or lack thereof. Loved that part.

Maybe I was so amused by all of this because I'm coincidentally reading Food in History and I'm constantly hmmmm-ing about when things were introduced and where. Not only about what things were lacking before my time, but also about what things were eaten that are no longer on the modern menu.

So seeing modern chefs dealing with a not-modern cooking situation was particularly amusing. And as a plus, I picked up a few new words that I'm going to try to work into my vocabulary. Your spit-turn dogs will come in handy whilst cooking your cockatrice. How does that sound?

While there's no huge prize for the winner of Time Machine Chefs, there is a penalty for losing. The chefs who don't make the cut are not allowed back into the time machine. Oops. I hope they don't have any library books that need to be returned.

The pilot airs on Thursday, August 16 on ABC. Check your local listings for the time. Lemme know what you think.

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A Chat with Gordon Ramsay

Yes, THAT Gordon Ramsay. I was actually on the phone with that Gordon Ramsay.

But it wasn't exactly a chat. It all started with an email that asked if I was interested in participating in a conference call with Chef Ramsay.

Moi? Really?

Well, okay, if I must. I mean, I suppose I could clear a little space in my schedule ... so I said yes and pretty soon another email gave me a time and phone number to call. Well, okay then.

I wondered who else would be involved. It wasn't long before I found out. Well, I found out some of it. Several people were chosen to ask questions, and those people were "introduced" by the moderator. Let's just say that there were big newspapers represented. BIG.

And little old me. I still have no idea why I was chosen to get in on the call, but it was pretty cool.

So what did I learn? First, Ramsay has two shows premiering this week - Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef, and that's that the conference call was about.

Ramsay sad that one of the best things about working with cooks in America is the "multicultural aspect" which for him includes both ethnic foods and the different regional foods. He never knows what to expect and he always loves it when he finds something new, which is what makes a show like MasterChef so much fun for him. He said there were over 50,000 applicants for the show and he was impressed at the level of talent and passion he found in those people. Woah, is this the kinder, gentler Gordon Ramsay?

He also likes the "unglamorous side of cooking." Hmmmmm That's kinda interesting. He said that Hell's Kitchen reminds him of his first days at his first restaurant when the air conditioning was broken, the food was taking too long coming out of the kitchen, and customers were complaining. Sounds pretty unglamorous to me.

Have you ever heard Chef Ramsay's wail when food is undercooked, "It's Raaaaaaaaaaaw!"? But which is worse, undercooked or overdone? Think about it for a second. Raw or shoe leather?

Ramsay said that undercooked food can be fixed, but if it's overcooked, it's ruined. He hates having food ruined by overcooking, but you can make someone seriously ill with undercooked chicken. And he has suffered those consequences, so he knows how bad it can be. After some thought, he decided that both were bad, and he really couldn't decide which was worse. They both frustrate him since it's his job to make sure things get done right.

What's interesting on this year's MasterChef is that one of the competitors is blind. Ramsay said that she had her ups and downs during the show, but "she cooked like an angel and she had an amazing palate." Congrats to him for seeing beyond her disability and recognizing her talents.

Oh, and if you were wondering - no, he didn't swear at anyone during the call.

So, will you be watching either show? Both? Neither? Tell me.

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Recipes for you direct from The Chew

The folks at The Chew are kicking off summer with some grilling recipes and tips from Michael Symon and they offered a few recipes for me to publish here.

Can't argue with that, huh?

I've been a big fan of Symon's for a while. He seems like such a normal guy, and his giggle makes me laugh. And his recipes make sense. These in particular are family-style recipes rather than fancy-plated dishes. I like that, too.

I haven't tried any of these (yet) but they looked pretty good, so I figured I'd publish all three and let you have some fun with them.

Michael Symon says that his wife would tell you that the best thing he makes is fried chicken. "I could beat anyone in a fried chicken contest," he said. But the barbecue pork butt is his personal favorite - the one thing he'd want if he was stranded on a desert island.

And it's hard to argue with flank steak.

Crispy Lime Cilantro Chicken Wings with Sriracha
Recipe by Michael Symon, Courtesy of The Chew on ABC

3 Lb Chicken Wings
4 Cups Duck Fat
1/2 Cup Cilantro Leaves
2 Jalapenos (thinly sliced)
Marinade:
1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
2 Limes (Juiced)
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Wing Sauce:
 1/2 Cup Sriracha
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Honey (or more if desired)
3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Lime Zest
1/2 Tsp Salt
 
Combine the kosher salt, sugar, paprika, lime juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat. Place the wings in a gallon sized bag and marinate for 1-2 hours.

