History of French Fries

French Fries, at least in the U.S. seem to have been first named “Potatoes, fried in the French manner”, which is how Thomas Jefferson described a dish he brought over to the colonies in the late 1700s. He served this to guests at Monticello and it became popular dinner fare.

The Oxford Dictionary of the English Language makes first mention of them in an 1857 quote from Dickens about a plate of potato sticks cooked in oil. There are also a couple references in the late 1800s.

It is interesting to note that the French Fry was the precursor to the potato chip. According to “The Interesting History of Ordinary Items” in 1893 American Indian George Crum was the Chef at Moon Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, New York. Some quest started complaining that the fries were too thick, so Crum made a thinner batch. Still no good, Crum got fed up and made ultra-thin fries that couldn’t be picked up with a fork (which was the custom then) and would break if one tried to. The guests loved them! Not one to dwell on a failure Crum gave in and made them regularly. They were on the lodge’s menu as Saratoga Chips. Crum opened up his own place and specialized in the “fries gone wrong.”

US Foods Shares Recipe for Green Success

US Foods, one of the nation’s largest foodservice distributors, demonstrates that systematically reducing a company’s environmental footprint can result in significant savings and a competitive advantage. Their San Francisco Division, based in Livermore, recycles cardboard, paper, shrink-wrap and other materials, and is progressively designing waste out of their operations with reusable instead of disposable packaging.

Recycling efforts alone save the facility over $90,000 annually in avoided disposal costs and recycling revenue. In addition, the division recycles water from refrigeration units, runs its fleet of delivery trucks on a biodiesel blend, has slashed electricity consumption by 37% and supplies over a third of the facility’s remaining energy needs with its own 1MW solar array.

But US Foods’ commitment to sustainability doesn’t stop here. Their Livermore location actively works with vendors and customers to help them green their own operations, too. This has earned the company the 2011 StopWaste Business Partnership Mentor Award from local public agency StopWaste.Org, whose staff has supported US Foods in their waste reduction efforts since 2006.

US Foods is one of 11 Alameda County organizations honored by StopWaste.Org for outstanding achievements in waste reduction and environmental performance. They are the first to receive the Mentor Award, a category added to the 13-year-old recognition program last year.

Read more on the www.stopwaste.org website here.

 

Marshmallows use simple ingredients and are easier to make than you might think. A stand mixer works best because of the lengthy beating time. Be sure to watch it while beating. The mixture has a tendency to crawl up the beaters as it thickens

From The Meatpaper Meat Party At The Acme Chophouse, Bacon and  Pistachio Marshmallows


Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
Vegetable shortening (Crisco recommended) for preparing the pan
1 cup cold water
3 Tablespoons (3 envelopes) unflavored gelatin
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Good quality homemade bacon bits to taste(not the crap from the produce or canned sections, always cook your own bacon)
Pistachios to taste
Confectioners sugar (for coating the marshmallows) 

Preparation:
Prepare a 9 x 13 x 2 inch pan as follows. Invert the pan. Cut a piece of aluminum foil long enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Place the foil over the inverted pan and fold down the sides and corners just to shape. Remove the foil and turn the pan right side up. Place the foil in the pan and press it gently into place. With a pastry brush or crumpled wax paper coat the foil thoroughly but lightly with vegetable shortening. Set aside. 

Place 1/2 cup cold water in the large bowl of an electric mixer, Sprinkle the gelatin over the surface of the water and set aside

Place the sugar, corn syrup, salt and the other 1/2 cup water in a heavy 2 quart saucepan over moderately low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Cover for 3 minutes to allow any sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan to dissolve. Uncover, raise the heat to high, insert a candy thermometer, and let the syrup boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat. 

Beating constantly at medium speed, pour the syrup slowly into the gelatin mixture. After all the syrup has been added, increase the speed to high and beat for 15 minutes until the mixture is lukewarm, snowy white, and the consistency of whipped marshmallow, adding the vanilla, candied pistachios and the bacon bits a few minutes before the end of the beating. (During the beating, occasionally scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. The marshmallow will thicken and become sticky -- if the mixture crawls up on the beaters as it thickens, carefully wipe it down with a rubber spatula.)

