Don Genova's Blog

All You Can Eat - Crab Expedition, vol. 53 (and a contest!)

This edition of All You Can Eat features my crabbing expedition on Salt Spring Island. To listen click here. At the beginning of the show I talked about the listeria outbreak we're living (and dying) through right now across Canada.  For more info check this link at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website. (if you're looking for the contest, it's at the bottom of this post.)

I was invited by the folks at the Hastings House luxury inn to take part in a crabbing excursion, one of the many services they offer to their guests.  We were going out to hunt the elusive Dungeness crab, which isn’t really that elusive, and fairly easy to catch in a well-maintained and baited trap.

In the photo you can see Gary LeMarchant, who has been crabbing the waters around Salt Spring for 30 years.  Gary takes some time out from his regular day to escort Hastings House guests out on one of his crab boats, where they capture a trap with a hook, winch it up on the boat, and sort the crabs according to sex, (the females go back) and size.  The males have to reach a certain body width before they are keepers.

Here you can see News 1130's Claudia Kwan getting ready to measure a crab.  It's measured from side to side of the carapace, or main shell.  Dungeness Crab is one of the seafoods you will find on most 'safe to eat' lists put out by those who watch seafood consumption around the world.  The catch is sustainable and as long as you don't eat the liver or pancreas of the crab, you won't accumulate any toxins from eating its delectable flesh.

When it came to be my turn to haul up the crab trap and take out the crabs, I did quite well.  I mean, I’ve handled lots of live crabs over the years.  But somehow, one ornery critter did manage to reach back with a claw and give me a nasty pinch right through the rubber gloves I was wearing…and it hurt like hell for a few minutes.  But I got even.  I ate him…probably in one of the crab cakes Hastings House executive chef Marcel Kauer showed us how to make later that afternoon in his kitchen.

Here is Marcel's recipe:
Marcel’s Crab Cakes

2 c crab meat coarsely chopped
¾ c fine dry bread crumbs
1 tsp dry mustard
1 T reduced fat mayo
1/3 c egg white
liberal sprinkle of seasoning salt
2 tsp finely chopped onions

Optional: finely chopped parsley or chives
finely chopped jalapeno 
finely chopped sweet red bell pepper
Additional fine dry breadcrumbs for forming cakes

Preheat broiler. Mix first 7 and any optional ingredients together lightly; form into 2 ½ inch cakes with hands; drop onto pile of fine dry breadcrumbs and turn over. Fry in small amount of butter and olive oil (equal parts) on one side only in flameproof skillet. When lightly browned on the bottom only, place under broiler to brown top side and set cake. Serve immediately on warmed plates with lemon, Tabasco, etc.   Yields 4 cakes (2main course servings or 4 hors d’oeuvres servings)


And now the contest! The prize is a magazine subscription to La Cucina Italiana.  This magazine has been around since 1929, with Italian and North American editions, is beautifully written and photographed, with lots of great recipes offered with every issue. It comes out every other month and I’m just about to start cooking from the Summer Special Issue, which is loaded with lots of grilling recipes, tomato recipes and the way to make perfect gelato.
Of course you have to work for your prize.  We are just about hitting the peak of the tomato season, at least for people who have had a good summer…and tomato means Italy.  So please share with me on your blog your favourite Italian recipe involving the tomato.  It can be a fresh tomato or a canned tomato recipe.  Maybe it’s your family’s traditional tomato sauce recipe.  And if the recipe is a secret, you can just tell me the story behind the recipe.  Go to the bottom of the page and compose your entry in the comments box.  The deadline is September 30th!

All You Can Eat - I Need A Cocktail! (vol. 52)

Hey, I finally did a new podcast!  Volume 52 is all about cocktails, beginning with a demonstration of different kinds of drinks made with Mott's Clamato juice, the mixer most preferred by me and thousands of others in Canada when making Bloody Caesar's.  Did you know the Caesar was created in Calgary???  Listen to my interview with Len Fragomeni, the Dean of the Mott's Clamato Caesar School.

Len is a veritable fount of Clamato trivia, not to mention an excellent teacher of how to make a basic Caesar as well as some of the new recipes developed in a contest sponsored by Mott's. You can find the recipes he talked about here.  A really new twist puts cranberry juice, lemon juice, horseradish and sambaloelek (an Asian chili paste) together with vodka and Clamato.

