STREET FOODS ~PART 1

There is nothing more memorable for me then attending the feast of Obelisco in Mirebella "the feast of Saint Mary". the third Saturday in September. I recall the statue of the Virgin Mary carried in a church vessel made up of straw being pulled by ox in the middle of the piazza. There is music, spirits and and more importantly the streets are littered with street vendors. I can recall the aromas of grilled meats like sausage and peppers, lamb shanks chicken and veal stew and they are distinct and unique to that region of Italy. You can't help but take in the sweet pungent woody smells of the dried peppers and cured meats. And on tables you will be mesmerized by the abundance of fresh food. There are wheels of farm cheese, plump tomatoes still on the vine,huge olives, walnuts so fresh you can peel the shells off with your hands, big black and green olives, and of course, grappa! On white linen tablecloths a colorful array of grilled vegetables, eggplant, zucchini, and thin slices of cured meats like prosciutto garnished with fresh herbs. Each vendor you pass smiles and beckons you over to taste from their table. I miss the feast but more importantly I miss Passo Di Mirabella, it was birth place, my home and it will always be a part me that I will never forget.
So now when I am in the North End I make it a point to try to got out to the markets almost every weekend .Especially, in the spring and summer months, more importantly, I try to always make one of the feasts. The big one in the North End would be the Saint Anthony feast and I look forward to the street vendors with their push carts, the live entertainment and I never ever pass by the booths selling hot peppers and sausages or as I coined it "S &P sandweech". There is so many vendors selling foods like fried calamari , grilled lamb kabobs and freshly made eggplant parmesan! The variety of street food is only limited to your palette and more importantly the size of your wallet! Oh, I almost forget the array of sweets at the Italian feasts is phenomenal! I can never pass up the homemade cannolis, you can either choose between ricotta cheese or cream cheese filling and I can never decide so I get both one for each hand! Most street food is considered fast food but not all vendors prepare quick snacks, there are fresh fruit and vegetables and healthy alternatives. Now you can find so many vendors selling grilled and steamed foods and compact fine dining. The only issues facing street vendors is hygiene and cleanliness and lack of temperature control and refrigeration. This is a global issue and cross contamination and food safety, yet there is a growing monetary incentives to vendors to provide training and incentives to maintain adequate safety provisions.
There are street vendors all over the globe from South America that serve foods like bunny chow scooped out loaf of bread with curry. Ethiopia has their injera bread and enjoy a variety of street foods like Tbs Wat ( a pungent stew with inera and fried Neeka stalks). China has many small front door vendors such as grilled rice balls and pan fried noodles. India is notorious for street foods and you will find foods like Chaat, which is made up with a variety of ingredients like lemon and pomegranate seed. It can be used for example, to make small crisp pancakes from fried flour called "paprika". Now people in Puerto Rico are known for their vendors and they have a large following in the Caribbean and North America. Puerto Rico is known for their Pinchos ( a kabob of pork, or chicken spiced which is labeled with barbecue sauce and often served with fried bread).
While in Europe, the French you will find common street food like a crepes or baguette bread sandwiches , In Germany it's curry sausage and Currywurst, while their neighbors in Poland street carts and long lines for their of love ice cream.
Although, not all countries prefer street vendors like Spain for example, the people rather sit and eat inside restaurants. Also, in Switzerland they prefer motorized trucks instead of booths or carts for their finger food! And depending what region you are in Canada that have specialist street vending. So french fries with gravy and cheese curds are found throughout Canada but Quebec this street food is extremely popular and there are specialized vendors for that region. We can not forget North America we just love to party and so with Mardi Gras held in New Orleans selling mouth watering creole to so many festivals, feasts and fairs all across this great country, we love street food!. In New England we just ave love our fairs and festivals nothing bigger in Massachusetts than the "Topsfield Fair" in October. There are rides, games, a petting zoo, a couple of fortune tellers and yes, the food! The smell of deep dish apple pie, candy apples, fried dough, hot dogs and even corn of the cob! We enjoy our food and it would not be the same without our street vendors. Let's not forget that street food provides a place for people to gather and experience the many diverse cultural traditions. So for example, if you hop a ferry in places like New York City seek out street vendors selling roasted chestnuts, or their famous New York Cheesecake. Let's face it New York is an economic melting pot and a great place to experience a variety of street food.
So let's forget our neighbors "southwest of the border"  Mexico, they are noted for their street food and they have so many vendors who serve hot foods like graaches, tostada's, tacos their tequila. Never mind their wonderful hospitality. And even further south a continent away South America, Rio di Janeiro vendors sell Mate Gleado (erva mate iced-tea) for those hot days lying on the beach  or biscoitas de polviho (sour manioc flour puffs), for a quick snack! 
There is so much more to the local market places and street vendors. If you allow yourself to be open minded to try new experiences you can not only enjoy the cusine but in the process gain knowledge about a different culture. And who knows, maybe you can adopt a new family tradition in the process!

