Daily Loaf

Most of my last weekend was spent in a medical conference. 15 hours in a hotel conference room listening to pharmacy laws, regulations, zzzzzzz. You get the drift. Cuisine was not a focus; I mustered up the enregy to try the turkey sandwich offered at lunch and the stale bread left me with a jaw that felt like it had been hit by a gorilla. Not surprisingly, I forgot lunch on Sunday and walked away with a hell of an appetite. I craved some something on my grill, but what? Red meat seemed heavy and chicken had worn out its welcome, but lamb, however, was just right.

I always get my lamb at our neighborhood Whole Foods and my favorite cut for grilling are shoulder chops, however they were fresh out (2nd time in a  row, whats up with that!) so I settled for 2 racks. I also picked up an apricot brandy grill sauce made by Napa Valley BBQ Co. Don’t ask me why I got this; most of my friends know I always make up my menus and marinades last minute or on the fly. I was hungry, it seemed interesting, and it was coming home with the lamb. Necessity would force me to come up with a good rub for this lamb. Read the rest of this entry »

Spices and ingredients are weapons for your kitchen arsenal – a diverse cache prepares you for most culinary challenges, whether it be saving a dish with a skillful application or satisfying a discerning palate. 

Every now and then it’s wise for a cook to do an inventory of their arsenal and the inspection of my pantry renewed my interest in cooking at home. In the past fortnight, chicken and cardamom have piqued my curiosity.

Look at this strange creature and tell me if it looks like anything you’ve ever eaten?  Ironically enough, it’s called black chicken (or Silkie chicken) and although it may be new to some of us in the West, Silkies have been a delicacy in the East for centuries. But don’t be fooled by the white feathers – the skin, meat and bones of this small bird are all black… yes black! No genetic modification or cross breeding, Mother Nature meant for this to happen. Read the rest of this entry »