b
    behindtheburner

    behindtheburner

  • 5 Ways to Host a Stress-Free Thanksgiving Dinner

    Everyone remembers the first holiday they ever hosted. Some may have a more favorable account of the preparation than others, but generally, when it comes to preparing a large meal for a big holiday such as Thanksgiving, practice makes perfect. However, if you are not a seasoned chef or a veteran ho

  • Our Top Picks for Haunting Halloween Cocktails

    For me, no Halloween is complete without the following three things: costumes, candy and cocktails. The first two usually take care of themselves, so it's the third I usually worry about. But by the time the 31st rolls around, most of us are already overloaded on sugar and corny gimmicks, so I like

  • 5 Favorite Summer Grilling Gadgets

    Now that the weather is warming up and the mercury is rising, it's time to fire things up and get grilling. Whether you're headed to the beach or just bumming in the backyard, these grilling gadgets will be sure to take any summer cookout to the next level.1. EZ Grill: Forget hassling with hot coals

  • Our Favorite Lightened Summer Cocktails

    Whether you're at a barbeque, picnic, or just lying by the pool, summer is all about relaxation and fun. And when the weather gets hot, there's no better way to chill out than with an ice-cold cocktail. Unfortunately, those margaritas and pina coladas we all love so much can wreck havoc on our summe

  • 4 Whiskey Cocktails for Classic Irish Imbibing

    If you've had your fill of Guinness and green food coloring, you're probably in need of some classic whiskey cocktails to toast St. Patrick with tonight. Mix up one of these shamrock sippers and you'll put your party right over the rainbow.Tipperary CocktailMixologist Yael Vengroff passed along her

  • Celebrate St. Patty's in NYC like a True Irishman

    They say that everyone is Irish on March 17th. But if you aren't a fan of parades and green Bud Light just isn't for you, try one of these authentic pubs where you can get some real Irish beer and hearty traditional St. Patty's Day fare. It was hard to narrow it down, but after doing some extensive

  • Think You're Eating Healthy? Think Again...

    These days, most of us know about the supposed "super foods" that we need to be working into our diets and have since stocked our kitchens with "good fats" like olive oil and avocado and antioxidant-rich fruits like blueberries. This is great, but recent studies have shown that a limited diet (yes,

  • 7 Food Tips to Kick the Winter Blues

    February is right around the corner and the winter blues are starting to kick in. Being outside on a daily basis does not allow you to suck up enough UV's. Rather than having 3 lattes or a Coke, try boosting your body by reaching for good-for-you foods that pack an overwhelming punch.1. Eat foods ri

  • Say Feliz Navidad With Spectacular Holiday Cocktails

    The holiday season is upon us and what better way to enjoy the cold days than to lay back, enjoy the time with family and friends, and sip a spectacular holiday cocktail courtesy of the expert mixologists at Behind the Burner! Below are some devious drinks to get you in a festive mood.Bacardi® Part

  • 10 Things You Should Never Do To Your Bartender

    We are all guilty of doing these things that irritate our favorite bartenders, so here's a list of major bar faux pas to avoid when visiting your favorite watering holes.10. Waving, yelling and falling all over the bar to get the bartender's attention is completely unacceptable. Don't assume you are

  • How to Pick a Wine for Your Dinner Party

    It's no secret that a good glass of wine stimulates bright conversation. At a gathering, good conversation is arguably just as important as the food. That's why choosing the right wine for is a crucial part of the evening. But don't worry, you aren't in this alone. Choosing a bottle of wine that's r

  • BYOM is the New BYOB: Practical Party Tips for America’s Birthday

    Want to see the fireworks explode, rather than your wallet, this Fourth of July? One popular trend for this Fourth of July holiday is simply BYOM. No, not bring your own beer, you heard right-bring your own meat! Of course this does seem inappropriate at first as you are the host and you should be p