My next blog will cover more stories and a in depth look on Street Vendors. Fo now I am enjoying that spring is finally her, yeah! 
So did you here that vending machines will be on planes very soon ? What's next, will we see them on the moon?

Finally, I just want to mention to those of us celebrating Passover and Easter have a wonderful holiday!

PS: I will say a special blessing this holiday for my loved ones, our sons and daughters in the military and for the people of Haiti !

Signing off for now,

Chef Sam

RATIOS TO VOLUME COOKING IS NOT ALWAYS A NUMBER

Now there is a ratio relationship between what you purchase and the actual food being served in a plated meal or a buffet. So let's use an average party of one hundred people and make those comparisons. It is important to note that with a buffet you need to be aware on your qualities, especially when it comes to your starches like potatoes, rice and some vegetables. On most events that I handled there are entrees that require some starch and almost all of the time there is a potato dish. I would suggest that you try to purchase this item ahead of time. My ratios will consists with a party made up of a hundred guests. Remember, if you do not use all of your product if stored properly ( like all tuber plants they should stored in a cool dry place, bulb plants grown underground ). Now when serving this starch for a buffet purchase at least 30 pounds of potatoes  it equates to 6 to 8 ounces per person for a buffet ( there should be somewhat of a fudge factors when it comes to servings for a buffet because you may serve either one or more starches and then the ratio changes to approximately 6 ounces). Now for a plated meal use approximately 20 pounds of potatoes which equate to 4 ounces per person.
You should  always be concerned for on purchasing enough vegetables and so for a plated meal it should be at least 16 pounds  which should equate to 3 ounces per serving . However, for a buffet you would purchase at least  20 pounds which is less than 4 ounces per person. Also, the ounces may vary from each vegetable  and usually in a buffet there is more than one vegetable served at a buffet but try to keep within 4 ounces. Now with a protein for example like meat purchase approximately 50 pounds which comes to p on a plated meal to at least 8 ounces raw ( the weight is measured prior to cooking ) per person. Yet, in a buffet it could be less, if you have more than one protein and typically there is always two or more, than it's  the same roughly 50 pounds but 6 ounces raw.
I can not go without mentioning rice, which can be tricky when establishing  a measurement for a single serving plated meal. It's usually 12 pounds and it means for a plated dinner 1 half cups of rice. Yet, for a buffet there is usually more than one starch so the ratio will be the same as plated , you are not always able to control the portion sizes and may prefer more starches served.
Finally, when it comes to sauces you can always figure on 2 ounces per person on a plated dish and at least 3ounces for a buffet for added waste.
Now with all this information on ratios, there is a method to the madness when building on a meal . So for a plated meal you start with your protein, then your starch and vegetable and end with your sauce. If it is a breakfast or lunch it always equal up to (12 ) ounces of food per person. So if you were breaking this down it's (4) ounces of meat, (3) ounces of vegetables, (3) ounces of starch and (2) ounces of sauce. For supper it is more up to (6) ounces of meat , (3) ounces of starch and (3) ounces for vegetables and (2) ounces of sauce. Now if we are discussing a buffet it goes the opposite way, first your dish starts with a starch then a vegetable a sauce and it ends with a protein.  Also, whether it lunch or dinner the ratio is always  one half  times more than a plated dish and it will vary depending on the amount of entrees you are offering.

My next article will be on Street Vending and it's loads of fun!

Signing off for now,

Chef Sam,

Wishing my lovely wife Phyllis a Happy Birthday , Love Sam

SO YOU THINK YOU CREATED A UNIQUE RECEIPE?