Also in this edition, an interview with my old friends Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller, who are cocktail educators and the curators of the Exposition Universelle des Vins et Spiriteux,an entire museum housed on a small island on the south coast of France devoted to wines and spirits.  A great new feature of the museum's website is the archiving of several old cocktail books and restaurant menus, which you can click on to view in .pdf format and see (and try) the classic cocktails of the past.

To listen to the podcast, either go to my website and click on the podcast page for free subscription info, or listen to it right now by clicking here.

All You Can Eat - Clam Digging Vol. 51

Join me for an excursion to Salt Spring Island in this edition of All You Can Eat, as I go clam digging with freelance journalist and author Tom Koppel.  Tom's latest book is called Ebb and Flow, Tides and Life on Our Once and Future Planet. It's a fascinating look at tides from many different historical, scientific, and yes, food angles.  You can order it from amazon.ca and save 37% by clicking on the link above.  You can see more photos of my excursion on my Facebook photo album.

Tom does a great job of taking what could be a very dry (pardon the pun) subject and breaks down the science into simple terms while throwing in many tales of his own adventures with tides around the world, include circumstances where the powerful flows nearly cost him his life.

In the second half of the podcast I visit The Lobster Man seafood shop on Vancouver's Granville Island with executive chef of The Fish House at Stanley Park Karen Barnaby.  Karen is the editor of Shellfish, The Cookbook, published by Whitecap Books, and if you don't want to dig in the mud or otherwise sully your hands at procuring your own shellfish, just go right to the recipes in this book, a compilation of many of the recipes published in Whitecap cookbooks over the past few years.  And you can save another 37% off the cover price by clicking on the link above and ordering from Amazon.ca.

Here's shot of Karen Barnaby with sacks of shellfish waiting to be loaded into the Lobster Man shop.  It's spot prawn season, so you might want to hurry down and grab a couple of pounds and find a good recipe from the book.  But why don't you download the podcast first and put it on your iPod so you an listen to it while you walk around the shop.

All You Can Eat - Trail of Crumbs vol. 50

In this episode of All You Can Eat, meet Kim Sunee, author of Trail of Crumbs, her story of being abandoned as a child in South Korea, and searching for a sense of her true self through the language of food.
You can listen directly to the podcast by clicking here.

Kim is currently the Food Editor of Cottage Living magazine and is based in Birmingham, Alabama, about as far away as you could get from her earlier lives in South Korea, New Orleans, Sweden, and France.  The book is a combination of memoir and recipes, the recipes at the end of each chapter drawing from her times in the places she lived during the formative years of her life.

You can click on this link to go to amazon.ca and order Kim's book, saving 37% off of the cover price.

All You Can Eat - Vol. 49 Anna Olson Saves the Day!

In this episode of All You Can Eat, Food Network Canada star Anna Olson helps me out of a jam by taking a shopping excursion and making suggestions for a great impromptu meal.

To listen to the podcast or subscribe to the feed, visit my podcast page.
Anna made some quick and easy Asiago Spinach squares for an appetizer, and gave me super suggestions for grilled leg of lamb, fresh green salad and rhubarb-apple crisp.  I'll be posting in more detail about this for foodtv.ca, and I'll link to that post, uh, when it gets posted!

You can watch Anna Olson's new show called 'Fresh' weekdays on Food Network Canada.

All You Can Eat Vol. 47 Had A Glass 2008

This week, a great new guide to choosing excellent wines.   The guide is called 'Had A Glass, Top 100 Wines for 2008 Under $20'.  The authors are James Nevison and Kenji Hodgson.  I took a tour of the Marquis Wine Cellar in Vancouver with them to talk about the book.

You can save 27% off of the cover price by clicking the link above and ordering through amazon.ca.  Me, my wife and my creditors will thank you for the small portion of the proceeds I receive from leading you to the sale.  Also in this podcast, a visit to the Food For Thought archives and February 2006.

In this episdode I talked about the resurgence of Slow Cookers as a method of cooking and featured recipes from a book by Judith Finlayson called The Healthy Slow Cooker. (Click on the link to purchase from Amazon.ca and save 37%!)

I haven't used a slow cooker in ages, but I've made 3 recipes from the book, all with great results.  Here's the one for Apple Oatmeal with Wheat Berries, a great way to wake up in the morning, with breakfast already made!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups steel-cut oats

1/2 cup wheat berries

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup cranberry or apple juice

This works well in a small, slow cooker, but I used my large one and just cut the cooking time by a couple of hours.  First, grease the slow cooker stoneware with butter, margarine or oil.  In the cooker, combine the steel-cut oats, wheat berries, apples, cinnamon and vanilla.  Add water and juice.  Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours or overnight.  When ready to serve, stir well, spoon into bowls and top with fruit, nuts or sugar of your choice.