Pour the slightly warm and thick marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and, with your forefinger, scrape all the mixture off the beaters. Smooth the top of the marshmallow.

Let stand uncovered at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours or longer if it is more convenient.

Then sift or strain confectioners sugar generously onto a large cutting board to cover a surface larger then your pan. Invert the marshmallow over the sugared surface. Remove the pan and peel off the foil. 

Strain confectioners sugar generously over the top of the marshmallow.

To cut into even 1 inch strips use a ruler and toothpicks to mark it every 1 inch.

Prepare a long, heavy, sharp knife by brushing the blade lightly with vegetable shortening. Cutting down firmly with the full length of the blade, cut the marshmallow into 1 inch strips. (After cutting the first slice, just keep the blade sugared to keep it from sticking.)

Dip the cut sides of each strip into confectioners sugar to coat them thoroughly -- you should have enough excess sugar on the board to do this.

Now cut each strip into 1 inch squares. (You may place three strips together and cut through them all at once.) Roll the marshmallows in the sugar to coat the remaining sides. Shake off excess sugar.

Store in a plastic box or any airtight container -- or plastic bag.

Yield: makes 1 pound, 10 ounces of marshmallows

Anatomy of a Pork Rib

Pigs have 14 ribs. They are attached to the spine and are usually divied up into four popular cuts: Baby back ribs, spare ribs, St. Louis cut ribs, and rib tips.

Applebees launched pork riblets on their rib menu adding a lower cost menu item while expanding their variety. Now they feature two portions of pork baby back rib, and two portions of pork "riblets" The price points are at a $10.50 pork riblet basket-just ribs, a $12 Riblet meal offering a choice of flavorful sauces to chose from, a $13 half rack of baby backs, and a $17 full rack of baby backs with signature bbq sauce. All but the basket include fries and coleslaw.

A riblet is a confusing term however as what there are really serving is more accurately called a "rib tip" or in retail they are known as button ribs. This is a portion of the whole pork sparerib that is closest to the breast or brisket. It is trimmed off of the sparerib to create what is called a St. Louis style rib.

Pork loin baby back ribs lie closest to the spine on the hog, and as the name implies they back up the loin meat that makes up your pork chops. This is the area where the "prime rib" of pork is located and the meat is most tender. Baby backs are probably one of the most popular menu items here on the West Coast.

St. Louis ribs are popular because they combine the wonderful full flavor of the sparerib with the consistant sizing of a pork loin baby back rib, at up to half the cost of the back rib.

A sparerib sold wholesale will usually cost under $2 lb, while a St. Louis rib will be in the $2-$3 lb range. Amazingly the cut rib tip tends to remain around the same price of the whole sparerib creating quite a value for the restaurateur and ultimately the consumer.

What's The Biga Deal?

The Biga the Better

“Behind each and every memorable bite of proper Italian bread we’ve daintily nibbled, hungrily inhaled, or otherwise somehow consumed, we have a biga to thank. Much obliged.” Leite's Culinaria, an award winning food website

The real art of artisan breads: a fermentation starter that develops the flavor and texture and pumps up the flour.

Start at the very beginning. The use of a sour starter is a method of bread baking that goes back at least 6,000 years, since yeast had to be sustained from bread batch to bread batch. Legend has it that Columbus brought a starter with him to America, and the technique was a standard method of baking in the early days of the U.S. This is sometimes referred to in English as a 'mother' or 'sourdough' starter and in Italian as lievito di madre, madriga or pasta acida. Before beer yeast was readily available, each household made its own starter from airborne yeasts or those found in fermenting fruits such as grapes. This was kept in the fridge and ‘fed' regularly with flour and water. These starters are everlasting--some bakeries in America claim to have had their starter for over 100 years. With the advent of commercially available yeast and baking powder in the nineteenth century, the use of such starters was confined to those pioneers who moved farther and farther from settlements.

