friday march 16th 2007
That Smoked Paprika Is Hot!
Christa Glennie Seychew
Pinch of Spice is an excellent resource for home cooks. Its glass display cases exhibit flavors from every corner of the globe. Cheri, owner and seasoning aficionado, is a veritable encyclopedia of flavors, doling out sage advice (no pun intended) to anyone interested in stretching their spice and herb vocabulary.
For incremental amounts of money, the curious and brave, the wise and experienced can purchase herbs and spices at a fraction of the prices fetched at other shops. Cheri purchases her fresh, high-quality herbs and spices in bulk, from well-respected vendors, and re-packages the delicious powders into small, air tight plastic bags. This process allows her to keep her prices at a very reasonable level, making it hard to resist the temptation to snatch up one of everything.
On my most recent visit, I found not only affordable packets of beloved classics like herbes de Provence, a blend of marjoram, lavender, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme (.5 oz., $2.75), but also items yo…
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Christa Glennie Seychew
ECC’s Chef Anthony Songin, CIA graduate and Assistant Professor of Hospitality Management/Culinary Arts, continues his comprehensive series of classes for the spring ‘07 session. The program is open to everyone, and tailored to those individuals with skills that range from novice to intermediate level. Those that don't have knife skills, or are inexperienced with certain techniques need not fear that they will be overwhelmed or left behind.
Culinary classes in our area are generally demonstrations followed by a tasting. The classes at ECC’s City Campus are completely hands-on; each student experiences every step of the process themselves. Students receive 20 minutes of seated instruction at the beginning of each 4 hour class. After that, they launch into prep and cooking under the guidance of Chef Songin, a personable and skilled teacher. Once the cooking is complete, stu…
thursday march 15th 2007
Lexi's Irish Lamb Stew
Christa Glennie Seychew
The holiday weekend is upon us, and folks are preparing for the feast that will accompany the celebration. Tables all over our fair city will be adorned with corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread and pints of good Irish beer.
Additionally, it’s perfect cooking weather- a little chilly and a lot of cozy. Best suited to this weather are recipes that sit atop the stove for hours, bubbling and steaming, filling the house with heavenly aromas.
Today the Lexington Co-op is going to help us prepare for good ol’ St. Pat’s with a recipe for classic Irish Lamb Stew.
Ingredients:
2 lb stew lamb, cut into cubes • 5 medium carrots • 12 pearl onions • 8 potatoes • 1 1/2 cups peas • 3 to 3 3/4 cups stock, lamb or beef • 1 sprig fresh thyme • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp roux (recipe follows) • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley • 1 1/2 tbsp fresh ch…
wednesday march 14th 2007
Egg Cream? U-Bet!
Christa Glennie Seychew
What is an Egg Cream? Last week I did a post on malted milkshakes. The nostalgia invoked by the term led me on a quest for a malted experience- and it was rewarding. But in consideration of soda fountain concoctions from years gone by, the egg cream must be examined.
In a casual conversation, the press room at BR had difficulty sussing out the ingredients, provenance and etymology of the aforementioned beverage. Did it contain eggs or cream? Was the version offered everywhere the same as the one offered in NYC, the Egg Cream Mecca? Was it the same thing as a Brown Cow? Could one be found in Buffalo?
A little Googling answered many of our questions. As with many iconic American food offerings, the roots of the Egg Cream are fuzzy and oft debated. Even more confusing is the lack of both eggs and cream…
tuesday march 13th 2007
Buffalo Wing Cheddar Frenchie
Sarah Rose Stone
Editor's Note: "Frenchie" is a slang term used to describe a sandwich that is coated with batter and fried.