My slow cooker is from Breville. The company is from Australia, and features excellent design along with sturdy construction. I already have an excellent electric grill/griddle combination I use for steaks, breakfasts, whatever!  Anyway, the slow cooker is finished in brushed stainless steel and looks so good you won't be embarassed to have it sit on your countertop, unlike the 'flowery' designs of the past.  That is, unless you're into retro.  This one retails for about 50-60 dollars, with a 5.3 quart capacity.  Now here's kind of a fun site from the original Crock-Pot company, Rival.  The link goes to a history of Crock-Pots, and guess what?  You can even order a slow cooker with your favourite NASCAR driver featured on the exterior!!!

I haven't used a slow cooker in ages, but I've made 3 recipes from the book, all with great results.  Here's the one for Apple Oatmeal with Wheat Berries, a great way to wake up in the morning, with breakfast already made!

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups steel-cut oats

1/2 cup wheat berries

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup cranberry or apple juice

This works well in a small, slow cooker, but I used my large one and just cut the cooking time by a couple of hours.  First, grease the slow cooker stoneware with butter, margarine or oil.  In the cooker, combine the steel-cut oats, wheat berries, apples, cinnamon and vanilla.  Add water and juice.  Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours or overnight.  When ready to serve, stir well, spoon into bowls and top with fruit, nuts or sugar of your choice.

My slow cooker is from Breville. The company is from Australia, and features excellent design along with sturdy construction. I already have an excellent electric grill/griddle combination I use for steaks, breakfasts, whatever!  Anyway, the slow cooker is finished in brushed stainless steel and looks so good you won't be embarassed to have it sit on your countertop, unlike the 'flowery' designs of the past.  That is, unless you're into retro.  This one retails for about 50-60 dollars, with a 5.3 quart capacity.  Now here's kind of a fun site from the original Crock-Pot company, Rival.  The link goes to a history of Crock-Pots, and guess what?  You can even order a slow cooker with your favourite NASCAR driver featured on the exterior!!!

All You Can Eat Vol. 46 Kitchen Gadgets 2007

This podcast is the second podcast featuring selection for kitchen gadgets and more for successful giftgiving.  Just go to my podcast page to find the link to the audio, and scroll down for more details.  Sorry I haven't had time yet to add all the photos, but at least you have the descriptions.

Before this list, a short programming note:

 Please be sure you have the correct feed address for All You Can Eat.  It should be: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AllYouCanEat. The show will soon be switching feeds, and if you're subscribed via Feedburner, you'll never miss an episode! (Once there, you can click on your podcatcher and be subscribed automatically)

To update your iTunes settings manually, click on "Advanced", then "Subscribe to Podcast", and type in the feedburner URL, http://feeds.feedburner.com/AllYouCanEat , and you're good to go. I’ll put all this info on my podcast page on my website, don genova dot com, so just head there while you’re listening to check your feeds.

 

Fontaine Wong from Ming Wo Cookware in Vancouver is my guide.  And if you can't find these things where you live, she'll be happy to mail order them for you.  When you go to the website, make sure you contact the Chinatown store on East Pender Street.

Tender Press      $19.95        Fusion
-    gentle way to tenderize and flatten meat without
-    pounding , stabbing or using chemicals. 
By using a rolling motion ( like a rolling pin with tender teeth)
it reduces tearing and eliminates meat juice splatter.
The teeth tenderizes the meat and the bars flatten the meat.

Skrub’a       
Practical multi purpose nylon Scrubbing glove for removing dirt from potatoes and carrots and other vegetables.  Rinse after use, wring and hang dry.
Machine wash warm water or top rack dishwasher safe.
$12.95
* works great on golf balls too*

Gourmet Masher       $28.98      Chef Jamie Gwen
What makes the gourmet masher so special?
Innovative design of diamond shaped cutting tines/ blades
and a soft comfort grip handle makes preparing food a breeze.
Food doesn’t stick to the blades like other mashers.
It effortlessly mashes, rices and whips potatoes in 60 seconds.
Works with vegetables, egg salad, baby food and more…
and even blending berries for jams and jellies.
Allows for greater control over texture and food consistency.
Simply press the Gourmet Masher straight down through
the hot cooked potatoes / vegetables.