  • Happy Hour Gets Happier

    It has once been said, "In hard times, people drink!" Of late, when the closing bell on Wall Street rings, staff from each window office and basement floor flood to the nearest bar or pub in need of a stiff drink. Question, why go to a crowded bar when you can have these refurbished beverages in you

  • Grapes of Wrath? How Red Wine Does a Body Good

    You know the drill. A diet rich in fruits, veggies and whole grains is vital for good health. Blah...blah...blah. But did you know that drinking wine regularly is healthy? Hold the wine train, you mean drinking is good...for...me? Cheers! A growing number of studies show that this fermented grape go

  • Phat Times? Yes, Indeed

    The secret is out: fat is back. Bone marrow, foie gras, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confit" target="_BLANK">confit</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatback" target="_BLANK">fatback</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.theworldwidegourmet.com/products/offal-tripe-prducts/caul-fat/" target="_BLANK">caul fat</a>, pork belly and, yes, butter and cream <i>are</i> capable of catapulting any mere recipe into categories of myth and lore. So, when our eyes roll back in our head, generating looks of unabashed ecstasy and send us into food-crazed obsession, we can blame fat. Chefs have always known the power of fat, but now openly embrace it as a keystone ingredient and champion its diversity. Even amid tenuous economic times, restaurants and culinary pundits continue to ignore the warnings of leaner days, refusing to <i>trim the fat</i>, so to speak. <br> <br> Fats, members of the chemical family called <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipid" target="_BLANK"><i>lipids</i></a>, don't mix with water and form necessary boundaries between watery cells in both plants and animals. They are essential for maintaining our chemical balance and are important sources for energy, containing almost three times as much as glucose, by weight. Fat is a long-term storage unit that acts as a safety net after our body uses up all of its glucose or glycogen, a complex carbohydrate. <br> <br> Fats are indispensable in the kitchen as well. They allow us to heat foods well above the boiling point of water. They are responsible for the crispy textures on the outside of our seared and grilled meats, the rich, concentrated flavors when <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braising" target="_BLANK">braising</a> or confiting and the desired melt-in-your-mouth texture of our baked goods. So, why so much debate over fat? <br> <br> Beginning in the 1950's scientific inquiry backed by the United States government steered the American public away from animal fats and toward "healthy" manmade ones. Much of the evidence presented was unsubstantiated and contradictory, at best. But the public took the bait: hook, line and sinker. The common assumption was that <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity" target="_BLANK">obesity</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.emedicinehealth.com/high_cholesterol/article_em.htm" target="_BLANK">high cholesterol</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/" target="_BLANK">heart disease</a> were inextricably linked to a diet high in <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=532" target="_BLANK">saturated fats</a>. Low-fat, nonfat and low-carb diets became the norm. <br> <br> Our health-conscious attitudes relegated fat to the back burner. We have chosen to cook with oils like soy, canola and corn rather than solid fat from animals, based on conflicting scientific evidence. Animal fats are assimilated in ways that help promote increased immune efficiency, healthy skin, hair and bones and regulate our digestive system. According to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.jennifermclagan.com/" target="_BLANK">Jennifer McLagan</a>, in her recent book <i>Fat: an appreciation of a misunderstood ingredient, with recipes</i>, "Diets low in fat, it turns out, leave people hungry, depressed, and prone to weight gain and illness." <br> <br> Our diets have changed dramatically over the last hundred years. We have shifted from a diet with saturated fats, to one high in <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.ofg/wiki/Monounsaturated_fat" target="_BLANK">monounsaturated</a> and, unfortunately, man-made <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/hydrogenated-fats.html" target="_BLANK">hydrogenated fats</a>, which contain trans fats. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.umn.edu/features/transfats.htm" target="_BLANK">Trans fats</a> are difficult for the body to process and contain zero health benefits. They are now <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bantransfats.com/" target="_BLANK">banned</a> in California and some cities. <br> <br> We have also replaced essential protein and fat with diets high in sugar, carbohydrates and processed foods, which further exacerbate health issues like <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes" target="_BLANK">diabetes</a> and obesity. Returning to a more natural, conscious and educated approach to food is essential to understanding our diet, and, hence ourselves. <br> <br> But, I digress. <br> <br> Underneath the numerous health-related scientific studies and conflicting arguments lies an integral ingredient ready to be unsheathed and proclaim its arrival on the culinary main stage. The secret is, in fact, out: fat is back. Culinary techniques rely heavily on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarified_butter" target="_BLANK">clarified butter</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brown-Veal-Stock-100593" target="_BLANK">veal stock</a>, duck fat and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-lardons.htm" target="_BLANK">lardons</a> to enhance any dish. And yes, that includes vegetables. But, fat is no longer relegated for the use of braising, basting, pan-frying or for stocks. <br> <br> The use of pork fat in cooking is by no means new, but does provide some exemplary examples. In <i>Fat</i>, Jennifer McLagan provides a few obscure recipes that further exemplify its versatility: " <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%20f--%20ot_%28food%29" target="_BLANK">f-- ots</a> with Onion Gravy," "<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/cookbook/kugelhopf.html" target="_BLANK">Kugelhopf</a> au <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lard" target="_BLANK">Lard</a>," "Gooseberry Pie" and "Manteca Colorada", to name a few. <br> <br> Renowned menus from New York to California now reserve a portion of their menu for fat itself, as a focal point rather than a tertiary ingredient. A few of the better examples in New York include <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.danielnyc.com/barboulud.html" target="_BLANK">Bar Boulud's</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_cheese" target="_BLANK">headcheese</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.prunerestaurant.com/" target="_BLANK">Prune's</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.answers.com/topic/sweetbreads" target="_BLANK">sweetbreads</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.altorestaurant.com/" target="_BLANK">Alto's</a> braised veal cheeks and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.thespottedpig.com/" target="_BLANK">The Spotted Pig's</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--37513/bath-chap.asp" target="_BLANK">Bath Chap</a>. <br> <br> Of course, the real reason to use animal fat is for flavor. Through our continuous quest for the best recipes using <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lardo" target="_BLANK">lardo</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.birdnature.com/suet.html" target="_BLANK">suet</a> or <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmaltz" target="_BLANK">schmaltz</a> we will arrive at a higher elevated culinary plateau. Thus, when we do uniformly return to a time-honored cooking tradition in our kitchens fat will again be viewed in the glorious light it deserves. And hopefully, our debates will be confined to a processed, diet-crazed synthetic past. <br> <br> Check out <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.behindtheburner.com/">Behind the Burner</a> for more culinary tricks, tips, and techniques. <br> <br> Chris Forbes

