Smart Kitchen

Summer Food Drive 2013 W-E: Smok Shak Ingersoll, OK

Smok Shak BBQ in Ingersoll, OK is a bit of a trip to reach because it is between Alva, OK and Cherokee, OK in the “Ghost Town” of Ingersoll, OK.

According to TravelOklahoma.com, “Ingersoll began when Native American reservation land was opened to public settlement. The town gained momentum after the Choctaw Railroad opened a line in 1901. Within one month, Ingersoll’s population boomed to more than 1,500 people, and it was officially incorporated the next year. The flourishing city quickly became known as a sinful town because it was home to seven licensed saloons and two pool halls. In 1909, Ingersoll was considered for the location of the county seat, but lost out to Cherokee. Following its defeat, Ingersoll’s population gradually declined.” The post office was finally discontinued in December of 1942.

Telephoto Shot of a “Ghost” farm house.

The Ingersoll tiled grain elevator, made of hollow red clay tiles, is on the National Register of Historic places (bonus!). By the way, I think the “Washout” on the elevator is an ad for a livestock wash or a truck wash and has nothing to do with the structure.

Historic Tile Elevator in Ingersoll, OK

Amid the historic, but abandoned backdrop, an old pizza hut building was dragged out to Ingersoll in 1985. The oil bust of the 1980′s had left Debra Engle with the former restaurant building and a vacant lot off of Highway 64 in unpopulated Ingersoll, OK. Like the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups commercials, it turns out she had two great bit that went great together. She relocated the building to Ingersoll and opened the Smok Shak BBQ joint.

When I arrived on Memorial Day Weekend (7 PM on Friday), Ingersoll was a ghost town, except for the parking lot full of cars at the Smok Shak. Exiting the Smartkitchen-mobile, there was a great smell wafting over town. The clean earthy smell of the high prairie was on the wind, punctuated by the hickory smoke of BBQ from the Smok Shak.

There Were more Cars Around the Other Side

When I went in the joint was half full with locals and oil field workers (the colorful Boot&Coots, or Schlumberger coveralls gave it away). By the time I was finishing up the Smok Shak’s small dining room was full. A party of 18 had walked in and took over the place. They were not closing until 10, so presumably more of the living would stop by. Perhaps the ghost service starts at midnight? To make sure I beat that rush, I ordered a sampler plate (4 items for $14.99) and an iced tea.

For my sampler, I wanted to taste ribs, the sausage, the pulled pork and the smoked ham. I got two “wows” on this plate, one yawn and a thumbs up for decent work. I have not had a lot of smoked ham, or spent much time with it but I have an opinion. Thinner cuts of smoked ham seem to display more flavor characteristics. This thick cut of ham was pleasant enough but a snooze in the overall scheme of things because the flavor did not carry over through the whole thick bite.

The Smoked Ham

Sampling, my way down the plate, nibbling and taking photos, the ribs came next. They elicited a “Wow” or was it a “WOW?”

The Beautiful Crust on the Amazing Ribs at Smok Shak

The crust was flavorful and a good bite. The fat was perfectly rendered and flavored the meat wonderfully. I did go back and work on those rib bones once the photos were finished. Next shot was of the pulled pork and the sausage.

The Pulled Pork and Sausage at Smok Shak

The sausage was another “WOW,” like a smoky, cheddar, jalapeno jaeger brat. The pulled pork may have suffered by comparison with the sausage or the ribs. In reality it was competent and pleasant. In fact, it was a great platform for enjoying the Smok Shak’s very good mild BBQ sauce.

Overall opinion? I would put some hundreds of miles on the odometer to return. The location, the history and most importantly the food is very compelling. I guess you have to excel to survive in the restaurant business in a ghost town for 30 years.

If you want to Facebook Smok Shak they are up there. Also if you plan to visit and have trouble with your GPS, try it on coordinates. The lat/long I got from mine is N 36° 47′ 840″ W 098° 23′ 527″

Summer Food Drive 2013 W-E, Sid’s Diner El Reno, OK

You know those times where you have been fixated on something on so long, expecting it to be great, and then you get there, meet the person, or achieve the goal and its only “OK.” Well that is the feeling I have after visiting this OK Oklahoma landmark, even though the burgers sort of charmed me over the course of the meal.

