Growing up gypsy, there are often customs and traditions observed by a family that, as children raised under such circumstances, simply make sense without hesitation. As long as I can remember, I have been fed black-eyed peas and collard greens on new years eve, I have made an effort to consume fish throughout lent… regardless how unsuccessful, Barbacoa on Cinco de Mayo, Hotdogs and Burgers on the 4th of July, Chicken Mole on Dia de los Muertos, Turkey on thanksgiving, etc… Simply because that is…

Snow covers the rolling pastures lining an un-shoveled back road as icicles invade the trim of an old farmhouse… Winter is an increasingly difficult time for any chef… To cook under the restraints of a ruthless, often barren season calls for a cook to showcase his talents and creativity in different ways. This time, this season, is when you can learn to expect rustic techniques, rudimentary ingredients and you can see the true worth of a cook. A visit to Dennis Penzkover, over at Timberline…

In all animals, there are specific pieces of flesh or intricate assemblages of bone and joint that increase the difficulty in handling of such a cut, so much so, that people often don’t. In a perfect world, every animal would be utilized at it’s full potential… Unfortunately, the world is simply imperfect, which is where I come into play. As a cook, It is my duty to pay homage to a carcass. The neck is a difficult piece of flesh by any standard. A small…

Crafting a beer worth drinking is an art in it’s own right. In a world looking for diversity and a people yearning for unique experiences, a new kind of dining scene has begun to emerge. The Gastro-Pubs, the Food Trucks, the Pop-up Restaurants, Micro-Breweries… The bold and the restless, where young chefs and craftsmen, cooks and brew masters dare to take chances. Small plates, restaurants based on a single dish, beer tastings, and where does it end… does it have to end? And exciting time…

In Complete contrast to the most popular of beliefs, I have never had Headcheese containing Eyes and Brains, or cheese even… The Biggest obstacle in the production of a headcheese is simply developing your flavor profile. There are two different kinds of people in this world, Those who are familiar, realize and understand the beauty in what is being crafted; and those who base a recipe on it’s appearance and assume that you got all hyped on bath salts before turning on a pig… This…

Although the exact history of this delicate cake is some what a blur, many of the back stories that I was able to dig up led to the belief that the little pastries were perfected by a convent of ancient nuns; as so many of the world’s finest treats usually are. A Canele is an elusive treat in our modernized culinary world. The single serving cakes have recently begun to make some what of a come back as chefs are looking into mastering traditional techniques…

buy good essay   A history of a forgotten beast, the appreciation of a beautiful bovine, the reintroduction of an inherent native. The primitive appearance of the American Bison has long been wiped from the majority of our populations memories. My earliest recollection of the animal is largely constructed of scenes from the movie “Dances With Wolves.” Currently living in a society in which hunting as a sport is almost a religion, I am happy to see that many of the hunters that are annually…

I am sitting in a crowded restaurant surrounded by unfamiliar faces in a strange neighborhood on the out skirts of a big city. I am eating a new cuisine feeling oddly sentimental and comfortably 8 years old again. A shrimp appetizer (described as buy viagra online us a noodle on the menu) provides a dish that revives the chubby little boy belonging to a penniless family living largely on Ramen noodles from my youth, I am instantly overcome with a sense of humbled pride. I…

Deep in the thick north woods, I find myself surrounded by a beauty that nature gracefully surrenders day in and day out. Simply making my way to work unveils hundreds of signs of thriving life, that any wanderer would be pleased to come across. Wild turkeys mindlessly waddling around an open field as a doe and her fawn cautiously cross a paved road ahead of me. Only when I step out of the car and cross the tree line for a closer look, do I…