 

A unique recipe is one that separates itself from the rest by marrying ingredients that you normally would not think would work together. For example, I created a recipe using pulled pork and sushi rice. You would be amazed on how well the tender pork compliments it's sour dense counterpart, it created a very distinct flavor. Again, please check out my site for this dish and many others www.bostonfooddesign.com.
Now last week I served a select group of students at the university for a special function called "Taste Your Palette". We turned our dining hall into a mini gourmet restaurant and I put on a demonstration for the students. I created an Italian menu which consisted of my own special take on some favorite Italian recipes. I added my spin to one of my appetizers, Arrancinis which were sweet and had almost a nutty creamy texture. My main entree Chicken Saltimbocca had a pungent and earthy flavor by adding a few additional ingredients like red pepper. Then I finished the meal with an all time favorite item, Cannolis.  I made them from scratch and offered two  unique fillings one that offered chocolate chip and the other pistachio. The students participated assembling their desert and they had a blast! Later on, there was a Q&A and I was pleased to hear that they wanted more of these demonstrations. Finally, for those students who were there that day I want to give you a personal thank you from Chef Sam! 
On occasion, I will put together an array of ingredients together and then test them out in our kitchen in the hopes of creating a new recipe. I have been able to come up some very interesting food combinations by using the exact blend of flavors that burst with flavor and better yet, subtly enhance the taste buds! You need to be willing and more importantly, to be daring. Challenge yourself to combine various ingredients and measurements to come away with your very own version. I will say this time and time again, think of yourself as the scientist and pretend your kitchen is a laboratory and who knows, maybe you will create something new?

I am amazed when I am in the testing kitchen we are always trying out various combination's to bring about the next big food item. Sometimes we hire food scientist and other times we create testing groups made up of average individuals who will try out various dishes.  There information is so crucial gathering feedback allows us to come up with the right combination to create a new recipe. Finally, if it passes a few more hurdles, the next step would be to market their product to the public. I will tell you this much, there is nothing like it when you hit a home run! Better yet, sometimes, you can knock the ball right out of the park! So take the invention of potato skins, in 1974 T.G.I. Friday's came up with an appetizer using none other than the skins of a potato! They tested and tried this new concept on the general public and it wasn't too long before these bitter scraps became the newest food craze! So today Potato Skins are still the most popular item on their menu, with nearly 4 million orders served every year. This new food item is not only delicious but it created another revenue stream for the food industry!
In closing, with a little ingenuity and creativity T.G.I. Friday came up with a scrumptious appetizer packed with a ton of taste and found a way to eliminate all of their waste! How great is that ? No wonder why this is my favorite food!

FYI: I will be adding my very own potato appetizer and it will be coming out very soon!

My next blog will be on ratios to remember when planning to cook in large numbers.

Signing off for now. and "Grazia mille" ( thanks a lot) for stopping by my site !

Chef Sam

PS: Follow me on Twitter under ChefSamBFD!!

FOOD EDUCATION IS JUST LIKE ONE BIG MARDI GRAS !

I have worked well over a decade in the education sector and I it has been a blast! Well most of the time, but seriously there is so much to learn when it comes to preparing meals for students. Now I strongly back the first lady, Michelle Obama, on her national campaign on fighting childhood obesity. I have worked in the food industry well over twenty-five years and we must all work together in the food industry public and private, to cultivate good eating habits in adolescents as early as pre-school age. So in my opinion, educating them about nutrition is key. I feel there is starts with introducing classes on food and nutrition and health science which should always be taught in schools. Also, our industry needs to ensure that we create affordable healthy snacks that are geared to attract students to make the right food choices. I have worked tirelessly for many years creating recipes and a variety of menu choices for the educational sector that were not only healthy and visually appealing but tasty too! Currently, there has been some exciting positive changes in college campus dining and that is to move away for fast foods and offer a variety of healthy choices and organic dishes that are reasonably priced! Also, there is a social movement in the industry in which I coined "food conscious and allergy awareness". We now take in account when creating recipes and preparing weekly menus to ensure their are alternative food choices for students who are lactose intolerant or those who have severe allergies towards nuts. There is now a big demand for gluten free products. We are making a serious effort to create dishes that use ingredients that are not only absent of certain elements like gluten but realize wheat as a major allergy and create wheat free items. We also, clearly label the ingredients in each of our dishes. And we go as far separating serving stations so there is no cross contamination of allergy free food. We make a conservative effort to address almost every common dietary need from offering sugar free products, vegetarian dishes and low fat items. We encourage feedback from the students and faculty at our campus site. We also provide surveys and we are fortunate to have met a great deal of their concerns and needs. I encourage the public and private K-12 to consider this approach. Open dialogue with the students on their likes and dislikes involving them in the process is a fresh approach to the outdated systems. Allowing student options and feedback gives them an opportunity to be a part of the solution and not the problem. It maybe used as a learning tool to educate children on the importance of nutrition and foods that can taste just as good as their high fat counterparts in the the process. There are so many ways to change the current system and make permanent lasting positive changes. I have personally created affordable easy recipes to utilize in high volume cooking and at the same time I kept  the cost down. I simply found ways to enhance a menu by creating a new entree using the same ingredients and periodically alternating our food selections for variety. There are certain techniques on purchasing products that can be very cost effective. All these issues can and should be addressed in the educational sector and now is the time to implement change! So this leads me to my next subject, which is to intergrate ideas and create a new way of introducing different types of food to the students.

