The NY Metro Chapter of the USPCA will be appearing on WLIW channel 21, the Long Island PBS station, answering phones as part of their regular membership pledge drive on Monday, August 15 from 8-11 PM. The programs will be “Summer in Sicily”, followed by “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. Set your TiVo to record us!
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Since my Saturday mornings have been pleasurably taken up with discovering the local Inwood Farmer’s Market, I’ve decided to make it my regular Saturday entry for the remainder of the summer!
You may remember that last week I missed out on the fabulous two-toned squash. Well, today, I made it to the market early enough to […]
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Well, the birthday barbecue was a huge success, and a lot of fun, despite the blistering heat of the grill combined with the muggy 90 degree weather. This was an unusual gig for me, as I usually am the one doing all the food preparation, or I bring along an assistant. Clients usually […]
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Hi,
I found your blog through a posting you left on Heidi’s 101Cookbooksite (of which I am completely obsessed with!), and I’ve enjoyedpoking around on yours as well. Would you be willing to share yourgazpacho recipe with me? It’s on my list of “to make dishes” whilethe weather is still warm. And I […]
Read the rest of A Reader Question about Gazpacho
I’m preparing this menu tonight for a client. He’s giving a birthday party for his sister, and wanted to have a bunch of grilled dishes. I’m so excited about it, I thought I’d share it with you, my readers:
Classic Andalusian Gazpacho
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Romesco SauceRomesco, from the Catalan region of Spain, is […]
Read the rest of A Summer Birthday Barbecue
My friend Jennifer Iannolo is a sensuous food esthete, and writes about it so beautifully. Her website, Gastronomic Meditations, is a wonderful stop to get your daily dose of sensual culinary musings (and some great Food Porn, even if you feel your food will never look so good).
“Tomato Tango
The ruby of the summer harvest […]
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I have been slow to jump on the Whole Foods bandwagon. I have always thought their prices are way too high, and I get the wierdest feeling of granola conformity while there. However, I do shop there for specific products I have a hard time finding elsewhere, or when my clients live nearby […]
Read the rest of Wow, maybe Whole Foods isn’t so bad…
I got this note today from the Personal Chef who was desperate for garbanzo bean side dishes for her picky client:
“Thanks so much, Mark. I ended up making your Chhole recipe plus the Garbanzo Salad that you sent me to on another website. Both came out great….I esp. loved the salad. I think the Chhole […]
Read the rest of Quick feedback from the Personal Chef in need
We have a pretty active message board over at the USPCA, with a great bunch of chefs who post hints and request help on a regular basis. A fellow chef asked for help coming up with a special side dish for a picky client today:
“My client called this morning to change her menu around for […]
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Yesterday I wrote about my local Farmer’s Market here in Inwood, Upper Manhattan, and made the heirloom tomato salad.
Today I used the rest of the great produce I bought there to make a more or less traditional Santa Fe style Calabacitas. This is a traditional dish in New Mexico, which the Pueblo Indians taught to […]
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I loved this slamming review of the softball non-journalism practiced by the big boys, recycling boring non-stories and pandering to their corporate daddies. Kiplog is a funny guy…http://www.kiplog.com/food/“Food blogs in the press (well not really)
Byte this! Why food blogs are a powerful tool “More and more, supermarket consumers are using blogs to share tips and […]
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For a healthy, non-genetically modified chuckle, check out this hilarious spoof of Star Wars produced by the Organic Trade Association.
As a bonafide Star Wars geek, I found this Store Wars spoof to be hilarious. Obi Wan Cannoli teaches Cuke Skywalker the ways of the Farm in his quest to save Princess Letuce […]
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I was lucky enough to be able to take a week earlier this summer to travel to Spain with my Dad, Stepmom and my little brother. It was their first trip there, and we drove all around the country. What made it amazing was that our heritage is Spanish, and we actually went to the […]
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You may have watched this show on Food TV a couple months back. Hans, the fast talking and creative man from Georgia, has been dealing with a diagnosis of stomach cancer, and writes about his treatment and the upcoming surgery he will face in Houston later this month.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/hansrue/
Keep him in your thoughts and […]
Read the rest of Food TV: America’s Next Food Network Star Candidate faces health challenge
Check out this cool link to the foodblog of Swank Caterers in North Carolina: What’s Cooking in Carolina?: Asparagus Recipes: Spring Food Fest (Asparagus: Shopping, Prepping, Cooking, Serving, Recipes)
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As you may know, I specialize in a variety of ethnic cuisines in my Personal Chef service. Whenever I travel, I like to find cookbooks detailing the local cuisines. While at home, I also like to peruse the aisles of the bookstore for good resources to deepen my understanding. Here are just a few recommendations […]
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I’m blessed that my neighborhood has, for the second year now, a Farmer’s Market on Saturdays during the summer. It’s on my street, just one block away, and is strategically situated between here and the Dog Run in Inwood Hill Park. On Saturday mornings, I walk through on my way to take Stiva (my Miniature […]
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One of the highlights of the USPCA National Conference in Atlanta was the keynote speaker of the first day luncheon, Shirley Corriher. Shirley is the author of the “everything you ever wanted to know about food and food science” tome - CookWise. Along with some hilarious anecdotes about some of her many cooking misadventures and […]
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In this oppressive summer heat, thoughts turn to chilled fruity desserts that cool the body and refresh the palate. This is a great, and easy to make alternative to ice cream. It goes over very well at a dinner party, and can be accented with whatever fruits are fresh.
Frozen Raspberry Mousse Ring with Fresh […]
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Food Safety Basics
No one wants to get sick from food. It gives us life and nourishes our body. What a disaster when food actually is the cause of illness. The best way to avoid this is to practice safe food handling and processing practices at all times. While the food is being prepared, this is […]
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Mark C. Tafoya is a personal chef in New York City. He is also a world traveler and self-taught gourmand. He is a graduate of Yale University, worked as an actor for 10 years, both On and Off Broadway, and in independent films. His love of travel and food has taken him around the world. He hopes to share his love of world cuisine with you!