Gourmet Pastry Pro    $28.98
Designed to cut through flour and even cold butter .  No need to
Pre-sift your flour.  Just toss your ingredients into a bowl and
in seconds you get the precise consistency you need for pastry.
Dishwashersafe
Rigid stainless frame
Soft Comfort grip handle

Poach Pod        by Fusion         $12.95 pair
Simple to use and clean
Floats in water during cooking
Just crack a raw egg and pour into an oiled  pod
and place it in a pan of simmering  water until desired firmness
Simply run a spoon around the edges and gently remove the egg.
You can use to bake, mold and even make ice treats.
Great for melting butter or chocolate.

Buzz Buzz   2 in 1 Electronic Mill       Cole & Mason
Reg $79.95    Spec $63.99
Unique battery operated mill has two diamond sharp ceramic mechanisms for grinding salt and pepper.
Simply slide the top button  to choose salt or pepper and press.
Fully adjustable mechanisms for fine to coarse grind.
Viewing windows so you can tell when to refill.
Stylish Brushed stainless steel body
Batteries included    6 x AAA

U-select Peugeot Pepper/Salt Mills      
Takes the guesswork out of grinding pepper or salt.
U-select allows for the perfect degree of grind,
With 6 Pre-set levels for grind for pepper or salt.
Just adjust the mill to your preferred grind and
turn.

BREVILLE IKON BLENDERS
Patented Hemisphere 6 blade system, powerful enough to crush ice into snowlike consistency, while still making smoothies, pesto, and mayonnaise.

The revolutionary blade system is designed to hug the base of the bowl, therefore eliminating any food traps.   This prevents lumps in smoothies and cocktails, so that ingredients are shredded into fine and even particles.

Varies from 600, 750, 1000 watt motors.
5 speeds The 600 model offers a Pulse  & LCD countdown display.
550Xl  unit Reg $179.99   Spec. $139.99
600XL unit  Reg $229.99  Spec $179.99
800XL unit  Reg  $299.99  Spec $249.99

Breville Ikon Removable Plate Grill
Reg $199.99   Spec $149.99
1800 Watt element
2 removable ribbed plates for easy cleaning
1 extra flat Quantanium non-stick plate
Variable temperature control
12 x 11”
Adjustable grilling height control is a unique feature that
reduced the weight put on delicate foods like fish or bread
and you can set it high enough for making open melts.
Fat reducing angled grill plates and removable drip trap
It’s now easy for everyone to be chef.

Garlic Zoom    by Chef’n             $12.95
Garlic Chopper
Takes the odour out of chopping garlic.  Simply fill a peeled clove and roll.  The stainless steel blades chop peeled garlic into perfect chunks.

The GRID                        $11.98          Silicone Zone
Potholder, trivet, Jar Opener  3 in 1
Pliable, soft  silicone square, with airy grid pockets to keep protect your
hands when picking up hot items. 
Versatile usages.  Safe up to 675 degrees F, Dishwashersafe

SQUID whisk            $14.98     Chef’s Planet
Squid like shape, thick legs with rounded ends works wonders in a bowl
Design aerates mixtures in half the time of other whisks.  Eggs, cream and
any cold whisking task.
Put this on your Whisk List
Dishwashersafe   top rack

Drip-Less Collar      $3.50
Keeps your messy spoon or fork off the table.
Unique collar prevents messes by keeping your utensil tool heads off
the counter or falling into the pot.   Hinged design with magnet for easy attachment to the tool handle.

“Zoo Friends”  Pancake Pan           $35.98        Nordicware
Have fun making and eating these cute pancakes
Makes 7 – 3”  pancakes with fun animal icons.  Durable cast aluminum
with a non-stick finish for quick release and easy clean-up

Fridge Fresh           $9.98
All natural odor and moisture absorber
Absorbs all odors and moisture inside your fridge .
Prevents cross contamination of food smells and flavors
Keeps fruits and vegetables fresher and longer
Leave in place for one to three months
Recharge by placing in direct sunlight for 8 hours or outdoors in fresh air for 10 days to recharge. Reusable, Non-toxic, unscented and environmentally friendly
Main ingredient is a naturally occurring mineral formed through volcanic activity.
The minerals are molecular sponges with large internal cavities, where molecules can be absorbed. Odors have positive charges and Naturzaire products have negative charges.
Good news is opposites attract!

