The Incredible, Indelible, Immersion Blender

   Last October I was possessed by an impish demon.  Buy 10 pumpkins and put jack-o-lanterns all over the place.  I got tired of carving after 4 and since it was a cold day, decided to make pumpkin soup out of fresh pumpkins.  The first step in the process, after yet MORE scooping out slimy seeds and gunk, was to roast the pumpkins, cut them and put the hot meat into a blender and puree it. Somewhat.  Then, after adding chicken stock, cream, bacon, onions etc and it begins to look like soup, you have to puree it some more.  But the blender could only process a little at a time because the pumpkin would get stuck on the sides.  The whole process took forever and created a huge mess.  I kept thinking 'if only I had an Immersion Blender'....  

   So I went out and bought one.  

   The brand I chose was the Cuisinart Smart Stick.  There were others- KitchenAid, Sharper Image.  But I chose the Cuisinart because I liked its bad 200-watt motor and the way it felt in my hand.  It felt solid.  Now for those of you who don't know what an immersion, or wand blender is, its simply a hand-held blender.  A motor with attachments like whisks, choppers and blades that enable you to blend sauces and drinks with a wand stuck right into the pot or beaker, as opposed to having to pour into a blender.  In the case of my pumpkin soup, it would have made matters so much easier, and the result far more efficient if I could have inserted it into the soup kettle.  And I wouldn't have had burned fingers!  

   But it does so much more.  Yes, you can use it like a mixer.  But it is also a food processor, a motorized whisk, a chopper, a grinder and something cool you can impress your friends with.  You can blend your gravies right in the pan, you can make salad dressings and reverse the blade in the processor to chop fruit and crude veggies.  The Cuisinart comes with a beaker that you can use to create smoothies and whip cream.  

   One of my favorites is Guacamole!  Who doesn't like a terrific Guacamole on a hot summer day with a dipped chip in one hand and a Corona in the other?  I have created, in my opinion, agruably the best Guacamole in the history of mankind.  Here is my recipe:

   2 cloves garlic

   2 limes

   2 large jalapenos

   2 medium avacados

   lime juice

   1/2 cup fresh cilantro

   1/2 teaspoon sea salt

   Attach the processor section to the wand.  Cut peppers in half and seed and core them.  Cut them into 1/4" chunks.  Smash the garlic cloves.  Place the garlic, peppers and the cilantro into the bowl and pulse to chop them up.  Cut the avocados in half, remove the seed and scoop the meat into the bowl.  Add the juice of both limes, one capful of lime juice and the salt.  Pulse until a slight puree is reached.  Stop and scrap the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.  Pulse again until the desired consistency is reached.  Spoon into a serving bowl.  

   Get some chips- I like Tostito Scoops- pop the top off your favorite beer and prepare to enter heaven!  Serves 2.  Enjoy!  If you like this, share it with your friends on facebook and hit the 'like' button at the top of the post!

The Perfect Martini

    Now days there are as many Martinis as there are Magaritas.  When back in the day when men were men, women were women and life was much simpler, there were only one of each.  Variety confuses the mind, makes one hesitate and generally complicates matters.  But in this day and age, variety is the coin of the realm, and is considered a virtue.  In the realm of Martinis, to me there are only 4 varieties-stirred or shaken, Gin or Vodka.  

   Now I personally like a Vodka Martini however, it only exceeds Gin by a micro-chip.  See, I can get with the times!  If I do use Gin, I prefer Bombay Sapphire.  And that is only because I had a perfect Bombay Martini at a piano bar in New York City while Bobby Short was singing a Cole Porter song AND because Richard Marcinko, founder of Seal Team 6 and the original Rogue Warrior, drank ONLY Bombay.  And what man doesn't want to emulate Marcinko?  The reason I like Vodka a bit more is because I can drink 2 instead of 1 and thereby double my enjoyment!  

   The perfect Martini is very simple and elegant.  Here's how I do it. 

   Before you begin you must make a few small preparations.  Cut a lemon in half and then cut 2 portions of the lemon skin off.  One for a garnish and the other, about 2" long and an inch wide, as a twist to squeeze lemon oil and infuse the top of your drink.  Spear 2 large Martini olives.

   Then I put my glass into the freezer until it frosts over.  While its getting its chill on, I fill a shaker with ice CUBES.  You want cubes instead of shavings because you don't want too much ice to melt into your drink.  Yes, I also like them shaken.  Pour 2 jiggers of your chosen poison into the stainless steel shaker and shake vigorously for a moment to shock the Vodka and then stir in a rotating motion gently until a frost forms on the outside of the shaker.  At this time your hand will begin to get very cold.  You know you're getting close.  Let it sit for a moment while you remove the Martini glass from the freezer and pour about 1/4 capful of dry Vermouth into it, the idea being to use the Vermouth VERY sparingly.  Now pour in a steady motion the Vodka into the glass.  When that is done, grasp the large lemon skin and squeeze or twist it over the drink so the oil jumps out and onto the Martini. Place the speared olives in, add the garnish, and VOILA!  The perfect Martini.  

   Some like them pink, some like them Cadillac, some like them dirty.  I like mine clean and deadly. When I drink a Martini, I like to think back to the 30's and 40's, with Humphrey Bogart standing against a bar in Casablanca with a Martini in one hand and a cigarette in the other.  A beautiful blond walking his way. Or perhaps Shanghai when it was classic and not 'Disneyland Shanghai'.  There is a sense of beauty and a feeling of danger, romance and elegance in a simple Martini that harkens back to a time when music moved the heart and not the feet. And when black was black, white was white and evil and goodness were easily defined.  

