Shop Wasserstrom for Kitchen Goods

When we need a kitchen tool, the first place we stop is right in the neighborhood at Wasserstrom Restaurant Supply. You can see it from I-71 between Hudson and Weber Road exits, but few home cooks know the restaurant equipment store is open to the public. In fact, individuals are quite welcome for the warehouse shopping experience. The large show room at Wasserstrom has few frills beyond the free popcorn at the door. The sales staff is friendly and always accommodating to questions.

Wasserstrom carries nearly everything a standard restaurant could need and in turn nearly everything a home cook could want.  Our kitchen is filled with Wasserstrom purchases: commercial grade hand blender, cylinder sausage stuffer, chinoise, stainless steel work tables, glassware, flour storage bins, and plastic squeeze bottles.  There are home cook recognizable name brands represented at Wasserstrom but everything is of the highest functional quality.

There is a clearance section in the back corner that is not to be missed.  Everything from single glassware pieces to beverage coolers are available with discount prices.

Next time you're in Columbus and in need of a pot or cooking thermometer or parchment paper or walk-in cooler, check out Wasserstrom.

Real Mom Nutrition Weighs In On Fat

I am delighted to publish this guest post from Sally Kuzemchak, the registered dietitian behind Real Mom Nutrition. When she asked if I had anything specific in mind, I pounced with my standard question to nutritionists: 'What do you think about fat?' what follows is her reasoned and helpful response. An occupational hazard of being a dietitian is that people love to tell us we’re wrong. Anytime a research finding flies in the face of conventional nutrition wisdom—Beer is good for you! You can eat Twinkies all day and still lose weight!—we’re on the receiving end of a certain amount of “gotcha!”

And a report last year seemed to do just that: After analyzing 21 studies involving nearly 350,000 people, researchers concluded there was no proof that saturated fat raises the risk for heart disease or stroke.

So everything we’ve been telling people—buy low-fat milk, eat leaner cuts of meat, lay off the butter—is way off base? And the Wise Traditions folks (and even the Atkins dieters) are right on target? Well, at last year’s national meeting of the American Dietetic Association, even a panel of heavy hitters from Tufts University and Harvard Medical School couldn’t reach a conclusion.

But I can tell you this much: Most people’s fat intake isn’t coming from a grass-fed steak with a side of kale. It’s coming from McDonald’s cheeseburgers and DQ Blizzards and Olive Garden Alfredo sauce. And this highly processed diet also happens to be crammed full of sodium, nutrient-poor white flour, added sugar, food dyes, and preservatives. So could a higher-fat diet without all this extra junk be good you? Maybe, but I’m not ready to start drinking tall glasses of full-fat raw milk just yet.

While the research is still evolving—and the major players in the field are still fighting it out—here’s what I’ve settled on for myself and my family when it comes to fat:

*I buy local, organic eggs and wouldn’t dream of throwing the yolks down the drain to save fat grams (the yolk contains nutrients you won’t find in the white).

*I cook beef every week, from a share we bought of a grass-fed cow.

*I buy full-fat cheese because it tastes better. I bake with real butter.

*I buy conventional, skim milk because I like the taste (and because frankly, I’m not ready to make the financial leap to organic yet since we drink three gallons a week). If I did buy organic, I’d choose one or two-percent since it contains omega-3 fatty acids.

*I use liberal amounts of olive oil in cooking and eat nuts or nut butter every day.

*I limit processed meats. I love wonderful, delicious bacon as much as the next person, but it doesn’t have much nutritional value—and the American Institute for Cancer Research says any amount of processed meat raises cancer risk—so it’s an occasional splurge around here.

*I’m trying to cook more meatless meals. I’m convinced that eating a plant-based diet is important for health and the planet. Plus, it’s more economical. And my Paleo Diet-following friends will have to pry the (whole wheat) pasta out of my cold, dead hands.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

Pi Day 2011

It's Pi Day 2011! Get it? 3.14 aka 3/14 aka March 14? Celebrate the transcendental constant π with Hounds in the Kitchen by including your favorite post about pi or pie in the Linky below. Feel free to link to a recipe, homeschool lesson on circles, or geometry related story. It's fine if the post is an older one - we want to read what you think about 3.14159265359...

