Cooking Matters! Formerly Operation Frontline

This weekend I had the honor of being among countless people from all over the country who have engaged in providing cooking classes and other works for Share Our Strength programs. Because on my volunteer work as a OFL chef with Operation Frontline, recently renamed Cooking Matters, I was given a scholarship to attend this year's Share Our Strength Leaders Conference in Washington DC. The conference landed on my birthday weekend Sat Oct 16 - Oct 18th and it was a perfect gift! Moreover, Alex had the opportunity to join in on the festivities!

The event was absolutely amazing! It made me proud to be among such inspiring people who have pledged to make it their focus to end childhood obesity by 2015! It was amazing to see how large Share Our Strength truly is and how instrumental the work of this non profit has proven to be. The days were long and filled with back to back seminars as a lot of information and new updates needed to be shared in this little time. I learned a great deal after hearing leaders speak of the many challenges circling obesity and hunger in America and the solutions they have already, or hope to apply, to make this fight a reality. While the cause is one that is extremely serious, the event as a whole was warm, welcoming and fun. The conference kicked-off a welcome lunch, a dinner at Hook later that night, a breakfast the next morning, a special awards dinner, an after party (too tired to attend!) and a elegant breakfast the next morning. Not to mention the ability to meet some really cool special guest also involved in Share Our Strength, like Susie Fogelson, Brooke Johnson and Danny Meyer.

In these 3 days I have learned a great deal about Share Our Strength. The conference helped me put it all in perspective and motivated me to seek other ways that I can continue to reach out to help in this worthy cause. Share Our Strength offers various ways to part take in their works. For instance, Taste of the Nation, The Great American Bake Sale, Operation Frontline (Cooking Matters), and A Tasteful Pursuit. There are plenty of ways to get involved in this wonderful mission! At the very least you too can join me in taking the No Kid Hungry pledge. I look forward to working with you on this phenomenal national mission! Thank you so much Aliyah for allowing me to be a part of this exciting and honorable opportunity!

My Article in ParentGuide

Dear Readers,

Please check out the article I wrote Change is Past Due, now in November's issue of ParentGuide!

Let's Move! Into PS 53...WITS Program starts!

As of September I began training for the WITS (Wellness in the Schools) program. As a WITS in Residence I have signed on to the task of training public school cafeteria workers on returning back to slow cooking. The project involves me staying at a school for a whole year and upon my leaving the cafeteria staff should feel comfortable continuing the newly placed menus.

I was placed at PS 53 in the Bronx with a kitchen that has no actual stove, but has a bathtub-size braiser, a steamer, and warmer. There are about 5 cafeteria women and 2 heavy men (they throw out the garbage, take care of deliveries etc) I officially started Sept 27th and so far my task has definitely proved to be challenging. As you can imagine most of the staff have been there for more than 15 years and have become accustomed to warming up lunch food that we as adults may still remember eating as a child. Classics like chicken nuggets, french fries, hamburgers and rolled up lasagna. Although some changes have been made over the years--like the availability of low fat milk or the end to chocolate or pink milk, like in my school--there is so much more that needs changing. This is not to undermine the work of the staff, trust me they work hard and a lot of them have a natural ability to cook very well. I get a taste of there true cooking skills during family meal, but the fact that a separate meal is cooked by the cafeteria staff to eat says a lot: that even they want nothing or little to do with the food they serve. Guess we can all agree things need to change!

On October 4th we launched the new WITS menu (a compromise between school food services and the WITS program). On Monday we prepared Vegetarian Chili, Tuesday, Rachel Ray's Mac & Trees (soon to be changed to Pesto Pasta!), Wednesday Turkey and Cheese Wraps, Thursday, Asian Chicken with Brown Rice & Corn and Friday, Sauteed Vegetable Pizza. At first the staff were concerned that the children wouldn't recognize these new ingredients, that lunch numbers will decrease, that the peanut butter & jelly option will increase, but I am extremely proud to say that the reverse has occurred! The children are loving the new food and I have gained their trust! The children compliment the new food items, ask for seconds, want to know what's on the menu for the next day, and as an added bonus, I receive countless hugs and high-5's for a job well done! In such little time, I already received the title as "the best chef ever!" Now how cool is that?!
Among the many things I've learned from the ups and downs that have occurred (or those that await me) I remind myself of my purpose: I am doing this for the children. That in itself makes it all worth while, fun, exciting and a blessing. I hope to continue to share my love for food with the kids at PS 53 for as long as I can, whether it be me personally or the spirit I leave behind to the cafeteria workers who will hopefully continue to prepare the same meals with the love and integrity that the children have learned to appreciate. Here's to a new year guys with real cooked food and realistic dreams for a better dining experience!