Sid’s is Pretty Small

I had wanted to come to Sid’s Diner since reading about Sid’s in Saveur Magazine’s Burger Issue back in 2009. It was always on my short list for the Summer Food Drive, but then every time the weight of the northern route (Kansas, Missouri, etc.) or the southern route drew me away from the more central route, which would have included Sid’s Diner. Sid’s (along with Feltner’s What-a-Burger) was always the toughest to cross-off. A fried onion burger fired my imagination and this year I was on the central route.

Sid’s is Much Smaller than it had Looked on the Internet.

Finally getting here, I am not bitter after my first bite, but instead feel deflated, like the air coming out of a balloon full of hype. I should not be surprised that a cost savings measure (adding cheap onions to expensive beef in the 1920′s) isn’t a first-bite flavor revelation.

Sid’s “King Deluxe” Fried Onion Burger

One bite in, if I want to be magnanimous, I’d say “I’m into juicier burgers,” or I’d say “I am not that into charring,” something to shift from pure blame to an impartial matter of opinion. I know that fairer is the right course and factually correct, but at the outset I am feeling a smidgen of petulance about my visit. Let’s just say this, at this point, for me, the corner and the short, windy walk around Sid’s neighborhood are the best part of the visit. El Reno’s shades of Norman Rockwell ride easy on the nostalgic tourist.

An interesting looking doughnut place is across the street.

From the Doughnut Stand Parking Lot to the North East

Sid’s Neighbors to the South

So, on to the world famous, tv-hyped, fried onion burgers. Mine arrived as a thin, dry burger (you can almost see it desiccating on the plate in the video) with some charred onions in it. I like Martinis dry, but not burgers. The second bite was also dry, but with some flavor of fat and char together, followed by an after taste of soft bun. Hmm was it bad or good?

The dryness is probably a result of Sid’s vaunted “smashing the burger flat with the Spatula.” We teach the exact opposite at Smart Kitchen. We say not to squeeze or smash the Hamburger with the spatula or the moisture will come out. Here at Sid’s Diner it was smashed and the moisture came out. Maybe they should spring for the $9.99? I doubt that they will though, because they are doing alright with plenty of folks; and smashed fried onion burger is something of a regional cultural item, a part of the local cuisine of this bit of central Oklahoma. Not everything is for everybody.

As I was thinking all this, the visual appeal of the burger kicked in and I went in for bite three. The burger was growing on me. It was a more historic taste, with some complexity because of the burnt onions and some contrast due to the terrific, moist produce (Tomato & Lettuce). I was slowly converting from a Negative Nelly to a Neutral Nancy and then to a nice Nodding Nick. My plan to eat only half the burger was modified, on-the-fly, to eating three quarters. After all that travel, I am glad I had those next few bites.

I went from “No, not coming back” to “Coming Back” from 50 miles, but really likely further since to my knowledge they are sort of short on burger Meccas in Central OK.

You can visit Sid’s in El Reno or even try your hand at making a Sid’s-style burger by following the Sid’s Diner Fried Onion Burger Recipe, which was published in Saveur in 2009. The link goes to their site.

BBQ / Summer Food Drive — No comments
27
May 13

Summer Food Drive 2013 W-E Jigg’s Smokehouse, Clinton, OK

Jigg’s Smokehouse has been a fixture off of Interstate 40 (exit 62) in Clinton, OK since Lyle “Jiggs” Botchlett wanted an outlet for the turkey rolls, eggs and whole turkeys coming off of his farm. Jigg’s original business was a retail, take-away outlet only.

Thirty six years ago, Jigg’s niece’s husband, George Klaassen, bought the outlet and started a restaurant with only 2 items; ham sandwiches or turkey sandwiches (served with butter). As business picked up, Jigg’s Smokehouse’s Menu expanded. George’s “creations,” like the Pig Sickle and the Wooly Burger resulted; and are why I was interested in visiting George’s son Lynn Klaasen, who had taken over in 2000. I had heard about the items but wanted to see for myself what the heck the Klaasen’s had been up to. It also turns out that Jigg’s authentic Beef Jerky has quite a reputation.