I want to share how I decorated a very special pie exactly one month ago, on Valentine's Day.

This sour cherry pie was already going to be memorable because Lil, Alex, and I picked the cherries in July from a friend's neighbor's tree. Alex and I hand-pitted the cherries, froze them on sheet trays, sealed with the vacuum sealer and tucked them away in the deep freeze.

Fruits of such provenance, those we had patiently avoided until February 14, demanded an extraordinary preparation.

The cherries were mixed with sugar, flour and nutmeg and a bottom crust rolled out. Then, Lil and I cut dozens of hearts out of the top crust, reserving the cutouts. This process tested every bit of Lil's patience and mine, as she wanted to eat the raw dough and I wanted to crust to be beautiful. There's no re-rolling a crust in this house so we had but a single chance.

The Valentine's day treat was assembled including placing the heart cutouts around the outer edge. Our heart pie cooked, bubbling sweetened juices all over the oven.

Fully baked, it was a lovely centerpiece for our family afternoon tea. It tasted tangy and sweet, with the refreshing flavor of summer in the midst of winter.

What's your Pi Day story?

PS. Pi Day is an annual tradition on our homestead. Read about Pi Day 2010.

Friday Five: Inspirations and a Video

Here are five cooking thoughts trolling through my taste buds: 1) Lil ate root vegetables! - I agreed to make a video featuring Newman's Own ingredients in exchange for a video camera and some of their products. I do honestly purchase Newman's Own products and genuinely like the brand, so this was an easy video to kick out. What surprised me was that my co-star, picky daughter Lil, actually ate the sweet potatoes and beets in the recipe I prepared! She hasn't willingly eaten either ingredient in years! Watch our goofy video if you want and I'll share the recipe Tuesday for what I made.

2) Brined green peppercorns - This ingredient was used by Del Sroufe at his recent Hills Market cooking class. I was fascinated as I've never heard of or tasted Brined Green Peppercorns. They packed a big flavor punch into the pasta dish he made. I want to make them myself (of course) and figure it can't be that hard with only four ingredients listed on the bottle: vinegar, water, salt and peppercorns.

3) Smoked fried chicken - I am reading Ideas in Food: Great Recipes and Why They Work, a cook book for true food nerds. It details the scientific reasons behind the way food behaves. I have been obsessed with the idea of their cold-smoked then fried chicken even though I don't have a cold-smoker.

4) Alpaca - I was browsing Dine Originals Restaurant Week menus online. There are so many great ones but I was truly surprised by the Ohio alpaca terrine offered by The Refectory Restaurant and Bistro. What I know of the alpaca industry is that the animals are most often raised for fiber. I'm curious where the chef is finding meat alpacas and what in the world they taste like.

5) Cooking to make an emotional experience - Yesterday, I listened to Fresh Air featuring Alinea chef Grant Achatz. He described that in designing his highly creative meals, he aims to affect a person emotionally. I've never deliberately tried to affect others' feelings with my cooking, but I certainly do address my own emotions in what I cook.

Cooking Classes, Spring Break Camps, and Food Events

Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. -Hans Christian Anderson The little bit of sunshine I enjoyed yesterday has me dreaming of warmer days coming. I would love to spend some of the early spring with you at a cooking class or local food event.

Classes taught by Rachel at Franklin Park Conservatory

Greens (ages 3-5) Winter greens are so sweet and tasty that even veggie-averse kids will be tempted to taste the green monster smoothie, kale chips, and pesto we cook up in this vitamin rich class. Thursday, March 10, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. $15 Members; $20 Non-Members

Charcuterie Charcuterie is the act of curing meat by salt, smoke, or dehydration.  Home cooks will learn how to apply these concepts to their cooking to delicious effect.  Participants will enjoy a light meal featuring cured meat and stuff sausage to take home.  Tuesday March 15, 6:30 - 8 p.m. $30 Members; $35 Non-members

