Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Fall beauties are here


Childhood memories.....Every late summer -fall Lithuanian family tradition use to be go mushrooming. Go Mushroom picking was a family trip about 80 miles away from my city where I was living, to a forest , where mother nature was growing under thepine and oak trees " fall beauties " - mushrooms.... chanterels , cepes ( porciny ) and many others ...I don't even know all there names in English. Smell of the fall forest is still got left in me until now days , best way to capture that spirit is to cook something what my mother was making every time after the trip. Basicly every Lithuanian familly use to cook mushroom only few simple ways...clean it...then boil it in salted water...then saute galric, onions and home made bacon...and finish it with creme fraiche and serve with fresh boiled potatoes from the garden...rest of the mushrooms use to be preserved for the winter...some of them got salted in a clay pots...and some pickled in a jars..cepes were usualy dried in a low oven overnight...as a chef right now... I have tried many fancy variations .... enriched with truffle oil etc..warm salads with medeira dressing...bla bla bla...but until now best recipe is still with bacon ...potatoes, onions and creme fraiche Why ?? because thats whats is in my mind and memory !!!
Thats why overcooked mamas turkey on a Thanksgiving with **** brand cranberry mold is the best tasting meal of the year for you...because thats what mama use to do for years ..... and that smell and taste will stay in you till the rest of your life ! So right now we have mission give theese good memories for our kids...please do not make them remember ...chef Boyerdee or Rammen noodles.. or progresso soups.... personally... I never had those and I hope never will... and I hope my kids too...
Love to cook ! And you should too ! Because thats part of the life !
V

Friday, October 2, 2009

ICASI scholarship fund

I was helping Loretta Paganini last night at ICASI ( international cullinary arts and science institute) with nice big well planed event for a culinary students , to raise scholarship fund . What a event, Cleveland should be proud that we have place like this for people with passion for culinary arts . Everyone should check it out if you considering building your carrier in this field. http://www.icasi.net/
This even brought me back memories from culinary school. Truth is I love to cook and being surrounded with culinary professionals also passionable about food just like I'm . Bravo Loretta. We are all love you.