Last week, while browsing through a fine selection of Yancey‘s Fancy cheeses, I stumbled across a wedge of what may be a Buffalo dairy lover’s dream come true: Buffalo Wing Cheddar. For a city that prides itself on the humble little wing that could, I was hard pressed to find a better snacking cheese to accompany my night on the couch cheering on the Sabres. I immediately took it home, unwrapped the quaintly packaged wedge, and proceeded to smother a few crackers with the boldly hued concoction. The cheese didn't disappoint. It has a smooth, creamy texture with flecks of fiery red pepper. I was completely taken aback by the intensity of the heat. This is definitely not a cheese for the meek of palate. Those who have the ambition to conquer the heat will find …
monday march 12th 2007
Spot On
Christa Glennie Seychew
Breakfast on the go is an issue for many folks. People seem to arrive at work earlier and earlier, making a healthy breakfast at home an unlikely event. Unfortunately, there are few places downtown where a non-McMuffin-y thing can be obtained.
That’s where Spot’s downtown location comes in. Breakfast is available for those who wish to dine in or take their meal with them. Big bowls of homemade granola (with optional yogurt) are stacked on top of the oh-so tempting dessert case. The “Mike Sandwich” isn’t a bad choice either, available on croissant, wrap or bagel, it is comprised of 2 eggs, provolone, ham and cream cheese.
On my recent visit I selected the breakfast wrap, filled with scrambled eggs, provolone, mild salsa and your choice of ham or bacon. I chose bacon (I’m not a fan of “American” ham), and my order took about 10 minutes to prepare. We all…
Christa Glennie Seychew
Do you love food? Is it the planning, shopping and preparation that thrill you? Or is it a night out with friends at a fabulous Buffalo restaurant? Do you have a penchant for sushi or steak? Do you prepare original recipes from locally produced and purchased ingredients? Or would you love to tell the world about your favorite place to grab lunch?
Let us know if you’re interested in contributing to the YUM! channel. We need foodies that are passionate about our many markets and restaurants to share the love with our readers, many of whom live out of state. Highbrow or lowbrow, BR loves good food. (If you don’t believe us, check out our spread on bologna in March’s issue of Buffalo Rising Magazine.)
If you’d like to come on board, send me an email. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you for visiting and commenting …
Emilie Riester
With a break in frigid temperatures and the days getting longer, now is the time to begin thinking spring. Why not celebrate it at an event to benefit Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center?
On March 25th Hallwalls is hosting ‘Spring Has Sprung’, an event to benefit the gallery while celebrating the spring season with food, drinks and live music. Set in Ashbury Hall at The Church, it will feature delectable hors d’oeuvres and food stations catered by LeMetro of the Walker Center. There will also be a full open bar and live music to enjoy throughout the evening. With good company to mingle with and a fantastic cause to contribute to this will surely be a great event to usher in your spring season.
Hallwalls, recently reopened at The Church, is an integral part of the arts community in Buffalo, featuring visual and media arts, music, performance and literature.
Tickets a…
sunday march 11th 2007
Bettah Buttah
Christa Glennie Seychew
Our bon vivant culture, obsessed with imported food and cooking shows, has clamored for items like European-style or imported butter, and they have received them—a thousand fold. A variety of high quality butters can now be found at most modern grocery stores in addition to gourmet markets.
So what’s a butter rookie to do? Is butterfat important? Why would you want to buy unsalted butter? What the heck is a “smoking point”? And why should you care what dairy cows eat for dinner? All of these are good questions, and I will do my best to provide you with a basic butter primer.
When it comes to gourmet butter, I think that there are only four things that really matter. The first is fat content, which is in direct relation to water content, affecting flavor, creaminess and smoking point (we’ll get to that in just a minute). The second is the simple choice one makes while …
saturday march 10th 2007
Lavender Scones & Cream
Christa Glennie Seychew
A cream tea is one of the finest things on earth. At least that’s my opinion. High tea is equally beautiful, but if you’re looking for something less extravagant, a cream tea is the way to go. Cream tea and afternoon tea is the same thing to the best of my knowledge. It is traditionally a light snack (though that term is debatable) that takes place in the afternoon around 4pm. Freshly brewed tea is served with of items like biscuits (on this side of the ocean we call them cookies), small cakes, finger sandwiches and scones with cream.
Ahh… cream. Any of you that have already read my spread on butter in March’s issue will not be surprised to hear that I have an abiding love for dairy products. The dairy component in this meal is clotted cream or Devon cream.
Clotted cream is tastier than its name might infer. Clotted cream is made by heating unpasteurized milk t…