Place a cast iron pan over medium high heat and add 4 c of duck fat. Using a deep fry thermometer to monitor the temperature, allow the fat to heat to 320 degrees. Preheat your oven to 350.

After the wings have marinated, spread them out on a baking tray, with any liquid remaining from the marinade, and bake for 15-20 minutes until just about cooked through. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

In the meantime, make the wing sauce by placing a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add all of the ingredients and whisk occasionally until the butter has melted then taste and season with salt, and more honey if desired. Set aside until ready to use.

When your fat is hot (360F), add the wings, deep frying until golden and crispy. Remove them onto some paper towels and season them with salt. Place them in a bowl; pour the sauce over the top, then mix to evenly coat all of the wings. Add in the cilantro leaves, tossing one more time.

Serve with your favorite accompaniments (Michael served with lime wedges and sliced jalapenos).

Michael Symon's Flank Steak with Grilled Potatoes and Arugula 
Recipe by Michael Symon, Courtesy of The Chew on ABC

1 1/2 - 2 Lb flank steak
2 Lb baby potatoes (Yukon or redskin)
6 cups arugula 1/2 shallot (thinly sliced)
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for drizzling
Salt
Pepper
For the Marinade: 
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic (crushed and roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili flake
1 small bundle fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
For the Vinaigrette: 
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

Whisk together all the marinade ingredients, and pour over flank steak. Refrigerate in a gallon bag for 6 hours or overnight.

Make the vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together. This can be made ahead of the time, refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove steak from the marinade to a towel or paper towels, and discard marinade. Pat steak dry on both sides, and allow to come to room temperature.

Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 T of salt and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and gently boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 18 minutes. Strain the potatoes and let them cool slightly. When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise and toss them with 2 T of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Heat your grill to medium high. Season the steak with freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle a little bit of olive oil on it. Place the steak on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Place the potatoes on the grill also, cut side down, and grill for about 2 minutes per side.

When the flank steak is done, place it on a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes.

As the potatoes come off the grill, remove them to a mixing bowl. Spoon some of the vinaigrette over them, and toss to combine. Add the arugula and shallot on top of the potatoes with a little more vinaigrette, salt and pepper, and toss to combine.

Slice the flank steak thinly and against the grain and serve an top or alongside the potatoes and arugula.

Michael Symon's Pulled Pork Butt BBQ with C-Town BBQ Sauce
Recipe by Michael Symon, Courtesy of The Chew on ABC

For the Butt:
1 Bone-in Pork Butt (about 5 pounds)
2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons Cracked Black Pepper
2 teaspoons Coriander (toasted and ground)
1 teaspoon Cumin (toasted and ground)
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Habanero Glaze:
1 Gallon Fresh-squeezed Orange Juice
4 oz Fresh-squeezed Lime Juice
1 Habanero (whole)
1 cup Brown Sugar
C-Town BBQ Sauce:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 cup Onion (minced)
1 tablespoon Coriander Seed
1 teaspoon Cumin Seed
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Cider Vinegar
1 cup Sherry Vinegar
1 3-oz Can Chipotle Adobo (pureed til smooth)
2 cups Ballpark Mustard
1 Garlic clove
Pinch of Salt

For the Butt: 
Combine spice ingredients and rub all over the outside of the pork. Refrigerate overnight.

To make the Glaze:
Place all habanero glaze ingredients in a non-reactive pan over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half. This will take about an hour.

Preheat oven to 225F.

Mark pork on grill. Once the pork has been grilled slightly put in oven. Cook for 6 hours, brushing with glaze every 45 minutes. Pork should reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees.

When the pork reaches proper temperature, remove it from the oven and let rest for about 30 minutes. Using two forks, shred the meat into long, thin strands and toss with C-Town BBQ Sauce. Pile the pulled pork onto soft buns and top with slaw, some sweet pickles and enjoy.

For the C-Town BBQ Sauce: 
Sweat onions and garlic over low heat for 1 minute with a pinch of salt in olive oil.

Add coriander and cumin seeds and let them bloom for additional minute. Add sugar and melt. Add vinegar and reduce over medium heat for 10 minutes by about 1/4. Remove from heat and stir in chipotle and mustard.

Yum