The challenge was navigating to Jigg’s on back roads from Bobcat Bites via GPS. In theory, there should have been no problem. I could do it in my head. I-25 South to I-40 East, exit at #62 in Oklahoma, but that would be close to 600 miles of interstate I have already been over quite a few times. Where is the fun in that? I chose instead to hopscotch up to the northeast corner of New Mexico and then discover new territory (for me) by entering the panhandle (appropriately culinary) of Oklahoma for the first time. It is beautiful country, by the way.

The Panhandle

From Bobcat Bites, the problem was that, Jiggs’ Frontage Road address was a mystery to the GPS, as was Jiggs’ itself. As far as it knew, neither existed. I could trick it to get to Clinton, OK and then find I-40. Once on I-40 I could go the wrong way a bit before backtracking 17 miles west to exit 62. No problem, except that even off the freeway at exit #62, you can get confused looking for the place,. Yes, I got confused. I admit it. I also did not ask for directions…because no one was around to ask. There were farms and grass and an RV shop. Nothing looked like a barbecue pit. I am embarrassed to say, I had to sit and look for more than a few minutes until I noticed that the farm building across the freeway and west a bit had cars parked in front of it. With that visual discovery, my brain finally noticed the sign that said “Jiggs.”

All in all, it was a small, fun 600 mile adventure but, after fasting 24 hours, I was more than ready to arrive and sample. If you plan on heading over there and having an adventure, great. But if Lynn hasn’t yet called the GPS people yet to introduce himself, you (and the GPS) may find Jiggs’ Latitude and Longitude (N 35°28′ 52.46″ , W 99° 1′ 37.73″) handy. Your welcome. : )

The Saturday afternoon that I arrived, the wind was BLOWING the sweet smell of grass and growing crops across the prairie. It was terrific, especially because Clinton, OK has a 124,000 square foot Bar-S Meat Processing Plant (makes franks, lunchmeat & sausages), which, I am told, can waft some unpleasant odors over the town. I am always happy for good luck.

Jiggs” Smokehouse, Finally

From the outside, I expected a rougher crowd. Once inside though Jiggs’ Smokehouse has a BBQ feel and everyone was great. The table next to me (the surprised group in the video) was a group of old friends from town. One couple owned a farm down the road. The others had grown up within a literal “stone’s throw” of the place but now lived in Colorado. The Coloradans had driven back for a visit, a reunion at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (they put SWOSU on the shirts) I believe, and of course some of the ‘cue from their youth. The custom choppers belonged to some off-duty firemen.

Inside Jiggs’ has an old time BBQ pit feel.

When I walked in, Lynn Klaasen, (the owner with his wife Becky) was working and showed me around a bit during a lull in the service. I was very impressed with the smoking room which sort of juts out into the dining room. The old seals are not what they were, so they tape the door to prevent smoking out the guests in the dining room.

The Original Jiggs Smoking Room

You Can Almost See the 36 Years of Smoking Meat

I also liked the hand painted turkey restroom signs (Hens & Toms) that recall Jiggs’ first retail operation. There was an artistry of the hand we don’t see everyday now.

Hens & Toms are heritage birds here

We had a nice talk about BBQ places and road food. I got a few recommendations (The Germantown Commisary in Memphis where I am heading & Eischen’s Chicken in Okarche, OK where I not going now) and learned some things. In fact, I was so taken by the surroundings, walking, talking and recording, and the kitchen was so fast that I almost missed my own order arriving.

My Mystery Meal at Jiggs

I had ordered the Beef Brisket Sandwich, The Pig Sickle Sandwich and a Wooly Burger. Everything looked great, but like an old episode of The Price is Right, I was most intrigued by the mystery behind towel #1.

The order mapped

The item to the left was obviously the Brisket, which was tasty and held the promise of greatness if not in such other grand company. I took a bite, said hmm pretty good but gave in to curiosity and moved on quickly to the other items. I am interested to try the un-sauced brisket by the pound, another time, to generate a fuller, better opinion.

Beef Brisket Sandwich @ Jiggs Smokehouse

The sandwich on the right must have been the Pig Sickle Sandwich, which is made from a custom, rib-meat sausage patty. It tastes like what a McRib should taste like. It was so pleasant, and novel, that the Pig Sickle had the highest percentage consumed of the three dishes.

Pig Sickle Sandwich @ Jiggs

That left the Wooly Burger, right? But why the heck was it quarantined behind the veil of paper towels? I imagine presentation, since the other sandwiches were not similarly clad. I have another admission. I forgot to ask why and will have to follow up.