Growing Young Chefs from the Ground Up! (For children entering grades 1 - 6) Spend Spring Break cooking and eating at Franklin Park!  We will discover all the different parts of plants that we eat, from roots in the ground to fruit hanging from branches.  Young chefs will help set the menu and cook tasty snacks and lunches, visiting bees and edible gardens along the way. Register by March 4. Monday - Friday, March 21 - 25, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday - Friday, March 28 - April 1, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. $180 Members; $190 Non-members

Seeds to Grow and Eat! Seeds, the starting germ of a plant, can be eaten, sown, or sprouted.  We will explore all three options in this family workshop.  We will cook three snacks from seeds and create an indoor herb garden to take home. Sunday March 27, 2 - 3:30 p.m. $20 Members; $25 Non-members (price includes one child and one adult)

Condiments Condiments can be made at home as easily as opening a jar from the store. Participants will practice making mayonnaise, aioli, ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce. After creating the toppings, we will taste them on sandwiches. Sunday April 3, 4 - 5:30 p.m. $30 Members; $35 Non-members

Butterflies Did you know that all it takes to make butter is to shake up some cream? We’ll make butter from local Snowville cream and use the buttermilk to whip up whole grain pancakes with seasonal fruit. Thursday April 14, 11 a.m. -12 p.m. $15 Members; $20 Non-members (price includes one child and one adult)

Local Food Events

Maple Sugaring - 'Tis the season for making maple syrup. Instead of repeating her work, I direct you to the concise list of sugaring events at local parks on CbusMom.com.

Dine Originals Restaurant Week - March 7-13 Visit an independent Dine Originals restaurant during restaurant week for creative prix fixe meals at a steal of a price. Check out menus on the Dine Originals website.

Ohio Market Day at Hills Market - Saturday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This free community event showcases the wares of thirty food purveyors and organizations from around Ohio. Each of our Ohio vendors will demo their wares. We'll be hosting several workshops featuring recipes and accompanying samples. As always, Boar's Head will be giving away free hot dogs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and we will raffle off more than 100 prizes and giveaways.

Central Ohio Food Forum at Wild Goose Creative - Monday, March 21st from 6:30-8pm Join Edible Columbus, Local Matters, and Wayward Seed Farm for a series of open and honest conversations about our food system. With topics ranging from production to distribution, community gardens to backyard chickens, and everything in between, we invite you to join us. Bring your ideas, questions and thoughts, your neighbors, friends and family.

Edible Books Contest at Northwest Library - March 31 from 6 - 8:30 pm View the tomes turned to treats by professionals and amatuers or enter one of your own! Registration starts at 6 with viewing by the public from 7-8:30.

Zen Retreat and Cooking classes with Edward Espe Brown at First UU Columbus and Franklin Park Conservatory - April 1-3 Zen Columbus Sangha announces a weekend with Zen Buddhist priest, author, and chef, Edward Espe Brown. Detailed information, including schedule and registration, is available here: http://www.zencolumbus.com/EEBannouncement2011.pdf

PS. It's March 2, the birthday of my sister Sarah, uncle Mike and Dr. Seuss!

A Handmade Valentine's Day

Shut in by ice and snow and illness, Lil and I spent a lot of time crafting for Valentine's Day last week.

Plump hearts spelling LOVE adorn our (faux) stained glass window.

Friends and family are receiving heart felt personalized cards from Lillian.

Lillian painted ceramic mugs for Alex and I at Grandview Clay Cafe.

I sewed a hand embroidered conversation heart pillow for my girl. I think I am now experienced enough to tackle sewing my name onto my Made by AmyD apron.

We're celebrating as a family with afternoon tea including a sour cherry pie made with fruits we picked this summer and froze for just this occasion.

Did you make anything for Valentine's Day?

We Killed and Ate a Backyard Chicken Today

Some may find pictures in this post graphic. Sometimes you have one idea in mind and the day takes a totally different direction. Today was such a day.

A fellow chicken-keeping family called around 10 in the morning and said this was the day they wanted to kill one of their hens. Speckles, a Speckled Sussex like our Sussey, wasn't laying eggs and wasn't following the flock. They invited us to participate. After a quick read of the Hip Chick Digs method for slaughtering a backyard bird, we headed out for our first chicken kill.