Why biga?  The availability of baker’s yeast spurred a shift away from sourdough by Italian bakers. The biga starter was created to recover the flavor which was lost and to reinforce the strength of the dough, making it ideal for products such as brioche or stolen. Made a day before the dough and left out to ferment at room temperature, biga produces a wonderful aroma, open texture, chewy crust and a slightly beery, acidic aroma inside. The risings are long and bring out the flavor of the grain, according to breadtopia.com. “Biga provides stretchy elegance and high volume to Italian breads,” says Chef Michael Kalanty of Kitchen on Fire, a Berkley-based gourmet cooking school.  In addition, breads made with biga remain fresher and longer.

What is biga?  The Bread Bakers Guild of America describes it as: “a substantial cultivation of yeasts and acids which is very firm to the touch (42-46% of water), cool (64-68 F), and made active by a dose of yeast (1%), which achieves multiplication of the yeasts, hydration and maturation of the gluten and formation of acid and aromatic substances.” Translation: a strong, active, and mature starter. 

You have to start somewhere. Since the Chefs Line™ biga formula and process is indeed a secret, there’s no better place than the biga recipe from Carol Field’s “The Italian Baker,” winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award for best baking book and has been named to the James Beard Baker’s Dozen list of 13 indispensable baking books of all time.

Italian Biga Recipe by Carol Field

1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons water, preferably bottled spring water, at room     temperature

2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Stir the yeast into the warm water and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the remaining water and then the flour, 1 cup at a time. By hand, 3-4 minutes; with mixer, 2 minutes at lowest speed; with food processor, mix just until a sticky dough forms. Transfer the biga to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at a cool room temperature for 6 to 24 hours (many bakers are happiest with the maximum amount of time when it truly becomes yesterday’s dough). When ready, the starter will be triple its original volume and still be wet and sticky.  If you like sour bread, allow your biga to rest for 24 to 48 hours, or you might even stretch it to 72 hours. Cover and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. If freezing the biga, let it rest at room temperature for about 3 hours until it is bubbly and active again.

Fresh From The Farm Produce Market Update Week Begining 10/28/2012

Potato

Idaho is completely done with the harvest. This year the only state that has fewer potatoes then last

 year is Washington. All other states have a surplus of potatoes. The market on all colors and sizes of potatoes seems to have settled in for now. We are not expecting any big market changes until mid January. Burbanks and Norkotahs are being offered by most suppliers. Quality is good on all potatoes. Now is a great time to be promoting potatoes. In North Dakota they were not able to harvest around 3,000 acres of potatoes because the weather has turned. We will see in the next week how the red market settles from this.

 Lettuce

 Lettuce is transition from Salinas Valley to Huron (San Joaquin Valley.) Harvesting palletized lettuce in Huron has begun.  Quality is fair to good, a few misshapen heads and weights are a touch on the lighter side (averaging 43-45 pounds.) Vendors will be in Huron for about 4 weeks and then transition to Yuma. Prices have been slowing increasing. This is mainly due to the transition to Huron and finishing up the Salinas crop.  Overall supplies are a little lighter than normal. The Romaine and Green leaf markets are still pretty slow with low demand.  Quality is good on the leaf items. Romaine and Green do not move to Huron like iceberg does. 

Tomato

The rain and cooler temperatures in California are pushing prices of tomatoes up. This is creating a bigger gap in supplies. On the east suppliers are also very light and will continue to be so until the central and southern Florida crops come in.  Those regions are a couple of weeks behind where they normally are due to excessive night time heat back in September.  Better volume and quality will be coming from these regions by the 3 week of November.  Romas are being sourced primarily out of Mexico but the quality is inconsistent.

Onions

Report on the onion crops are showing a nationwide decline on onions compared to last year. Ontario, Oregon, and Washington State hold 60 percent of all the remaining onions in storage. There is a wide swing in sizing but the average is about normal. In Washington the yields and sizes are less than expected.  Many of the smaller sized onions will be exported to Asia. We have already seen the market start to climb this week and this trend will continue in for a few weeks. 