The Wooly Burger from Behind the Veil

Expecting a wooly bbq’d hamburger and getting instead an over-sized ham tower (with a salami sausage attic) anchored between a white bun foundation and a white bun roof is quite a shock. My neighbors were just as excited to see what was doing and as you can see in the video, just as shocked. That is Flair man.

How did it eat, you might ask? Very Carefully. Actually, it was clearly going to be a “Knife & Fork” operation. I gave up on the two handed method when I saw the Wooly Burger. The sandwich was terrific. Good enough with its delicate ham, savory sausage, soft bun and tangy pickle relish that I had to wrestle with my discipline to hold to a “sample” (albeit a large one).

The Wooly Burger may be my second favorite ham sandwich ever (LC’s in Kansas City takes first place), which is saying a lot. I’d drive back for another. In fact, as I write this from hundreds of miles away the thought “how about now” is tugging at the edges of my mind. I better wrap up and head on down the road to the east before I turn around and head back west.

The address for Jiggs’ Smokehouse is:

22203 N Frontage Rd Clinton, OK 73601
(580) 323-5641

Burgers / New Mexican / Southwest / Summer Food Drive / Uncategorized — 1 comment
26
May 13

Summer Food Drive 2013 W-E Bobcat Bites, Santa Fe, NM

Bobcat Bite in a Former Trading Post.

I had heard of Bobcat Bite for a few years but was always put off by the name. After being skunked at Pie Town, I was ready to give it a try. When I arrived there were about 40 people waiting in line on a Friday afternoon.

Everyone Wanted a Burger.

It turns out that there are two lists. One, the first list, is kept inside. Make sure to stop a server and get on that list. When you progress far enough on the first list, you are “promoted” to the big board. Getting promoted from the list to the board was an accomplishment, or at least an event. We, the patiently waiting customers, took to congratulating, and joking about, each new “Board Member.”

Finally a “Board Member.”

I could spot the regulars because they knew to bring reading material. The rest of us played “watch the list.” We watched it like hawks, err Bobcats, and pretty soon we all knew who each party was. After a bit, there were very few strangers waiting for a burger. The crowd, looked like a rural group but was actually very sophisticated. Conversation ranged from construction/architecture to art (Santa Fe is an arts colony) to last week’s New York Times Magazine. Needless to say with an hour plus wait, we gelled. By the way, take out orders, for those who are not blogging, seemed to go a bit faster.

Bobcat Bite Menu

While waiting I had a chance to read the back of the old-timey menu and get the story behind the unusual name at Bobcat Bite which is currently owned by John and Bonnie Eckre. The building for Bobcat Bite was originally a trading post (see the original beams in the photo below) on the Old Las Vegas Highway (Las Vegas, NM not the other one), and then a gun shop, of all things. The highway became part of Route 66 and Bobcat Bite was launched as a family run restaurant in 1953 by Rene Clayton, who owned Bobcat Ranch, to service the hungry motorists.

Originally Founded by the Owner of Bobcat Ranch

Rene Clayton’s daughter Mitzi Panzer was the first operator in 1953. It has been a Mom & Pop place ever since. The Eckres took over in 2001. The unusual “Bobcat” name stuck because, before I-25 was built, Bobcats came down from the hills (no doubt drawn by the smell) and were given treats at the back door. As the menu states, “it was one of the few local dining spots that was friendly to Bobcats at the time.” I love that line because it presumes that many more places are bobcat friendly today.

Bobcat Crossing

So still waiting. What else can I share? Oh, they don’t take credit cards. There are no reservations either.

Interior and Customers at Bobcat Bite

So still waiting. What else can I share? Oh, they don’t take credit cards. There are no reservations either. I already knew I was visiting for the Green Chili Cheeseburger, which was voted best in New Mexico, a time or two. It is hard to think about the Menu with so many tasty looking burgers being hustled, right past you, to their proper tables. It was like Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, but more the Rhyme of the Ancient Hamburger: “Burgers, Burgers everywhere and nary a bite to eat.”

