Most Clicked ProChef SmartBrief Stories
1. Water fluffs up homemade mayo
ProChef SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
Whipping up eggs and oil to create homemade mayonnaise is a great way to add a punch to salads and sandwiches, but getting these two ingredients to combine uniformly can be frustrating. Chef and CIA instructor Tucker Bunch says adding a teaspoon of water can solve any emulsifying problems and take your mayo to the next level. "Without any added water, mayonnaise can be like petroleum jelly," says Bunch. "Water gives you that nice, light texture." New York Times (tiered subscription model), The (05/22)
2. 5 recipes we think you'll want to try
ProChef SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
- Grilled King Oyster Mushroom and Poblano Sandwich
- Easy Shrimp and Chicken Sausage Paella
- Hickory-Barbecued Chicken
- Skirt Steak Tortillas
- Strawberry and Ricotta Tart
3. Enjoy rhubarb's sweet side
ProChef SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
Rhubarb may not be the first fruit one thinks of when making ice cream, but the highly acidic plant can create a sweet, smooth, fruity ice cream when stewed with plenty of sugar. Add a sticky caramel swirl and you've made a unique sweet treat to enjoy all summer long. New York Times (tiered subscription model), The (05/25)
4. Chefs learn to embrace food photos
ProChef SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Whether they've always loved the idea or merely resigned themselves to it, chefs say patrons snapping and sharing photos of their carefully created dishes is a trend that's here to stay. Chef Sean Brock said the practice "helps document our cuisine. Quite often, we'll cook a meal for someone because they ask for a tasting menu, and we'll come up with a lot of it spontaneously and I won't remember half of it at the end of the night. If someone puts that up on Flickr, then there's like a log -- it's documentation." Eater (05/23)
5. Tying the world of art to modern cuisine
ProChef SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
Chefs are closing the gap between food and art with unique experiences that take patrons into another world through their meal. At the "Edible Cinema" in London viewers eat dishes specifically created to enhance the film's story line, such as the pine-and-oak smoked popcorn that is eaten while the film's characters traipse through the woods. Wall Street Journal, The (05/24)
6. Chefs team up to fight foie gras ban
ProChef SmartBrief | May 23, 2012
California chefs who oppose the state's new rule that will outlaw foie gras on July 1 have created a petition urging the Legislature to lift the ban. "The effect of the ban is the closing of a successful family business," says Guillermo Gonzalez, owner of Sonoma Foie Gras. "Our farm is being forced to close its doors at the end of June, and the most unfortunate fact is that science has not been given a chance to play a role in this debate." USA TODAY (05/23)
7. Steakhouses keep customers coming with Denvers, coulottes and flat-irons
ProChef SmartBrief | May 24, 2012
Sales at steakhouses were on the rise in 2011, growing 3.5%, compared to the overall restaurant industry's 1.8% growth. To keep increasing foot traffic, steakhouses are offering a variety of new cuts that are priced above ground beef but cost less than a sirloin. Wall Street Journal, The (05/23)
8. San Francisco changes culinary reputation
ProChef SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
San Francisco's cuisine has been transformed over the past few years by award-winning chefs and the influx of Michelin-starred restaurants. Chefs such as Daniel Patterson of Coi and Corey Lee of Benu continue to create modern, unique dishes that helped put San Francisco back on the upscale dining map. "There's something inherently entrepreneurial happening," says chef Christopher Kostow. "Look what California creates: the iPod, PayPal, Facebook. You see a parallel spirit in the restaurant community." Wall Street Journal, The (05/24)
9. Which fad/trend do you think has run its course?
ProChef SmartBrief | May 29, 2012
10. How one chef goes gluten-free
ProChef SmartBrief | May 25, 2012
Elizabeth Barbone had been cooking gluten-free for more than a decade before it became the latest health food trend. Now with two gluten-free cookbooks on the market, the CIA graduate shares her story of health battles and how dropping gluten from her diet and the meals she cooks for others has changed her life. Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) (05/24)
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