Citrus

Limes-  The lime market remains steady. Availability on the limes has remained steady on the

 larger sizes (110's, 150's & 175's) with some lighter volumes on the smaller sizes (200's, 230's & 250's). We will see this trend continue as we move away from the new crop. We will continue to see color improve as we move into fall and away from the high heat of summer.

Oranges-  Valencia’s are finishing this week and will navels will be on the market going forward. The new navel crop looks to be of very good quality, the first few weeks the fruit will be a little pale on the interior and exterior due to the gassing hours we need to bring on the color.

Lemons –  Market is all over the board as we have lemons. The color and condition of the fruit is excellent and peaking on 140’s and 165;’s and we will be going with good volume for the next few months. Expect to see the market stabilize in the next few weeks. 

Vegetables

Peppers-   Majority of peppers are being sourced from the Carolinas but mainly southern Georgia

 with good supplies available.  The West expects lighter supplies on large fruit as growers are sizing down on current fields and transitioning to other districts. Quality is good.

Broccoli & Cauliflower- Supplies are back to normal numbers and quality looks good. With the rain that the west has been experiencing pink rot and brown bead may result. Supplies for Thanksgiving maybe lower than usual as the Salinas deal was accelerated by the heat. The heat lead to 3 weeks in a row of over budget supplies and depressed prices. This week, supply and demand should be more closely aligned.

Celery-Supply is very good for celery out of both Santa Maria and Salinas growing regions. Oxnard harvest is expected to start earlier than expected creating a surplus in supply. Quality is good with occasional leafy stems being the main defects.  Demand is moderate and the market is steady.

Squash-  The markets in the east are stable as supplies meets demand, with most of the product coming from Georgia.  Quality issues seen are mainly scarring with straight neck yellow and spaghetti. Acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash are readily available throughout the country.

Cucumbers- Georgia is finishing up and the quality is poor. Florida will start up in a week to ten days,

 which will ease market pressure. New shippers are coming online in the West and product is starting to cross at Nogales. Prices are decreasing because demand has decreased. 

Fruits

Apples & Pears- The temps are great for getting color on the apples but we don't expect much more

 size at this time.  The lows are from the low 40's to the low 30's. The high temps for the past week and forecasted for the next week are 45~65. If it starts to rain in all harvest will stop. Harvesting is currently happening for Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, Reds & Cameo. All of these varieties should be pick and in storage by November 10th. Harvesting for Golden, Gala, most of the Granny Smith and pears is done. One of the issues that is slowing down the picking of the apples is the shortage of harvest workers.

Grapes- Market steady to strong as we have been slowing down on harvesting, but will continue to harvest through November depending on weather. The overall fruit quality is excellent and sugars are high and condition is very good. Expect the market to stay steady going forward through November.

Honeydews – Market very strong as production out of the desert is light, but will continue to get better

 which will help ease the market in the next week. The overall quality is good with mostly a green cast, and good interior color and good sugar. Expect to see some ground scar and uneven netting due to the desert growing conditions. We expect to have availability through November and then start the off shore fruit.

Cantaloupes- Market is steady with supplies out of Mexico and the California and Arizona desert, the overall quality is very good with a green to cream cast and very good interior condition and sugar content. Expect to see better supplies of honeydew in the next week as all regions ramp up their volume. We will have good supplies going forward out of California and Arizona through November.

 Raspberries - Mexican quality is very good and comparable to California fruit in the market.  Both

 regions are expecting good volumes for the upcoming weeks.

Blackberries- There are good supplies coming from Mexico, as they are starting the first peak periods for the season. California does have some volume left, but it is affected by weather and needs to stay local.  If it does rain in California again this weekend blackberries will be done for the season.

Strawberries- Rains in Salinas/ Watsonville areas have brought harvesting to a halt.  With more rain expected over the weekend several growers are in the North are contemplating calling it quit for the season. Decent production down in Oxnard, but with rain up north product will be short for market demand very quickly. This is leading to price increases.

Blueberries- The market is short on product and prices are increasing. Weather has been affecting the blueberry market as well.  Rain in Argentina has kept imports down some compared to original forecasted amounts and more rain is expected this weekend in Argentina. Chile has started a little early as some of Argentina’s bigger regions may be done early if they get more rain.