Technique to Sautéing Chicken...My 1st Youtube Video!

Dear Readers,

My good friend, got her hands behind a camera and taped a basic How To Saute video featuring me! I am very excited to have made a video and hope to get more comfortable in front of the camera so I can continue to share tips, techniques and recipes with you. Please take a look. In time they should only get better! Thanks Cheryl you rock!!!

30 Seconds Preventative Video...What To do During a Kitchen Oil Fire

Today I was forwarded this video, and I think it's extremely important to pass along. Kitchen fires can be scary, and they are definitely dangerous, but knowing what to do can make all the difference. Definitely worth watching....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNQi1NOPeOU

Setting the Mood

My most favorite thing about eating out--aside from the fact that it's a treat, that's its shared with good company and of course, the food--is the atmosphere. I want to surround myself (and my guests) in a place that feels cozy, has a good spirit and makes you want to linger. Fortunately, I experienced 3 great places (again during restaurant week) that provided me with just this elements: 21 Club, Petrossian and One If By Land, Two If By Sea.

For years my mother-in-law has been wanting to take us to 21 Club. However, I envisioned the restaurant to be stuffy and old. Something about the way the jockeys were lined up on the outside, as if they were keeping guard of the restaurant, struck me as uninviting. I am proud to say I couldn't be more wrong! The restaurant is charming. The Bar Room reminded me of a cross of Serendipity with all the hanging antiques, and the comfortness I recall from the years of dining at Oscar's. The food was delicious. I couldn't' thank Alex's mom enough for this experience and I'm sure she loved proving me wrong!

Mention Petrossian and caviar is the first word that pops up! The three of us dined here and were taken away with the octopus shaped lamps, the caviar egg studded menu and the ocean atmosphere. Quite lovely. We sat for a few hours, ate and enjoyed ourselves. P.S. we never ordered the caviar on the menu, but the marinated herring, smoked salmon and stripped bass did the trick!

Described by many as the most romantic places in NYC, One If By Land, Two If By Sea is a very beautiful indeed. While it is romantic, I don't find it to be over the top. The windows overlooking the garden, the table side rose and lite candle, the dim lightening, the live piano music that filled the air with classics life Fur Elise (requested by my husband) may seem cheesy, but trust me it was perfect, especially on our anniversary! Definitely a place that warms the heart and stomach.
My favorite? Nah, can't give you that as all 3 restaurants offer their own uniqueness of style. But, they all equally create an ambiance that is comforting and sets the mood for the food to come. Cheers!

Thank Goodness for Food Shows!

I am a food show addict, no denying it! In fact, shows like the Barefoot Contessa and Everyday Italian are what inspired me to actually get in the kitchen and cook and eventually enroll in culinary school. I may or may not have made the actual dish I saw on TV, but still it inspired me to take a few ingredients out of the fridge and pantry and get creative! After graduating I've noticed my interest in these same food shows decreased a bit, and other shows have stolen my interest. Take for instance, The Next Food Network Star, Man v. Food and The Best Thing I Ever Ate. I record these shows and during my downtime, sit and watch them with a pad and pen in hand. Over the weekend rather than eat out at the regular spots we love, Alex and I make it a mission to scope them out. Again, one of the many perks of being a chef and foodie! Over the last 2 to 3 weeks we visited Woody's in Connecticut; White House in Atlantic City, L&B Pizzeria in Brooklyn, and Veselka in NYC.

Woody's a hot dog establishment....awesome toppings like the Deputy Dog: Pulled pork and cheddar cheese. Or the Dog Father: Mozzarella Cheese, Sauce and Peppers









White House....think of Bill Cosby's fascination with hoagies! Proudly devoured a Cheese Steak Submarine and on the way home an Italian Submarine









L&B Pizzeria....sweet sauce over melted mozzarella a must try sicilian...If you must choose one, forgo the regular slice.









Veselka....talking about borscht here. Perhaps the idea of beet soup makes you cringe, but seriously this place will make you a fan...think beets in a deliciously rich beef stock!









I invite you to go visit any one, if not all of these establishments. You will form your own opinions, but you definitely will make one or two of these your favorite spots.