So who doesn't want an occasional party? Well ask almost any college student and they will say it's always time for a Mardi Gras! I truly enjoy working these functions. This particular event was an open house for students and their parents. I love working on festivals or traditional celebrations as a wonderful way to introduce ethnic foods and in the process learn a little about the culture in the process. Now as far as this event was concerned, my responsibility was primarily to ensure there was enough food to feed all of our guests and at the same time contain cost. I was also indirectly involved in menu selections. We had an array of food like jambalaya, chicken Creole, red beans and rice. There were also, decorative party items like colorful beads, hats and street signs and light polls!

Well, Mardi Gras is over but the party to educate goes on. In my next blog I will address what makes a recipe unique?


Signing off for now,

 Chef Sam,

PS : Wishing my mother-in-law a wonderful 80th birthday this February 26th ! And to my dad on the 28th ! Happy birthday Dad who turned 74 years young today ..Buon Compleanno!!

CATERING ON A BUDGET AND MAKE IT COUNT PART 2

There are ways to modify your budget and still have a wonderful memorable venue for any social event . As I covered in Part 1 of "Catering On A Budget" it's usually all about the food. So begin by creating a menu around your theme. For example, if your doing Italian , then jot down a few choices for appetizers ( like bruschetta or rice balls) then maybe add a soup, and a variety of salads along with your entrees etc. Furthermore, always have a few food choices on your menu, remember not everyone will want to eat meat so consider at least one vegetarian dish. I advise that you should be conscientious when it comes to your guests but of course, not at any cost. Start by go to the drawing board literally, to create a sketch of the space and where the serving tables should be placed. You want your guest to enter and navigate through their meal smoothly and preferable in one direction. I advise, if at all possible setting up two tables vertically or in a horseshoe fashion. Also you might decide to have separate serving stations for a few of  your entrees. Be aware that this could effect your budget as your  guest weave from one station to another there will be waste. Now, an easy tip to to save on cost can be accomplished simply by placing your high end entrees (like expensive cuts of meat, poultry and fish ) and place them towards the middle of your serving tables. So that when your guests pass through the line they will automatically fill their plates with foods like whole grains breads, pasta, vegetables, soups and salads. Futhermore, by the time your guest reach the main entrees most of them will have already plated thier dish and that means you can refill your main entrees as needed.
Now were you shop for your items will make a difference in taste, smelland  overall appearance. So you might want to try going to the locals markets or even street vendors for more variety and choices. Remember when you purchase anything in bulk you may find out that sometimes there are discounts when purchasing your product in large quantities. So be proactive and ask, even if it's the local supermarket! Also, you can find some great deals at bargain outlets and wholesale warehouses. Keep in mind, to be flexible with your menu items. For example, you wanted  a grilled vegetable platter but while shopping you discover green beans and  mushrooms are being sold at a phenominal discount. Well, maybe  you should rethink your entree and instead consider a grilled bean salad sauteed in garlic olive oil with a balsamic vinegarrette with roasted mushrooms instead? Be willing to adjust your ideas to fit your budget throughout the entire course of our planning stages And remember this tip, you might want to take a chance and purchase your product at a farmers market towards the end of their busy day. On most occasions, the vendors will discount their prices on their items before they decide to discard the perishables. When you are buying in bulk for like meat or poultry it is always advisable to purchase those items a day in advance to the event, for optimum results. I also want to mention that there a wonderful restaurant depots that are a great vehicle to purchase food at retail prices. Unfortunately, most require a membership unless you can find a vendor that might be able to assist you for a nominal fee. Finally, it is always advisable to purchase your product from local merchants. This can save you time and also allow you to form key relationships, which in the long run, your contacts can be your best cost effective tool!  And finally, if  you need my assistance please feel free to email me your questions to info@bostonfooddesign.com.

