Lights, Camera…Chocolate?

September 3rd, 2010 by Howard

IMG 9432 300x200 Lights, Camera...Chocolate?

J.M. Hirsch, National Food Editor for The Associated Press, sharing Chocolate Cherry Truffles recipe from his new cookbook "High Flavor. Low Labor" with Mr. Food for an upcoming Mr. Food show

From Mr. Food VP, Howard

Taping day started as usual. The alarm went off at 5:00 am. “Holy moly,” I thought, “It can’t be morning already.” I hit the shower, walked the dog (boy, Truffles hates getting up so early), and it was off to the office. In case Mom is reading, yes…I normally eat breakfast at home, except on taping day when the whole crew chows down on our first meal together before the cameras roll.

When I got to the Mr. Food office, which is where our studio is, I was met by our sleepy production crew setting up for the busy day ahead. Yup, we were taping 14 Mr. Food segments. So I decided to put a couple extra scoops of coffee in the coffee maker.

By 8:30 we were taping our first show, a baseball brownie cake that was really whimsical. Not only were the bases on the top of the cake loaded with little plastic baseball players…the cake was loaded with sugar. That would’ve been fine if it wasn’t so early in the day. As a matter of fact, it didn’t stop anyone from tasting it…several times.

After another quick segment, it was time for us to tape a segment with a special guest. We like to do that on occasion. As the main kitchen island was being set up  for the segment, in walked J.M. Hirsch, national food editor for The Associated Press. What a nice guy J.M. is, and he really gets how America cooks. He was making a Chocolate Cherry Truffles recipe from his new cookbook “High Flavor. Low Labor” that’s coming out in early September.

As the production crew gathered on the set to go over the technical stuff, I witnessed everyone eyeing — more like drooling over — J.M.’s truffles, not to be confused with my dog Truffles who I walked what seemed like hours before. Anyway, let me tell you, I never saw our crew move through a show so quickly, since they knew they could taste these melt-in-your-mouth chocolaty delights after the segment was “in the can.”

A few takes and we had what we needed for a great show. That meant those truffles became “fair game” for our crew. Let me tell you, it didn’t even take 2 seconds before every camera operator and crew member had a thick coating of chocolate on their teeth as they savored each bite.

The bottom line? Our crew was happy and wired, Mr. Food was happy, and I know our viewers will be happy once they make this and other recipes from J.M.’s cookbook ’cause every recipe seems to be easy, practical and, as the title states, high in flavor and low in labor. Now who doesn’t want that?

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“High Flavor. Low Labor” Cookbook

September 1st, 2010 by Mr. Food

Taping with J.M. Hirsch 300x200 High Flavor. Low Labor Cookbook

On set with J.M. Hirsch, National Food Editor for The Associated Press

Wow! Once I get to the office every day, it’s non-stop. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my crazy schedule. It’s just…CRAZY!

After grabbing my morning cup o’ joe, I usually stop by our test kitchen to see how things are going, followed by a quick hello to the rest of the gang, and then I head into my office to see what’s on tap for the day. Usually I start by reviewing my calendar, to see if it’s physically possible to be in two places at the same time. I haven’t quite mastered that one yet, but if it was up to my team, they’d find a way.

Next I usually go through a pile of products, cookbooks, gizmos & gadgets that people send in for us to review. Some are quite clever and, you guessed it, occasionally some are pretty silly or useless.

One book that caught my attention recently was High Flavor. Low Labor by J.M. Hirsch.  Have you heard his name? He’s the national food editor for The Associated Press and, whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably read many of his articles in your local newspaper. The reason his book made me stand up and take notice is, as you know, I’m a big fan of any recipe that’s high in flavor and low in labor. How refreshing! A book — or, should I say, a man — after my own heart.

Sharing recipe from J.M. Hirsch of AP 300x200 High Flavor. Low Labor CookbookThe more I read High Flavor. Low Labor, the more drawn in I got. Let me tell you, this guy can really write, not to mention cook! I’m not talking fancy schmancy chef-like cooking. I’m referring to getting-dinner-on-the-table-without-a-lot-of-work kind of cooking. His trick is to use high-flavor ingredients like Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and bacon to really add a punch to every dish.

