Refined Chef Food Blog RSS Feed http://refinedchef.com/rss.php en-us Thu, 23 May 2013 10:20:21 MDT The name alone is enough to get ones heart palpating.  Just picture it as I say the words.  Fried chicken...smothered in gravy...with a buttery golden cloud-like Belgium waffle.  Now breath and take a moment to compose yourself.   Chicken and waffles is my little personal heaven.  My spot is Amy Ruth's on 116 and Lenox.  If you come to visit me and have never had this dish, I am taking you to Amy Ruth's.  If I already took you, then we... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=21 February 01, 2012 It took me a few days to warm up to Iceland. I am not sure if I found myself in touristy areas, or wasn't in a good frame of mind but something seemed off.  I think part of it was a lot of local shops and restaurants were closed for the holiday.    I needed something local and authentic and found it in a roadside store.  The store had a little bit of everything. Icelandic sweaters with snowflake designs, fishing equipment, candy and a little eating area.  The man working in the pl... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=20 January 29, 2012 On a trip to Iceland I had a unique food experience.  Actually, the country offered more than one but this item requires my full attention.   I ate Hakarl which is prepared from the Greenland or Basking shark.  The meat of the fish is poisonous and in order to get the toxins out of the flesh, the shark is buried for a few months to rot.  Then the meat is cut into pieces and hung outside to dry.  I am not sure who discovered this method of preparation but it definitely creates someth... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=19 January 22, 2012 What is it about baked pasta that is so appealing?  Whether it is lasagna, stuffed shells, manicotti, baked ziti or real macaroni and cheese the mere mention of the dish causes one to salivate.   There is something about pulling a hot, bubbling dish of cheese, sauce and pasta out of the oven and to just be consumed by such a delicious sight and smell.  It takes too much restraint to not dig your fork in the middle and pop a bite in your mouth before any reasonable cooling period ha... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=18 January 15, 2012 A mini food tour is a great way to spend a few hours on a weekend afternoon.  I went on a little excursion this past weekend and had a lot of fun.   If you put together one of these events with friends try picking places no one has been before or markets where lots of items are easily accessible.   I started with the famous Zabar's on New York's Upper West Side.  For $6.95 I got the breakfast special which consisted of a bagel... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=17 January 08, 2012 The hearty rice and earthly flavors of the mushrooms work well together and are a great compliment to the chicken.    ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=16 January 01, 2012 A delicata squash sat alone on my counter. a leftover from the previous Saturday's farmers market excursion.  What to do with you Mr. Squash? I looked in my refrigerator and saw a lone Bass Ale and knew the two needed to wed. A little beer, flour, oil, squash and 15 minutes later I had a great snack!  ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=15 October 28, 2011 I really like hot sauces and spicy food.  Not the type of food that has nicely integrated spice to create a well rounded dish.  I like the burn your mouth, eyes watering, can't stop your nose from running heat.  I don't know what this says about my taste buds or personality but we can save that for another post. On any given Sunday you will see me in front of the TV watching Meet the Press with an egg sandwich, coffee and no less than three hot sauce bottles in front of me.  I think I... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=14 October 27, 2011 Who doesn't like a Caprese salad?  The key to this dish is finding the freshest ingredients available. I was at the farmers market and came across zebra tomatoes.  These are a type of heirloom tomato with a full sweet flavor. they also look really neat. I also purchased fre... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=13 October 26, 2011 Have you ever heard of a watermelon radish?  They are just coming into season and are a medium to large sized radish with a white exterior. ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=12 October 25, 2011 Pumpkin pie is my favorite pie.  I would go as far to say that it is the best pie, but the ensuing debate could ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=11 October 24, 2011 Conversations with a Chef - Joan Angelis ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=10 October 20, 2011 ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=9 April 06, 2011 ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=8 March 09, 2011 ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=7 February 25, 2011 ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=6 February 16, 2011 Thank you to Chef Ed Hardy who is our first participant for our new series, Conversations with a Chef. 1.      What was your favorite meal growing up?           Breakfast. I love eggs, buttered toast, sausage, bacon, stewed           apples.... literally everything about breakfast. 2.      When did you first start cooking and what did you make?           Big batches of stir fry. Fresh ginger was a revelation! I later           branched ... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=5 November 08, 2010 The hotter the summer the better, at least that is what I think.  A nice dry heat, 90 degree day and lounge chair in the sun.  We might not all agree that is a perfect summer day, but perhaps our food choices are similar.  What is your favorite meal to eat during the summer?  Fresh cucumber and tomato salad straight from the garden?  Dad's famous grilled burgers cooked to perfection?  How about the ideal summer drink. Sun tea with fresh mint?  Margaritas? I wi... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=4 July 28, 2010 If you attended Culinary School, we would love to hear your experiences.  Why did you attend?  How did you like it?  Where are you working now?... http://refinedchef.com/blog-recipe.php?blog_id=3 April 15, 2010