Baked Potato Pork Belly Pastrami

Brought to you by the folks at Idaho potato. See their sight here.

Yield: 4 servings


Ingredients

• Pastrami pork belly (5 pound pork belly)
  
  Brine:
  
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 gallon water
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup salt
• 4 each bay leaves
• 6 each fresh thyme
• 6 each juniper
• 6 each allspice
• 4 each clove
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 black whole pepper
• 6 coriander seeds
• mustard seeds

Pastrami Rub

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4/ cup mustard seeds
• 6 tablespoons garlic flakes
• 6 tablespoons onion powder
• 6 tablespoons chili flakes
• 1/4 cup ground black pepper

Baked potato:

• 4 medium-sized potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Baked potato (frying):

• Peanut oil
• Reserved potatoes
• Sea salt
• Pepper

Sour cream topping:

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Directions

Pastrami Pork Belly:

1. Put all ingredients in a pot
2. Bring to a boil just until salt and sugar is dissolved
3. Cool before using
4. Brine pork belly for 5 days

Pastrami Rub:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl
2. Pack rub on the belly
3. Let sit overnight
4. Smoke in electrical smoker at 230 degrees for 8 to 9 hours

Baked potato:

1. Toss potatoes in oil seasoning with salt and pepper
2. Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 1 hour
3. Cool potatoes for 30 minutes
4. Cut potatoes in half the long way
5. Use a spoon to scoop out some of the inside of the potatoes
6. Potatoes should be 1/8 inches thick
7. Reserve until ready

Baked potato (frying):

1. Put peanut oil in a heavy duty pot
2. Heat oil up to 350 degrees
3. Fry potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes
4. Put out and season

Sour cream:

1. Mix all together

Final:

1. Take fried potatoes
2. Add local cheese curd
3. 1/8 thick piece of pork belly
4. Put in oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes
5. When done, top with sour cream
6. Add more chopped green onions

Mediterranean Israeli Cous Cous & Quinoa Salad w/ Feta and White Balsamic Vinagrette

1 package Rykoff Sexton Tri-Color Couscous & Quinoa (1995752) 

1 cup Red Onion, Dice

1 cup English Cucumber, Diced

¾ cup Fresh Tomatoes, Diced

 1/2 cup Rykoff Sexton Star Cut Kalamata Olives (6543920)

1 cup Glenview Farms Mediterranean Feta Cheese (2606465)

1 ½ cups Monarch White Balsamic with Lime and Basil Vinaigrette (3942547)

Salt and Pepper To Taste

Cook one package of Rykoff Sexton Tri Color Cous Cous & Quinoa according to directions on the sleeve. Spread on a sheet pan and cool in refrigerator.

Add dressing slowly to your couscous salad mix until you have the desired texture

(1 to 1½ cups) then lightly toss with all of the prepared vegetables.

Finish the salad with a light drizzle of Rykoff Sexton Imported Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1945535) and a pinch of Fluer De Sel for a touch of salt and texture.

Walnut Creek Pork Week

Heritage Pork Products Featured

In product cuttings featuring  pork from Heritage Duroc hogs, Brian sampled customers and prospective customers two fantastic items.

Bacon: Created by British Expatriate Chef Tony Baker. Baker’s Bacon utilizes California Duroc pork bellies, hand selected, brined, and dry rubbed with spices before being smoked over Applewood.  A must try is the double smoked sliced bacon which is smoked for 20 hours, cooled and smoked again for another 6 hours over hardwood for an intense smokey flavor.  The Back Bacon is also smoked over applewood and includes the loin with the belly still attached. Both are sliced a thick 10-12 ct per pound.

Compart Duroc Premium Pork: This 3^rd generation family farm raises and processes Duroc hogs. The Duroc breed excels for meat quality and eating characteristics documented in tests performed by the National Pork Producers. We featured a 14 oz dry aged pork porterhouse chop. Excellent cooked medium rare.

  Baker’s Bacon and Compart Duroc Pork are both available from Brian at US Foods San Francisco.