I was so impressed with J.M.’s  book that I invited him to do a show with me so I could share his no-fuss, flavor-packed style with all of you. Howard, who oversees my TV show, will share more details of J.M.’s visit in his own blog soon but, for now, let me just tell you that the recipe J.M. and I made together was dangerously delicious! (Notice there’s chocolate in this photo!) You’re gonna love it!

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Back to School, Back to Reality!

August 30th, 2010 by Jodi

Glazed Flank Steak 05 18 09 RE Back to School, Back to Reality!

Glazed Flank Steak is a tasty and easy recipe from Mr. Food for the busy back-to-school time

From Mr. Food Team Member Jodi

I don’t know about you and your family, but during the summer, things are very different around my house. We step out of the routine of the school year and take a much more relaxed attitude about meals. (Translation: I cook a lot less!)

This summer, I never knew if the kids would be home for dinner or if they were going out with friends, plus they were both away for extended periods of time. (My daughter was away on a 3-week teen tour out west, and my son spent a month in New York as an intern for a newspaper group.) While they were away, my husband and I traveled a bit, and he traveled even more for work, leaving me on my own here and there. This added up to many nights of eating out, eating take-out or just heating up a frozen dinner. It was kind of nice…for a short time.

But, now that the kids are back in school, I think we’re all ready to get back into a better food routine. I always turn to Mr. Food for new recipe ideas, and I’m never disappointed. I tried Southwestern Skewers last week, and the whole family loved them! The combination of salsa, cilantro, taco seasoning and cool sour cream made for a delicious dipping sauce for the grilled chicken.

Tonight, I’m making Glazed Flank Steak, which has an Asian-inspired marinade with teriyaki sauce, honey, OJ, sesame oil and some seasonings. I’m sure it’ll be a hit.

Please let me know if you have any other suggestions for quick back-to-school dinners.

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Meals for College Students (i.e. Cooking for 1 or 2)

August 27th, 2010 by Caryl

Pot Roast Cacciatore 04 21 09 RE Meals for College Students (i.e. Cooking for 1 or 2)

Pot Roast Cacciatore is perfect whether you're cooking for a family or cooking for one!

By MrFood.com Editor Caryl

With our daughter away at college and now living off campus for the first time, I try to keep in close touch with her about what she’s eating. I’ve heard about kids moving off campus and having such poor diets that they end up in the hospital with an iron deficiency! I sure don’t want anything like that to happen to my kid.

I just suggested that she do the “cook once, make a bunch of meals” thing with some of her grandpa’s (a.k.a. Mr. Food’s) recipes. I recommended taking advantage of a slow-cooker to make dishes like Cuban Shredded Beef, Pot Roast Cacciatore, and Slow-Cooked Chili, for starters.

She said she’ll try one this weekend that she’ll have for two nights then she’ll freeze the rest in individual portions so she’ll have it to reheat next week on a night she has too much homework or doesn’t feel like cooking. It’s a smart plan for college students as well as people who live alone, and couples, too.

There are lots more slow-cooker recipes at MrFood.com.

What are YOUR favorite ideas for cooking for 1 or 2?

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We finished “Mr. Food: Christmas Made Easy”

August 25th, 2010 by Mr. Food

Christmas 2010 Book Cover Low Res We finished Mr. Food: Christmas Made Easy

We did it! My amazing team and I just finished work on our newest cookbook, called Mr. Food: Christmas Made Easy. The subtitle really explains it: Recipes, Tips & Edible Gifts for a Stress-Free Holiday.

And that’s gonna be my gift to you this year – recipes for a stress-free holiday! We worked really hard on this book but it was worth it, ’cause we developed and tested more than 150 scrumptious, quick ’n’ easy recipes for not only Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but also for holiday parties, edible gifts, and even survival dinners for those busy days leading up to the holidays. Of course, most of these no-fuss recipes will work for you throughout the rest of the year, too!

Clams Casino Saucy Cola Meatballs Low Res We finished Mr. Food: Christmas Made Easy

Early version of the photo of Clams Casino and Saucy Cola Meatballs -- easy recipes that are great for holiday parties!

And, oh, what mouthwatering photos we took for this book. Honestly, Hal and Frank of the Hal Silverman Studio are just the best at food photography…and they take pretty good shots of me, too, especially considering what I give ’em to work with!!