Finally, I was called up along with “Rus Party of 2, a nice couple from San Diego. The tantalizing was ratcheted up a notch as the fans shot the warm kitchen air, carrying the wonderful smell of grilling onions, down along the counter. We ordered Green Chili Cheese Burgers. The neighbors to our left got theirs. More orders walked up our way only to turn left or right and head to other tables. It was a perfect storm of burger teasing. Finally, the server came our way. She must have had our burgers. She did….sort of.

The Rus Party is served.

She put down 2 lovely burgers on the narrow counter for The Rus Party of 2. The Pavlovian Response was kicking into overdrive now.

Great Presentation of a 10 oz, Choice Chuck, Green Chili Burger

It did arrive. 6 of us in the corner all high-fived. The presentation of the 10 ounce Cheeseburger made from choice-grade Chuck, freshly ground each day, was spot-on. They have used the same recipe for decades. The Beef is also natural and hormone & antibiotic free. It was a grown up burger (not gimmicky or gooey) showcasing the fresh ground beef. It was juicy (ask for napkins early) and flavorful without being too spicy; then the thick-cut bacon kicked in adding extra punch.

The only issues I had were the thickness and the Green Chili. I have a big mouth, but just not that big. I could not get my chomp on and had to bite around the edges, rotating the burger as I ate. It was both messy and not fulfilling. The Green Chili is diced and a bit tame. You don’t get the hot hit of the proto-typical New Mexican green chili, which is something I was seeking.

For me it was a very good burger, and worth the wait. It was maybe even worth a 50 mile drive, but for me it was not the holy grail. Its like horse racing though, everyone has a favorite. Regulars and tourists keep the small kitchen (150 square feet) pumping out 400 to 450 burgers a day at hefty prices. My check was $16.15 for a Green Chili Cheeseburger with Bacon, home fries (resistable) and a tea. A lot of people love it. Apparently, they ran out of burgers (remember fresh ground daily) the week before.

As I was getting ready to leave, I asked the server about some snippets I had over heard in the dining room but did not credit. It turns out that the snippets were accurate. Bobcat Bite is going to close at this location on June 9th, 2013. They are having a disagreement with the landlord. They are looking for a new spot, but don’t have it yet. They may even change the name.

So for the day I was skunked early and anti-skunked at lunch. A few days later and I would have had another miss.

Bakery / Summer Food Drive — No comments
25
May 13

Summer Food Drive 2013 W-E, Pie Town, NM

One of my favorite things about the Summer Food Drives is imagining and anticipating how the place will look and feel. I try not to see too many pictures or videos of the place beforehand. Good Pie Cafe was no exception. I imagined it sitting out by itself in a dusty declivity in the middle of a big, high-desert plain serving diner fare and Pie to colorful locals. Finally, at 3:00 AM it was time to find out.

But, as often happens, the city fathers of Pie Town forgot to call the folks at Garmin and get their town listed. I did not even have a latitude or longitude to work from, so it was head east on US 60 and hope for the best. Eventually, after crossing into New Mexico, I saw a sign: Pie Town 40 miles. That was encouraging. The city father’s must have known about the New Mexico State Highway Department. From there it was a simple pleasant drive to my first glimpse of Pie Town.

Pie Town, NM ahead on the horizon.

It was almost as I had pictured it, except it was elevated and not in a low spot. It was an exciting start. By the way, if you need the coordinates for The Good Pie Cafe, they are N 34° 19.997′ , W 108° 08.076′ .

The Good Pie Cafe

Good Pie Cafe 1, P Chef 0

The bad news was that, even with a phone call to check on their hours, I had muffed it. I did not ask the right question. I asked “Are you all open on Monday,” assuming that they would be open Friday and knock off early for the holiday weekend. Wrong! I should have asked about Friday. My punishment was no pie sampling. Given how interesting the location and town was, I was OK with that.

Local History

This is “Pie-o-Neer” Also Closed for Holiday

I debated making a pivot and going to a replacement destination in Pie Town but I was spared my weakness (I only eat at my declared stops on the Summer Food Drive) because “Pie-O-Neer” above was also closed for the holiday. All was well, it was only 223 miles more to go to Bobcat Bites.

