As April fades into May, our thoughts turn to early-summer outdoor gatherings. Weekends are filled with calls to family, friends, and neighbors, inviting them to join us for casual picnics in the backyard or park. With good food and great company, these occasions are the season’s highlight. To make hosting a breeze, here are 15 pasta dishes perfect for serving a crowd, enduring the Southern heat, and easy to whip up. Southern Shrimp Pasta Salad Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Clair Spollen; Food Stylist: Torie Cox                     This ea ..read more

PD The Santa Rosa Press Democrat The long-closed concession stand at Spring Lake will get a new snack shack on Saturday from Chef Bob Simontacchi’s Sonoma Burger. Both Willi’s Wine Bar in Santa Rosa and Wurst in Healdsburg have them on their menus. With three eateries within a mile of one another offering smash burgers on their menus, Sebastopol appears to be the smash burger capital of the world. There are restaurants that specialize in the smash, such as Sonoma Burger, Blue Ridge Kitchen, and Fernbar in The Barlow. Bob Simontacchi, the chef and co-owner of Sonoma Burger along with Brandon Pa ..read more

Meet Chef Hung Huynh: From Catch to Chopped and beyond Photo Courtesy by Christey Krause Hung Huynh is a Vietnamese-American chef who is best known for his work as the executive chef at Catch, a  seafood restaurant in New York City. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has worked at several high-profile restaurants, including Le Bernardin and Aquavit. He gained national recognition as the winner of the third season of the Bravo television series Top Chef and has since gone on to open his own restaurant and publish a cookbook. Huynh is known for his modern and creati ..read more

Although it is not always possible to work in a professional kitchen, you will learn some Chefs cooking tips and tricks. It all comes down to knife skills Chefs said      Professional chefs spend a lot of time cutting, mincing, slicing, and dicing. Here’s what these terms actually mean. It’s important to present food in a beautiful way. But it’s also about how it cooks. You can ensure that all ingredients cook evenly and at the right rate by mastering the knife. Always have mise-en-place Perhaps the most important thing you will learn in culin ..read more

Can you be a great home cook? Then, these are the grains, spices, and condiments that will make you a great chef. What are the best ingredients you should have on hand so your cooking isn’t boring, repetitive, or predictable? I called up several chefs, more than I should have, and asked them the simple question: Which five pantry items would you recommend to home cooks to ensure maximum variety and deliciousness? I told them to assume that they have basic oils and spices (which I am assuming you do). While we received many useful and varied answers, the two stars are canned fis ..read more

Taro and Malanga is a starchy tuber widely used in traditional Cuban cuisine. The indigenous had already integrated it into their diet as it has a high nutritional value. It can be prepared in a variety of ways and contains a large amount of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. In Cuban traditional cuisine, frituras de malanga ( Malanga Fritters) are served as an appetizer or snack.   CAN WE EAT MALANGA RAW? Taro and Malanga must be cooked before consuming. The most popular preparations include boiling and frying. http://cook-elite.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/20210208_1652181.mp4 MALANGA AN ..read more

Roasted Bell Pepper Veggie Turano Bread Sandwich This delicious Roasted Bell pepper Veggie Sandwich! Currently, this favorite Sandwich is my Pane Turano Toasted Bread for putting out possibly the best sandwich yet. Serving:2 Sandwich: 1 lb. Roaster Bell Pepper 1 ounce Mayo fl. oz. Pane Turano 1 pound cucumbers teaspoon salt tsp Pepper teaspoons Olive oil 1-ounce Lettuce Process Roast the bell pepper. Toast the bread, once the bread is toasted, Pour the mayonnaise. Place the vegetables in an organized way. Add lettuce, Persian cucumbers, salt, and pepper to taste, and finally, add th ..read more

Food refrigeration, drying sterilization, and pickling can be done by artisanal means. How to Preserve Food at Home Conservation by adding salt or sugar is also commonly used and is based on the principle of extracting water from food and microorganisms. This prevents its growth and reduces the activity of water by increasing the concentration of a solute in the liquid phase of the product. Its humidity is reduced and with it, the actions of pathogenic germs and the progress of enzymatic reactions. Typically, concentrations of 15 to 20% salt or 70% sucrose constitute a highly effective prese ..read more

Cooking: Whether You’re A Novice Or Pro, This Advice Will Wow You Have you ever asked yourself how they make the food? Have you tried to recreate this dish yourself at home? Use the tips in this article to create your favorite meals for all occasions. Cooking is a rewarding hobby for lots of people. Prepare as much as you can ahead of time. It is important to have all the prep work done before it’s time to begin cooking. You can spare yourself a great deal of hassle by doing prep work done early. If you’re trying to start making more food yourself, where you can find a vast array of options ..read more

PD The Santa Rosa Press Democrat The long-closed concession stand at Spring Lake will get a new snack shack on Saturday from Chef Bob Simontacchi’s Sonoma Burger. Both Willi’s Wine Bar in Santa Rosa and Wurst in Healdsburg have them on their menus. With three eateries within a mile of one another offering smash burgers on their menus, Sebastopol appears to be the smash burger capital of the world. There are restaurants that specialize in the smash, such as Sonoma Burger, Blue Ridge Kitchen, and Fernbar in The Barlow. Bob Simontacchi, the chef and co-owner of Sonoma Burger along with Brandon Pa ..read more