Alex held Speckles and we all said goodbye to her. Hanging her upside down by the feet and covering her eyes, Alex yanked the neck to break it. She was dead in less than five seconds.

Our friend cut the head off and Alex held the bird as about a quarter cup of blood drained away. The chicken's body seized and wings flapped, natural post mortem movements.

A large pot of sub-boiling (140 degree) water was brought outside and Alex dunked the body in for twelve seconds to loosen the feathers. A stench not unlike singed hair filled the air.

We carried the body inside and everyone went to work removing feathers. This job was less tedious than we expected, though many hands contributed. Many feathers were saved for the kids to explore and craft with.

Alex started the butchering by removed the neck bones. Then, he carefully cut a 'Y' shape on the lower abdomen, cut between the cloacha (anus) and tail and pulled out the entrails. We were all fascinated with the chicken anatomy.

The two children were interested in all the body parts so while two adults rinsed and chilled the bird, others dissected the heart, observed the intestines, cleaned the liver, and cut open the stomach. Later Alex found the crop, the stone filled sack chickens use to partially digest their food.

Already we would sense that this bird would be different than any we had tasted. Under the skin and around the organs were huge masses of yellow fat. The leg muscles (drumsticks in culinary terminology) were small in comparison to the body size.

Once fully cleaned, our friends invited us to share a lunch of roasted Speckles with them. Alex trussed the bird with skewers and we surrounded her with onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes, all covered with salt and lemon pepper.

The bird cooked quickly. The flesh was chewier than a broiler bird but very mildly flavored. We did not consume the copious fat, leaving most on the carcass to roast with the bones and make stock.

For some reason, the kids attached to the feet. Each wanted one to preserve for 'making into a tree for the train set' and 'making into a halloween decoration'. We are salt curing ours to draw out moisture and then we'll dry it. Even these oft-discarded parts are finding uses.

Like when we slaughtered the pig, I feel like this was an honest end to this chicken. We killed her humanely. Her flesh fed six for lunch and will provide at least one if not two meals for our three friends. Dissecting her body provided an anatomy education for all of us. The children experienced empathy towards animals, one of many lessons to be learned by witnessing an animal slaughter. Once again I conclude that to know a meal from backyard to plate is immensely satisfying.

Friday Five: Loving Home

It has been one strange week here. On Sunday I was awash with disappointment as the chance to travel to California with Alex slipped from our hands. On Monday, I made no plans. Good thing, because the next three days were spent nursing an ill Lillian and surviving the ice storm. She tested positive for strep and has a viral cough on top of that. Today she is still home from play dates and school recovering with a low fever and icky cough.

Amazingly, I am not stir crazy. Instead, this week gave me five new reasons to appreciate my simple life and home:

1) Chickens: Our girls and their need for care in the winter motivated me to step outside the house each day, something I admit I might not have done otherwise. I slip-slided my way to their coop to refill water and give treats at least twice a day, absorbing sunlight and breathing fresh air as I went.

2) Real Chores: To keep the fire going, I moved wood in the house. I washed dishes, did laundry, and cooked real food. Though they may seem like simple tasks, when addressed mindfully, keeping house was rewarding for me.

3) Food stores: We have a lot of food in this house. Dozens of jars of home canned fruits and vegetables sit in the basement alongside pounds of flour and a freezer full of meat. Though icy branches creaked and breakers burst, I knew we could stay inside and eat well for many days, probably even weeks.

4) Warmth: In the afternoon each day this week I started a fire in our wood stove. It wasn't easy because our most recent delivery of wood is entirely big pieces and the ice prevents me from splitting it. But I did get fires going, leaving me confident that even if the electric power failed in the ice storm I could keep Lil and I warm.

5) Support: Friends and family overwhelmed me with offers of assistance this week. There were phone calls, facebook and twitter conversations, and food delivered. I am so grateful for the virtual and in person encouragement.

Alex was the only thing missing this week and he returns this evening to complete our loving home.

PS. Are you on the Hounds in the Kitchen newsletter list? There's a simple sign up form to the right. I'm making a big announcement there next week!