Summer Food Drive — No comments
18
May 13

Summer Food Drive W-E 2013

We have been working on Smart Kitchen culinary content quite a bit lately but the temperatures in Arizona are creeping up there and The Summer Food Drive 2013 just snuck up on us. Luckily, we have been keeping a wish list of favorites to visit and filing away recommendations for years. Quite a lot of the wish list is continually missed because they are right in the middle of the country. This year’s list was designed to visit those often missed central spots and so the list came together quickly. Mapping the stops, finding directions and scheduling took a few more hours, but it all got done early this morning. It is a good thing that the dieting has been in effect all spring. It will be blown out for a few days, even though sampling rules will be in effect.

This year the Summer Food Drive is not all the way to the East Coast but only to the South, which means we won’t have to split the difference between a “northern” route and a “southern” route. Finally, those 2 or three places in Oklahoma and Tennessee won’t be too far away and we will finally get a visit, assuming we play our scheduling and travel time right; and that the SmartKitchen Mobile has another couple thousand miles in her.

The Summer Food Drive trip will go through NM, into the Pan Handle of Oklahoma (how appropriate is a pan handle), across Arkansas and into Memphis, TN for a slower holding pattern of 6 legendary BBQ joints and a lot of gym time. We will be missing Martin’s BBQ and Siler’s BBQ in Tennessee just now, but there is hope that we can pick them up before we turn around for home.

As with every year, there is no eating except at the stops which are listed below. :

1. Pietown Café, Pie Town, NM (Pie)

2. Bobcat Bites, Santa Fe, NM (Green Chile)

3. Jigg’s Smoke House, Clinton, OK (1970′s Turkey outlet turned BBQ. Known for the Wooly Burger)

4. Sid’s Diner, El Reno, OK (on the list since 2009 for Fried Onion Burgers)

5. Smoke Shak, Ingersoll, OK (a Ghost town BBQ spot.)

6. Dink’s Pit Bar-B-Que, Bartlesville, OK (Spare Ribs)

7. Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville, AR (new world-class art museum, not food but can’t be missed)

8. AQ Chicken House, Springdale, AR

9. Feltner’s Whatta-Burger, Russellville, AR (not that Whataburger, (1967 Burger Timewarp)

10. Ed & Kay’s Restaurant, Benton, AR (Pies)

11. Whole Hog BBQ, Little Rock, AR (BBQ recco from our friend Mark B.)

12. Jones BBQ, Marianna, AR (Believed to be the oldest Black owned restaurant in the South & great BBQ).

13. Gus’s World Famous Hot & Spicy Chicken, Memphis, TN (World Famous)

14. Charles Vergo’s Rendevous BBQ, Memphis, TN (Basement Coal-Chute BBQ since 1948)

15. Dyer’s Burgers, Memphis, TN (Secret Burger Cooking Process?)

16. Central BBQ, Memphis, TN (Top 3 in Memphis since 2003)

17. Interstate BBQ, Memphis, TN (Best BBQ in Memphis?)

18. Uncle Lou’s Southern Kitchen, Memphis, TN (Fried Chicken)

19. Leonard’s Pit BBQ, Memphis, TN (1922 Memphis Pit BBQ)

All of the links go off of Smart Kitchen and to the restaurants’ web sites (or the closest thing we found).

Ask a Chef / Dairy / Ingredients / Sea Food — No comments
12
Apr 13

Ask a Chef™ #50: Ginger Salmon

Question:
=================================
Can the ginger salmon recipe be used for baked salmon when no grill is
available? Also, are their any substitutes to the heavy cream for
lactose intolerant people?

Thanks
Brooke

Answer:

==============================

Hi Brooke,

Thanks for writing us with your question about the Ginger Salmon Recipe.

You are exactly right about the baking/grilling and are right on track! You must have been paying attention in the Cooking Methods Lesson. : )

Ultimately our goal at Smart Kitchen is to teach “Improvisational Cooking” where you as chef can sort of wing it the right way with the ingredients on hand (or those that are looking good at retail) and the tools & equipment available.It is great to see you adjusting with the right improvisational sense.

You can use an oven to cook the salmon by providing Dry Heat via Convection when you can’t Grill and provide Dry Heat from below via Conduction.

As to the Heavy Cream component of your question. Basically, you can skip the Heavy Cream or substitute for it. Lactose-free substitutions might be Almond Milk, Soy Milk, or Coconut Milk (which might play well with the ginger). Coconut Milk is not Coconut Water, by the way. Also depending on the severity of the lactose intolerance, Yogurt, Greek Yogurt, or various Soft Cheeses might also be substitutes.