  • How to Host a Collaborative Dinner Party

    If you're like me, food is one of the main conversation topics with friends and family -- from where to dine to new recipes, to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Chef">Top Chef</a> drama and the eagerly anticipated <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.deandeluca.com/">Dean and Deluca</a> catalogue. And I am constantly experimenting with flavors and dishes in my ongoing quest for culinary mastery and that elusive "perfect bite." <br> <br> During one of my typical evenings furiously mixing ingredients for my latest creation, I had the idea of hosting a collaborative dinner party, where each guest each brings a food item from an assigned group of categories to collaborate on a truly inventive dish. It's easy to stagnate in your own exploration, so this is a great way to expand your horizons, experiment with different ingredients, and have fun with friends in the process. <br> <br> Think of it as a way for all of you to showcase your talents and share trade secrets. And what gal doesn't love sharing secrets and gossip over food? Plus, you always end up congregating in the kitchen anyway! (And be prepared for the fact that you may not even make it to the dinner table!) <br> <br> I've hosted a couple of these parties, and the first few did not go so well. "Too many chefs spoil the broth" is a surprisingly accurate adage, and you can replace 'broth' with 'pasta,' 'steak,' 'chicken' or virtually any food item. But my mishaps in the form of an exploding seafood strudel, singed salmon cakes and fiery filet (and I mean, a filet mignon that was literally, on fire!) are your fortune as I detail a fool-proof plan for hosting a successful and well organized collaborative dinner party. <br> <br> 1. Choose a Theme - Not to stifle creativity, but having a food theme is a good way to focus your efforts on ingredients that work well together, and help guide the meal. Otherwise, you could end up with a maple glazed sirloin with curry, pineapple rice and a corn, black bean and cumin slaw, which needless to say, was not a complementary trio. Everyone was just sort of tossing ingredients into the mix hodge podge-style, so I highly recommend centering around a type of cuisine -- French, Italian, Asian etc. -- and avoid fusions at all costs. This allows you to stick with coordinating flavor combinations, and not get too carried away. <br> <br> 2. Create Food Categories - As the host, you should provide the main protein, and have guests bring accompanying items. You can divvy up the rest by categories such as 'vegetables,' 'starches,' and so on. Be sure to tell them what your main protein will be so that they can select ingredients to enhance the dish, and also ask that they bring along their favorite spices or seasonings. I discovered a bold coffee-spiced beef rub that I still use to this day. <br> <br> 3. Set Up Stations - From my unsuccessful experiences with everything from exploding edibles to charred chicken, I recommend setting up food stations for guests to focus on individual elements of the meal. That way, everyone can concentrate on their specific portions of the dish without all huddling up around one item or randomly adding ingredients. Plus, this allows you to pair flavors that you may not have done yourself, and creates a manageable, coordinated effort. <br> <br> Then, put on some music and let the vino, creativity and laughter flow. Once you're all together, it's exciting to watch how everyone works and the different cooking styles and tricks you'll uncover. Even with so many cooks in the kitchen, you'll be surprised how much fun it can be, and the array of interesting accompaniments your guests produce. A prepared dessert is usually best, but if you have an ambitious crew, I recommend sweet crepes. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a> sells pre-made <a rel="nofollow" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat">buckwheat</a> crepes, available in their Bakery section, which you just need to heat, and then you can have each guest whip up their own filling. A vegan friend of mine conjured up a carrot, avocado and honey mixture that was, astonishingly, beyond scrumptious. And that's the whole point -- broadening your culinary repertoire and tastes, and breaking out of your comfort zone when it comes to hatching new food ideas. <br> <br> But, whichever you decide, after a delicious collaborative meal, cooking solo will seem very lonely -- and uneventful! Stay tuned to <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.behindtheburner.com/">Behind the Burner</a> for more tricks, tips, and techniques. <br> <br> Gennefer Snowfield

  • 6 Tips To the Perfect Beer

    Every Wednesday I take a trip to the local haunt in my hometown in Jersey to sample a few brews and have a relaxing time with old friends. I've been a margarita girl for pretty much forever, but recently I started to enjoy the taste of cold beer: frothy wheat or a genuine pale ale can really refresh

  • Say "Cheese," Honey

    I never thought their paths would cross, but when they did, it was love at first bite.Weddings often bore me, but the marriage of honey and cheese nearly made me weep like fresh mozzarella. At Artisanal Premium Cheese in Manhattan, I learned all about the courtship between these two fabulous foods.

  • Very Sexy Cocktails: Anytime, Anyplace!

    Feeling saucy? Forget that winter chill and try these sumptuous, sexy cocktails inspired by romance-or maybe a little lust--and guaranteed to make you swoon. Created by top New York City mixologists, these specialty drinks are the perfect way to begin or end your evening. If you're in the Big Apple,

  • How To Read A Wine Menu

    It is a bit ironic that, when dining out, the food should be the star of the table, but all too often the wine menu dwarfs the food menu. Isn't the star's dressing room always much larger than the rest of the cast's? Regardless, the volume of the wine menu can be enough to remind you of your high sc