   A true romantic and a true Urban man or woman understands the beauty of a classic Martini and despite the fact that pop culture has tried to co-opt it, nevertheless, it stands alone, one foot firmly planted in another time.   If you enjoyed this article hit the 'like' button at the top!   

The French Press

   There is nothing on a weekend morning better than a hot, steaming cup of coffee!  Actually, for me, its every morning but on the weekend, I make it extra special by employing the French Press.  Well, what is a French Press?  Is it like French Roast?  Or is it some sort of torture device used in the French Revolution?  The newspaper, Le Monde?  None of the above.  It is a very ingenious device to make coffee invented in France in the late 19th century.  Its known by various names all over the world.  In Italy the press is known as a "Feurn de Leur", which is a French name.  Go figure, everybody knocks everybody off.  And with good reason in this case.  In my opinion, and I suppose the opinions of the finest hotels and restaurants in the finest cities of the world, the French Press is the best way to brew a perfect cup of coffee.

   First, a tiny bit of history.  Uhhh!  Its ok, bear with me, I'll make it painless.  The first presses probably slapped together in France was simple metal mesh or cheesecloth fitted onto a rod and plunged into a container of boiling water with coffee beans inside.  The coffee press was patented by Milanese designer Attilio Calimani in 1929.   It underwent several modifications by a Faliero Bondanini, who patented his own version in 1958 and began manufacturing it in a French clarinet factory called Martin S.A.  What clarinets have to do with coffee, I don't know, but the internet was invented by the military, so one doesn't question creative evolution.  Back to the press.  The Danish, who love all things French, grabbed the idea and Bodum, a Danish company, became the main producer of the French Press.   The simplicity and elegant beauty of the device has made it very popular.

   Now unlike an expresso maker or the old standby, Mr Coffee, the press uses a bit more coarse grind because a finer grind will seep through the mesh and mess up your morning.  However, I do use a finer grind then is recomended and I've had no problems.  Interestingly, the press probably has more in common with 'cowboy coffee' than anything else because the coffee is in direct contact with the water as opposed to having water wash over it in a paper filter etc.  Because of this, the coffee is allowed to release more of its essential oils and you can also control the strenth by how much you use.  

   Now to the water temp.  The best way to do this is to bring a pot of water to the boil.  When it reaches a full boil, turn off the heat and allow it to stop bubbling.  Then pour it in.  At which time you give it a stir with a wooden spoon, put the plunger on and wait about 4 minutes.  I like to use 2 heaping scoops of coffee, gives a nice dark cup.  After the excruciating wait, you plunge the plunger down and there it is.  Morning Joe.  Or as Napoleon might say, morning Josephine.  At any rate, try it, if you love coffee, you'll love the French Press.  And it looks cool.  You can find it at stores like Bed, Bath, and Beyond, or directly from Bodum,  http://www.bodumusa.com/shop/home.asp

Lamb Chops Scottadito

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   Italy brings to mind so many incredible images.  Towering Italian Cypress trees bordering a Tuscan vinyard, wine being drank at an outdoor cafe in the Piazza, Roman ruins crumbling in a nobel decadence, recalling a glorious past.  And there is something mystical and truely golden about the sunlight in Italy.  The way it falls.  The way it lights.  The special quality of Italian sunlight that has inspired artists for two thousand years.

   But when I think of Italy, I think of two things: romance and food.  And don't the two just go together?There is nothing so bold as an Italian man and nothing so lucious as an Italian woman, and NOTHING beats Italian food.

   Most people when asked what Italian food brings to mind will say some form of pasta, or pizza or spaghetti and meatballs.  It might surprise some to know that a lot of Italian food is roast meats. Especially Northern Italy.  And VERY few would ever mention lamb, although braised lamb shanks Italian style is for sure to die for!  But it exists nevertheless.  This recipe is SO good.  You'll love it.  Here's what you'll need:

4 lamb chops cut from the rack

Olive oil for dredging and cooking

1 half lemon

parchment paper

   After you have seared your pounded chops as per the video, serve them immediately, sizzling hot and squeeze fresh lemon juice on them before enjoying a meal of your dreams!  Why didn't I show the lemon in the video you may ask??  Because I forgot until after I turned off the camera!  Hey, I'm not Scorsese! You can serve this with cooked spinach or as I did with steamed green beans.  I also baked a sweet potato which I served with melted butter and nutmeg.  What is 'poor man's bearnaise sauce'?  Well, if you have an immersion blender simply put some fresh tarragon (I picked mine from my herb garden) and 1 clove of garlic in the processor section, blend, and then add about 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise. Blend until mixed.  Not quite the same, but good nevertheless.  You can pair this with a Pinot Noir or a Merlot.      

Roast red pepper and Italian sausage-Salsiccia e Peperoni

.This is a traditional Italian dish from Southern Italy.   I love it over polenta but you can serve it over pasta, in a sandwich, Philly style, or by itself with a vegetable. You'll need:

4  Italian sausages

extra virgin olive oil

1 red onion

1 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 clove garlic

fresh or dry oregano

1 red or yellow bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon dry hot pepper flakes 

   Refer to the video and make yourself a delicious Italian dinner to have on a cold city night!  Try to find the highest, freshest quality sausage, it really makes a difference.  I buy mine at an Italian deli and its worth the trouble.  I drank a Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot.  Really a good wine and a great value.  Recipe serves 2.