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Q). Good Morning,
Chef Pisto,
I enjoy your show and restaurant fare! Our drug company dinners are
frequently at the Whaling Station and we always try to make those. I am
a registered Nurse and Certified Diabetic Educator. I work with Dr.
Robert Revers at Los Palos Medical Associates in Salinas. The work of a
C.D.E. is to teach those with diabetes all they need to know about
lifestyle changes, exercise and, most importantly, diet to manage this
complicated disease process. I have often thought that it would be a
wonderful service (and very interesting) to see one of your shows done
on "tweaking" recipes for the diabetic patient. There are so many
misconceptions about what you can and cannot eat! I would love to talk
to you more about it, should it be of interest to you or your staff.
Please contact me if you agree. Until then, keep up the great work!
Sincerely
Gail Quinnan, RN, CDE
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A). Dear Gail,
Teaching people about lifestyle changes is not my forte. Although eating
smart is an individual decision, this advice is best left to the
professionals and people are confused enough. But, since you asked, here
is my two cents worth: Don't eat processed foods; ideally we should eat
fresh and natural foods only. Drink wine, have a martini, laugh a lot,
love a lot, be nice to others, don't take any (stuff) from anyone, be
fair and the most important thing - everything in moderation -
Everything! Eat vegetables and fruits, whole grain, Basmati rice and
pasta are ok but please don't overcook them. This is very personal and I
could talk till I'm blue in the face and it probably wouldn't help.
People will change their habits only when they are ready.
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We got'em folks! Fresh
chestnuts from the mountains of Mendocino, 100-year-old European
trees. Fantastic! Thanks to my buddy Pierre Ajoux and his lovely wife
for bringing them down. Come and get'em $4.00 lb. (5
lb. minimum) while they last 373-3778.
Attention Mushroomer's - David Arora, world fungal authority and
author of "Mushrooms Demystified, All the Rain Promises and More" is
holding mushroom collecting classes on November 26th, 27th, and 28th.
These classes consist of going out collecting wild mushrooms with
experts then having David identify and talk about them. Its happening in
Albion near Fort Bragg up in Mendocino and food and housing is included.
At night David does a slide show and a there will be a cooking demo.
Call David for details (707) 884-3457. This is your chance to safely
learn more about wild mushrooms from a real expert right where they
grow.
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Q). Dear John,
Is Local's Day still happening? If so, could you give me the days they
are running it?
A). Hell yes it's still happening! Tuesday's and Wednesday's all
day three course meals at $9.95 plus two hours free parking. That's
right nine restaurants for $9.95 - best deal in town!
Q). Dear Chef Pisto,
I would like to know if I can take fresh fruit (berries) and freeze it
now for use in November or December to make smoothies? Can the fruit
just be washed and placed in a freezer bag for later use?
Wendy H.
Via e-mail A). Absolutely! Just
keep in mind that when they are thawed after
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freezing, they will be mushy. But that's
just fine for your winter smoothies. When berries are frozen, ice
crystals form inside them which causes them to expand and burst. If you
wash your berries, try to remove as much water as possible before going
into the freezer to minimize frost which will make your smoothies
watery. Q). Dear Chef,
Can you deep-fry octopus? Or can you give me a good way to cook it? I
also need a couple of ways to cook squid.
Thanks.
Daniele
Via e-mail A). Fried
octopus? I wouldn't try it - it would spatter like crazy. As far as an
octopus recipe and cooking squid, check out my web site or pick up my
cookbook. The web site |
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now has almost 600 subjects and recipes, all
indexed alphabetically.
Q). Dear Chef Pisto,
This week I was in Monterey and decided to have lunch at one of your
Wharf restaurants. I had the cioppino and I have to say it was the best
tasting cioppino I ever had! My compliments...my question is - is it the
same recipe as your "Lazy Man's Cioppino".
Via e-mail
A). Few dishes can compare to a good hearty cioppino - a real
West Coast original. The "Lazy Man's" version refers to all of the
shellfish having been removed from the shell prior to serving. All you
have to do is chew and swallow! Get yourself a glass of wine and a bib
(very important), lean forward and go to work.
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Q). Hi John,
I love reading your column and the one about chipotle sauce made me
hungry. Do you think chipotle goes well with seafood? How much would you
use?
Your loyal fan
Gail
Via e-mail
A). When your talking chipotle, the smoked jalapeno, your talking
flavor - and lot of it. Try the ones that come in the small cans that
are now available everywhere. As far as seafood, I would try it mixed
into a subtle sauce such as beurre blanc - just a touch. Remember the
natural flavor of most fish is
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delicate. By the way, beurre blanc is a classic,
versatile and easy to make sauce with endless flavoring possibilities.
Beurre Blanc Recipe
Yield: 1 pint
Ingredients:
8 oz. dry white wine
1-1/2 oz. white wine vinegar
1 oz. chopped shallots
1 lb. cold butter, cut into small pieces
Salt
Instructions:
Combine the wine, vinegar, and shallots in a saucepan and gradually
reduce by more than |
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three-fourths. Now incorporate the butter by setting
the pan over high heat and adding the butter all at once, beating
vigorously with a wire whip. When the butter is about three-fourths
melted, remove from the heat and continue to whip until the sauce is
smooth. Now add a little of your chipotle to taste - or how about a
pinch of curry, juice of a blood orange, saffron,
Tabasco ...
you get the idea. Finally, pass the sauce through a fine strainer. You
can now hold the sauce in a warm (not hot) place until served. Stir or
whip it from time to time. |
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