House Cured Meats The Artisan Chef

Compart Farm Duroc Belly Out of Brine

Curing has been performed as far back as the 13th century. It was originally done as a preservation method.

There are three types of curing meats: dry curing (salt), wet curing (salt and liquid) and combination curing. Curing, no matter which method, involves several processes, the most significant of which is denaturingof the proteins. This happens when salt is introduced to the meats proteins. Proteins are coils and the salt causes the proteins in the muscle fibers to unwind and absorb the extra water trapped inside. Water inside your meat spells trouble because bacteria love water so eliminating it by salting and drying allows for longer storage.

Duroc Bellies Hang to Dry

With dry curing, a mixture of salt, nitrates or nitrites, and sugar is rubbed on the outside of the meat. The sugar is used to offset the harshness of the salt and the nitrites and nitrates not only help kill bacteria, but also enhance flavor and color. As the salt mixture migrates inside, the meat’s natural moisture travels out. Equilibrium is achieved when all of the salt is inside and no more water loss occurs. Time is, of course, dependant on weight however a good rule of thumb is 2 days per pound. Dry curing is the fastest method however it results in the greatest loss of original weight usually 15-20%.

Bellies in the Smoker

Wet curing, or brining, is a slower process and traditionally used for larger cuts such as ham, corned beef brisket, and pastrami. It results in a much juicier product with a milder flavor. The meat is immersed in, and or, injected with, a curing solution of water, salt, and sugar. (Sugar is only used if the curing is to be done under refrigeration.) Some wet cured meats are smoked afterwards. Most cuts require 3-14 days of curing during which time the meat must be turned due to the fact that the salt settles to the bottom and the nitrites rise to the top. If smoking, the meat must be rinsed in cold running water to remove any salt on the outside and then dried in a well-ventilated area. Drying usually takes about a day. 

During the smoking process coagulation of the surface of the meat occurs. The smoke emits acids and those acids adhere to the meat and form a layer of skin. This skin protects the meat from surface mold and bacteria. This is so vital because smoking is a slow process done at a low temperature, usually 225-250 degrees for fish and 160 degrees for meat.

As Chefs and consumers focus on sustainable products and whole animal eating these preservation methods have made a resurgence in commercial kitchens.

Peppered Smoked Duroc Bacon

Our featured Restaurant in this issue is Massimo Ristorante in Walnut Creek where Chef Owner Max Wolfe frequently features house cured Charcuterie including bacon, pastrami, sausages, and speck.  His speck recipe hails back to his home in Austria where his family owned a lumber business and slow smoked their speck over sawdust from the mill.

Dry Aged BriSkirtRib Burger

Back in November 2008 I was sitting around playing with menu ideas and I came across the recap of the Rachel Ray Burger Contest at the NY Wine and Food Festival. While the winner of the contest was Katie Lee Joel (Billy's wife) with her patty melt I clicked away at a tangent that took me to La Frieda's Meats in the meat district in New York.

A couple great articles chronicled the "special black label blend" that La Frieda Meats put together for the competition. I started with The Feedbag., and then moved on to A Hamburger Today.. "The Black Label blend was aimed at high-end restaurants and featured an "intoxicating" mix of skirt, brisket, short rib, and a secret cut that is actually dry aged! It has an extremely generous 70/30 meat-to-fat ratio, making for an ethereally succulent burger."

I went out to Star Market after church that day and got myself a 3 Lb brisket, a couple lbs of boneless short ribs, and a skirt steak..broke out the trusty villa home grinder and went after it. 


I pan seared an about a 10 oz burger-on the outside..completely 
cold in the center, topped it with a sliced red onion, tomato, and some sliced home cured pickles and a sprinkle of Monarch steak dust.

The Dry Aged BriSkirtRib Burger was born...Delicious!

Last week I hosted the Walnut Creek Build a Better Burger Blitz featuring three different burger patties, three different buns, three different cheeses, three different sauces, and five different toppings for endless possibilities.