Bodum Travel Press       $12.50    Spec  $9.99
Have your favorite coffee or tea wherever you go.
Add ground coffee or tea leaves, hot water, press and enjoy.
Holds 16 oz of keeps beverages warm for up to 2 hours
Use coarse ground coffee for optimum results approx 2 tbsp
And water according to your personal taste

For Life “ Tea Infuser”          $17.98
Turn you mug to “tea for one” anytime
Perfect for brewing loose whole leaf tea
Mesh bottom allows for smooth tea flow.
Lid doubles as a coaster.
Stainless steel and silicone construction

Cupcooley       $4.95       FusionBrands
Reusable silicone cup cozy, fits standard cup
sizes.  Heat resistant & slip resistant
flexible and collapsible.

Munchlers Insulated Lunch Bags       $11.98         BUILT
Whimsical and practical lunch bags.  Made of lead and food safe polypropylene.
Unzips to a flat placemat.  Save hundred of bags over the year.
Fun Animal Characters.

Gourmet Getaway Insulated Lunch Tote.    $29.98   Spec $14.99   BUILT
Great for carrying all kinds of objects besides food.
Neoprene material keep things cool or warm for up to 4 hours

All You Can Eat - Tribute to James Barber vol. 45

This episode of All You Can Eat is a tribute to the late James Barber, also known as The Urban Peasant.  He passed away Nov. 29th at age 84. James was a mentor, colleague, neighbour and friend.  I'll miss him.

In the podcast you will hear a lengthy interview with James I conducted in October or November of 2006, as I was getting ready to go to Italy and his latest cookbook, One Pot Wonders, James Barber's recipes for Land and Sea was being promoted.  While we talked about the book, we also spent quite a bit of time talking about his earlier years in England and France and how he ended up being a restaurant reviewer and cookbook author. 

I left for Italy and while I had the interview with me, I never ended up using it.  So, it is being heard for the first time on this podcast. To listen to this podcast directly, click here for the audio file, or visit my podcast page on my website to subscribe.  If you would like to pay tribute to James, you can comment on the bottom of this blog entry, or go to his website, where your thoughts are also being accepted. 


This episode of All You Can Eat was brought to you in part by Hamilton Beach, makers of the Eclectrics line of kitchen appliances.  Check out the great all-metal stand mixers at www.hamiltonbeach.com or www.hamiltonbeach.ca.You can also find all of your website hosting and design needs at my other sponsor, www.godaddy.com.  You can save on the products there by entering the code eat1 when you check out.

All You Can Eat Vol. 44 - One Pot Italian Cooking

This week on All You Can Eat I welcome Massimo Capra into my 'Test Kitchen'.  Massimo is the author of One Pot Italian Cooking, and the owner of two Toronto Italian restaurants, Mistura and Sopra. 

You can order the book by clicking here to follow through to amazon.ca and save 37% off the cover price! 

In the kitchen, Massimo guided me through his braised rabbit with apricots and tomatoes; earlier I made some tasty back ribs cooked with julienned cabbage.

This episode of All You Can Eat was brought to you in part by Hamilton Beach, makers of the Eclectrics line of kitchen appliances.  Check out the great all-metal stand mixers at www.hamiltonbeach.com or www.hamiltonbeach.ca.

You can also find all of your website hosting and design needs at my other sponsor, www.godaddy.com.  You can save on the products there by entering the code eat1 when you check out.

All You Can Eat - Two Meatballs, Vol. 43

Okay, that's more than two meatballs you see here, but this podcast is about four chefs putting their best meatballs forward in a somewhat impromptu competition at Barbara-jo's Books to Cooks in Vancouver.

The Two Meatballs in the title are Mark Strausman and Pino Luongo, chef/partners in Italian restaurants in New York City.  They have just published a new cookbook called 'Two Meatballs'.

The cookbook goes much further than meatballs, but I have to admit, after watching these guys cook their favourite meatball recipes, I've been inspired to make more of my own.  You can order Two Meatballs via this link to amazon.ca and save 37% off the cover price.  You can see a few more pictures of the 'guys with balls' on my Facebook album.

This episode of All You Can Eat was brought to you in part by Hamilton Beach, makers of the Eclectrics line of kitchen appliances.  Check out the great all-metal stand mixers at www.hamiltonbeach.com or www.hamiltonbeach.ca.

You can also find all of your website hosting and design needs at my other sponsor, www.godaddy.com.  You can save on the products there by entering the code eat1 when you check out.