Get Scrappy!

By Katie Barreira

One of the cardinal sins of professional cooking is waste. A restaurant doesn’t stand a chance if it doesn’t scrimp, save and make the most of every last scrap. In these lean economic times, home cooks can take a page out of the restaurateur’s book in order to stay out of the red.

Cheese rinds are among the most expensive of scraps. At about 20 bucks a pound, chucking a few ounces of Parmigiano Reggiano is like lining your garbage with dollar bills. It may look like the dregs, but the hard exoskeleton of that cheese could be the backbone of your next meal.

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Mad for Mayo

By Sandy Hu

I was making tartar sauce the other day for a Special Fork Video Friday shoot on catfish when, rummaging through the fridge, the parsley eluded me. So I chopped up some cilantro instead.

While mixing the cilantro into mayonnaise, I realized that capers, while adding distinction to a good tartar sauce, would clash with the assertive cilantro. So I eliminated the capers and added some sriracha sauce, minced onion and finely diced sweet pickles. I liked the outcome – a Southeast Asian flavor profile that added zest to the fish.

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These Bean Burgers are Good!

By Sandy Hu

I love a juicy hamburger and until recently, the idea of a bean burger left me cold. However, recently, I came across a recipe that intrigued me so I had to try it.

I’m pretty good at anticipating the outcome of a recipe by reading the ingredients and method. This one, with its combination of flavors and textures, really appealed to me. I thought it would be delicious – and it was! It’s healthful, too.

So I’m sharing this recipe with you and if you’ve never had a bean burger before, or had one you didn’t like, give this one a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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Red Carpet Glamour Cocktail

By Andrew Hunter

The 84th Annual Academy Awards are quickly approaching, and for those of us in the food business, especially in Los Angeles, Oscar time is party time. No Oscar party would be complete without the perfect drink for a celebratory toast, or two. Each year an official cocktail is poured that best represents the trends and flavors of spirits. This year, the honor goes to our friend, mixologist Adam Seger.

Adam’s cocktail, called Red Carpet Glamour, is created with Moet & Chandon Champagne and Hum, his own botanical spirit of pot still rhum infused with fair trade hibiscus, ginger root, cardamom and kaffir lime. It’s sweeping the nation! Moet & Chandon announced Adam’s selection this way:

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Sandwich Dinners to the Rescue

By Lori Powell

Life has been so super busy these days. I mean, crazy busy to the point that I have not read a book that wasn’t food-related, nor have I had time to go to the movies.

Actually, forget about recreational activities. I barely have had time to pay my bills or keep up personal hygiene, such as getting the laundry done or taking a long bath....

Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as all that! I somehow stumble into the shower each morning and muster up a respectable-looking outfit. At least I have not noticed any snickering or laughter when I walk by. Or maybe I’m just too tired to notice. So at least I am managing for now.

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