The now annual burger blitz is timed to coincide with the New York City Wine and Food Festival Burger Bash.  The People's Choice winner for the third year in a row is Josh Capon for his burger topped with Niman Ranch bacon relish.  The judges favorite again this year is Michael White.  You may remember seeing Meat Man Pat LaFrieda working on the White Burger on his show last year.

Massimo Ristorante Walnut Creek

Massimo Ristorante

Chef Owner Max Wolfe opened the doors of Maximillian in downtown Walnut Creek in 1977. In 1995 he changed the restaurant’s name to Massimo Ristorante, giving it a new look and a new menu. 

Then interior was remodeled to reflect a warm Italian style ambience using light shaded woods, neoclassical columns and accented with a complementary color palette of avocado, off black, and copper. The menu changed from French to modern Italian cuisine. And after 30 years Max has successfully maintained his long-standing reputation for quality ingredients, superb cuisine and professional service.

Max’s career highlights prior to opening Massimo Ristorante included Rainbow Room and Rainbow Grill in New York City, Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City and successfully managed restaurants in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia in the seventies.

Dining With

The Northern Italian inspired cuisine features beyond his cured meats selection, prime meats, poultry, fresh seafood, superb pastas, and tempting appetizers. 

To compliment the mouth watering cuisine Max offers a more than 200 bottle selection of premium wines and a full bar serving specialty cocktails. 

In addition to the warm dining room Massimo offers a charming patio for alfresco dining as well as two banquet rooms available for private parties, business functions, and holiday gatherings.

Social Media

Max has been an early adopter of social media as a way to attract and keep business.  His website at WWW.Massimoristorante.com is frequently updated as is his Facebook page. If you visit the iTunes App Store you can download the free Massimo Ristorante app foriPhone and iPad. A customer Email newsletter is also sent out regularly to share news and events. 

Butter Poached Prime Rib

Recipe provided by US Foodservice Chef Marty Bermpohl
1ea 15# Stockyards 109 Ribeye, Frenched & Fat Cap Removed
16# Glenview Farms Unsalted Butter, Clarified
1bu Cross Valley Farms Fresh Thyme
1bu Cross Valley Farms Fresh Rosemary
8ea Monarch Bay Leaves
10ea Cross Valley Farms Shallots, Large Dice
10ea Cross Valley Farms Garlic Cloves, Large Dice

Method:

Pour the clarified butter into a Dutch oven pot or roasting pan. Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, shallots and garlic.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Submerge the ribeye into the butter and slowly roast until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 130 degrees.

Remove the ribeye from the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the roast into the skillet and sear on all sides adding clarified butter as needed.

Remove the meat from the skillet; place on a cutting board and slice.

Note:

The butter may be strained and re-used several times.

Seafood Species Market Update October 2012

Pollock 

Fishing has been slow the last few weeks due to weather. Supplies of 2-4, 4-6 and 6-8 are steady. The market is expected to remain solid on all sizes.

Cod

The B Season news is bleak with a number of boats quitting due to poor catches. This could lead to future price increases and shortages on some sizes. Currently we have supply of all sizes.

Rockfish

Small amounts of fillets are continuing to be produced in Alaska, but the majority of fillets are boxed and ready for immediate sales. The prices of smaller fillets (under 2oz and 2-4oz) have softened, but are expected to remain at current levels.

Flounder

The overall supply of Alaskan Flounder and Sole fillets continues to be limited; there is no short-term relief in sight for once-frozen and skinless fillets out of Al aska.

keta salmon

 At 17,000,000 fish Alaska landings are very similar to 2011.

sockeye salmon

 The Sockeye market continues to strengthen on short supply. Expect continued supply shrinkage and rising prices.

coho salmon

 The harvest for 2012 is extremely disappointing. Many harvest locations are recording poor landings. As a result of the poor landings, prices remain extremely high and supply is very hard to find. Expect the market to remain firm and supply hard to locate.

tilapia

Chinese production typically increases to avoid winter hazards, so there are plenty of smaller fillet sizes available, while the supply of larger frozen fillets is somewhat tighter.

pink salmon Alaska salmon fishing is has ceased for the season, with total pink landings at 64,000,000 fish, 94% of forecast.