In closing, let me mention the importance of dressing up your tables. If at all possible, try not purchase throw away items like aluminum pans, or paper products for your venue. Unless they are really high end products it could really affect the overall presentation. I advise to using formal serving utensils, chafing dishes and chaffers which can be rented for a reasonable cost because as far as I am concerned presentation is a must. Now for a real professional appeal create an item identifier at the front of your food tables listing for your menu items. Also, item identifiers and place holders in from of each dish can add as sense of elegance and are relatively cheap to purchase. You can check out card shops, dollar stores or nick knacks stores. Visual effects on your table are just as important as the quality and taste of each dish. When you prepare your event think of color. I advise for most occasions white linens, with accents of color, either in the napkins, mats or in colorful identifiers, This format will provide the best results and  remember, you want your entrees be the main attraction! Finally use height differential in placing your food and decorative items, this is key, it will draw the eye up and make your catered event pop! So consider this, your event is a work of art. First, start off with a blank canvas, then sweep over huge brush strokes of creativity mingled with imagination. Now sit back and quietly observe as your masterpiece unfolds right before your very eyes. Finally, take pride on what you have just accomplished and remember this, always enjoy the process!
Stay tuned for my next blog on volume cooking for the educational sector. So here we go, it's Mardi Gras time!


Signing off for now ,

Chef Sam

CATERING ON A BUDGET AND MAKE IT COUNT - PART 1

Now with spring just around the corner events like weddings and graduations ushers in longer days and more time to gather and socialize.And even with tough economic times people always find time to party! So from my professional experience the warmer months officially kicks off the beginning of one of the best times of the year for the food industry in general. In my opinion, even with the most extravagant venue, wonderful chandeliers, beautiful flowers, great views, if the food does not measure up people will notice. I know that may sound caddy but your guests will remember the food and it should be the most vital part or your caveat. So it is important to try to have some sort of a plan in place. So begin by jotting down what you want and expect for your special celebration. Then go back and highlight what you need and if you should have to eliminate some extras remember,  try not to "compromise on the food". Furthermore, when you begin the process of  looking at the venues remember ambiance is important but so is the food preparation. Yes, that's right , in my opinion, a safe kitchen is good  for you and your guests. Plus, keep in mind in negotiating prices (which can be advantageous especially in these tough economic times) remember the scheme of things when it comes to your meal. Consider this for example, in lieu of a plated sit down meal opt for a buffet or family style. So for a lesser price you will receive the same quality of food. Also, most venues always over compensate and provide extra servings for family style or a buffet. Finally, it will take less time to expedite the meal from the kitchen to the serving plate to the table. 
My next blog is part 2 on planning and preparing your own catering event on a budget.

Have a great holiday weekend !

Chef Sam

PS: Happy Valentines to my lovely wife of twenty-five years ....Love Sam

CATERING "THE PERFECT STORM" WAS A SPLASH!

The best part of being in this industry is the ability to utilize my talents. So when I am in position to be hands on and work on events like catering the press release for the Perfect Storm in Gloucester, MA  I realize once again why I chose this profession in the first place and that is having the ability to create something that is enjoyed by others is just a wonderful experience! Now, I recall on one particular day on the set, the press was invited to interview the cast and crew. It was extremely hot and we were all running around trying to pull together a multiple catering menus that featured a real  feel of New England dishes. We utilized our local markets, stores and restaurants to purhcase product and supplies.Our goal for one particualr menu was a old fashion New England clam bake. This was not an easy feet to accomplish, since we were working in very tight quarters under adverse conditions. We were in tents, using portable kitchen equipment and the only source of air conditioning was a few large fans. The main issues I faced was to ensure that we had enough product  for that day and that the food would be safe for consumption. So with limited refrigeration I decided we would purchase perishible food in increments, throughout the day. I was careful to prepare in advance a list of necessary ingredients which I knew were staples for certain dishes. So in a compact cold storage unit we kept stocks and bases needed to create soups and sauces. The real conceren after we addressed refrigeration was to ensure that we had enough product to cover the estimated volumes needed to feed the amount of people expected  through out that day. In addition to covering the events, we needed to have enough product for tailored menus for the cast. Which meant that we needed to adjust some of our recipes to anticipate the weather conditions for cooking and prep work done ahead of time. Now of that wasn't enough we were expected to create food scuplutres and props! Yet, through out all of the challenges we had to face I truly enjoyed this experience and  I was fortunate to work with a great crew. We did a terrific job and we received positive feedback. Also, I was able to meet famous celebrities like George Clooney and Jessica Lang. Yet, my greatest fans were the press and crew who were extremely thankful just for feeding them that day! I learned a great deal from that particular event. First, the importance of adapting to an ever changing venue and secoundly, to always maintain your composure under pressure. Finally, and more importantly, always work as a team player and you will triumph towards a common goal!

Stay tuned for my next article on how to execute a catering event on a budget without sacrificing the quality. Check out my website www.bostonfooddesign.com

Signing off for now,

Chef Sam