Butter Pecan Fudge4 We finished Mr. Food: Christmas Made EasyButter Pecan Fudge is the perfect homemade holiday gift from the heart

We’ll be introducing this book on QVC in September, so watch MrFood.com for details on how to place your advance order. I can’t wait to bring more ho-ho-ho into your holidays this year.

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Eat, Taste and Love…It’s Part of the Job

August 23rd, 2010 by Caryl

From MrFood.com Editor Caryl

Gelato Tasting1 300x165 Eat, Taste and Love...Its Part of the Job

Gelato-tasting in the Mr. Food Test Kitchen. As they say, "It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it!"

I have to admit that tasting liver or Reuben recipes first thing in the morning isn’t the most appetizing way to start the day, but tasting gelato flavors in the middle of the afternoon…well, that’s another story!

When the test kitchen staff asks the rest of our team to come to the kitchen for another tasting, we never know what they’re going to have for us to try. When we were asked to taste gelato flavors recently, we were all ready and willing to be guinea pigs!

I’ve been a fan of gelato since way before the book and movie “Eat, Pray, Love,” though I have to admit that, when I read this book, I decided that a trip to Italy is a MUST, just so I could do what the main character did and eat gelato as many times as I want every day…because IT’S THERE!

Back here, in the “real world,” taste-testing keeps life interesting and is an important part of recipe development for the Mr. Food TV show. Plus, it helps us determine the right companies and manufacturers to work with for other Mr. Food ventures. It’s also one more perk of being part of the Mr. Food team. As for me, I vote to keep the gelato tests going!

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Culinary Highlights of My Trip to California: Part 1

August 20th, 2010 by Caryl
Caryl Roy near Big Sur Culinary Highlights of My Trip to California: Part 1

On our way to Big Sur

 

From MrFood.com Editor Caryl  

Roll me home! After all I ate on my anniversary trip to California last week, I was sure that was the only way I’d get back. You know, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the jetBlue representative had charged me for MY extra weight!  

California is so beautiful! My husband and I spent a week in the San Francisco, Napa and Carmel areas, and we so enjoyed the cool weather and hilly streets of the cities, and the picturesque, mountainous coastline. We have little cool weather and NO hills or mountains in South Florida, so it was a welcome change.  

Let’s talk about the food.…We knew San Francisco is famous for its sourdough bread so, at every chance, we enjoyed the classic Boudin sourdough bread – either fresh, toasted, as the base for a grilled sandwich, or even as a soup bowl. Of course, the city’s also known as the birthplace of Ghirardelli Chocolate, so we HAD to sample that, too, along with a Ghirardelli chocolate croissant.  

Then there was the Chinese food in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Mmm! My husband and I are pretty adventurous and willing to try the foods of the area (within reason!) when we travel, so we lucked out with recommended restaurants in Chinatown. Our favorite new dish was a hot beef rollup that included cold and crunchy raw pieces of a round Chinese squash that we’d never had before.  

When we first got to the city, we did a tea-tasting in Chinatown. There are lots of places that offer these, and they’re free! We tasted and learned the benefits of and differences between green, red and black teas. We chose a couple favorites to bring home to our girls.  

We also visited a popular fortune cookie factory in Ross Alley in Chinatown and watched regular and chocolate cookie wafers being shaped and hand-stuffed with fortunes. Yes, we took a few tastes and also brought home a few bags to share.  

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory Culinary Highlights of My Trip to California: Part 1

Have you ever seen fortune cookies being stuffed & shaped?

 

The pastries we had at Mara’s Italian Pastry Shop in San Francisco’s Italian section were unbelievable! My husband, a true chocoholic, will forever crave their homemade éclairs stuffed with real custard and topped with thick, dark chocolate. I prefer fruity, non-chocolate desserts, and I was in heaven with their fresh strawberry gelato and almond biscotti that had the perfect amount of crunch. And the coffee was outstanding there and everywhere we went in California – always mellow with no hint of bitterness.  

Maras Italian Pastry Shop Culinary Highlights of My Trip to California: Part 1

The Italian pastries, gelato and coffee are awesome at Mara's!

 

Sonoma, Carmel and Napa were next on our itinerary. I’ll write about their food next time! Meanwhile, what’s your favorite travel food experience? Please share it!

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