king crab

 The combined IFQ and CDQ quotas for Bristol Bay Red King Crab will total nearly 8 million pounds. St Matthew Blue King Crab will add another 1.6 million pounds to the supply. Larger sizes are expected to remain in demand while some adjustment is still possible for mid sizes.

snow crab

The market was driven higher by the shortage of larger clusters early in September. We are now seeing increases on prices on 5 up which are driven by good demand, as snow crab remains a value. However, Bering Sea quotas will drop to 66 million pounds this year, down by 25%.

dungeness crab

 High pricing and limited availability was the story for clusters and whole cooks in September. The next fishery is due in mid October with major supply not hitting markets until December.

langostino lobster

The last of the catching periods in Chile will begin this month, though demand continues to outpace supply.

halibut

Nearly 90% of the 24 million pound halibut quota has been taken. Market activity is increasing, but customers are looking for lower prices. Halibut deliveries in Alaska are dropping rapidly due to poor fall weather conditions.

swordfish

Availability of raw material has remained consistent but not overly abundant through the summer grilling season. Fishing effort continues steady, weather permitting. The outlook is for a steady market in the short term.

yellowfin tuna

 Demand remains strong against relatively short supply. Landings in traditional areas have fallen as expected, but for vessels with the range to find the schools it has remained relatively consistent. The outlook is for fair availability for the short term with uncertainty down the road.

mahi mahi

Overall supply is fair to good, and with the new season looming, the market is beginning to show signs of movement. The fleet in South America is looking to commence fishing this month, with buyers anxiously waiting to see what the new season will bring.

atlantic salmon

 Demand has remained consistent and strong even as the market shows signs of instability. Production numbers from Chile are strong, matching output levels attained prior to the ISA crisis. Outlook is for continued strong availability and a somewhat reactive market as a result.

sea bass

 Supplies are adequate but not overly strong at this time of year. Consistent landings in South America have kept the overall market stable. The outlook is for increased fishing effort as the winter season turns to spring and summer in the southern hemisphere.

surimi

The 2012 Alaskan Pollock B season fishery in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands is all but wrapped up. Reports to date show that 96% of the annual quota has been harvested. Market reports show prices in Japan and Europe are up 20% for both Pollock A

Walnut Creek Columbus Day Meter Holiday

Happy Columbus Day Walnut Creek!  According to the city website and confirmed by Parking Lead Services Officer Sandy Mulligan you can park for free at any city meters!

This applies only to public street meters, including the library parking lot and other parking lots owned by the City, not to public parking garages or private lots or garages. And remember - regulations for red zones, handicapped zones and "permit parking" zones never take a holiday.

I know, I know, I didn't believe it either but you can check it our for yourself at the City of Walnut Creek Meter Holiday page here!

Now go downtown and eat at a local independent restaurant!

Seafood Market Report 10.4.2012

MARKETING REPORT

FARMED SALMON

All sizes coming from east coast Canada farms. West coast Canada: producing all sizes available. For more information visit WWW.MARINEHARVESTCANADA.COM or WWW.TRUENORTHSALMON.COM Price is down

WILD SALMON

California Troll Kings are now available. Price is up.                                                                                                                Alaska Net Coho is available. Price stable

PACIFIC GROUND FISH

Plenty of fish available. Rock cod/ snapper fillet. Dover fillet Petrale fillet Price stable. WWW.CGRCS.COM

EXOTICS

Sword: is stable. Price stable. Tuna Maldives: short Price is up. Mahi: Tight in market, fish is available, high priced. Price up.

HALIBUT

Alaskan Halibut available for one more week. Price stable.

EAST COAST – SHELLFISH / FISH & SCALLOPS

Scallops: U-10 price is up Live Lobsters: Canada is open, full swing, hard shells shipped to California only. Soft Shell live are available but not good for air shipping. Price unstable. PEI Mussels: plenty, so far no sign of spawning. Price Stable. For more information visit: WWW.CHERRYSTONEAQUAFARMS.COM

PACIFIC SHELLFISH

BBQ Oysters: Market on Oysters in general is unstable and short. Clams: are stable. Price stable.