Hope that helps. Thanks for the great question.

Happy Cooking!

P Chef

Smart Kitchen

Ask a Chef / Culinary Learning / Salt / Smart Kitchen News / Uncategorized / Users — No comments
17
Dec 12

“Ask A Chef™” #49

We love getting good “Ask a Chef™” questions from our members. “Are there any added enzymes in Kosher Salt? is a good one.” Below is the question and our response.

Dear Chef:

In the lesson on sanitizing a cutting board, you mention that there is an enzyme in kosher salt that kills bacteria. What enzyme is that? I thought that salt was simply sodium chloride? Is there an additive enzyme in kosher salt?

Thanks much!

Joe W.

Hi Joe,

So, you are right about plain Kosher Salt being simply Sodium Choloride. What we should have said in the exercise is that some brands of Kosher Salt have additives and enzymes that can also help kill bacteria. Very pure brands of Kosher Salt, like Diamond Kosher Salt, won’t have the additives but others out there may.

Depending on the brand, you can find Ferrrocyanide (not extremely toxic as the name might suggest), Yellow Prussiate of Soda, Tricalcium Phosphate, Alumine-Calcium Silicate, Sodium Aluminosillicate and potentially iodine in various measures in various Kosher or Sea Salts.

Most of the additives are anti-caking or anti-clumping agents that work by absorbing moisture, which most bacteria need to live and thrive. Additionally, some Kosher Salt and many Sea Salts can be iodized and as any kid with a scraped knee can tell you, Iodine is also an anti-septic.

The best way to know what is in the Kosher Salt in your pantry is to read the label and if anything is unclear or not specific to then contact the company.

Happy Cooking!

“P Chef”

Smart Kitchen

“The Smartest Way to Learn to Cook™”

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Corn / Culinary Learning / Farming — No comments
05
Dec 12

Big Corn Means Big Budget Busting for Us All

Forget GMO Corn and Worry about Big Corn Subsidies & Ethanol Mandates

Most of us are a little worried about GMO Corn but have not given much thought to its price.

Looking at our grocery bills recently, it is not our imagination that food prices are going up. Before we looked into it, we thought we knew the reasons, but the biggest reason rides on largely below the surface of the mainstream’s thoughts and news coverage.

It is a fact, food prices are up this year. Pork is up 15%. Poultry is up 8%. Beef is up. Sure there was a drought. Sure gasoline is up. Sure there is foreign demand for commodities from Brazil, India and China. None of these though are consuming 40% of our Corn crop.

Well-intended Federal regulations are the actual culprit. In 2005, Congress passed the Renewable Fuel Standard which mandated the use of Corn-based ethanol in domestic gasoline. Today, under the act, Americans must use 15 billion gallons of Ethanol a year. How much is that, a lot or a little?

Let’s judge it against all of the corn produced in the US. 15 Billion gallons of ethanol requires 40% of our US corn crop and this is the rub, Corn that is made into ethanol won’t feed livestock or be available in the produce section.

The original goals of the act were to reduce gas prices and to fight global warming. I can’t speak to the second point since there are reams of arguments to be made on both sides. I can point you to the gas pump to address the first point. Gas prices have not been reduced and are, in fact, near record highs.

Think of the Congress and the ethanol industry when counting out all those extra dollars.

P Chef

Smart Kitchen

“The Smartest Way to Learn to Cook™”

Smart Kitchen on Facebook

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American / Justin Beckett — No comments
23
Sep 12

Beckett’s Table

Even Driving by Beckett's Table Looks Like a Scene.

We have been meaning to visit Beckett’s Table for about a year. In fact, since Beckett’s Table’s pre-launch (and launch) PR campaign has died down, we are usually reminded of our desire to dine with Justin Beckett by driving past his restaurant on Indian School on the way to someplace else. Two or three weeks ago, rolling down Indian School on the way to Crudo, we passed Beckett’s Table and noted, again, that we meant to go. That was probably our 4 or 5th time remembering we meant to go.

A quick detour away from Beckett’s Table here. Crudo is Cullen Cambell’s new award winning place. If you saw the cover of Phoenix Magazine with the chef wearing the pink fish tie, that is the place. We loved Crudo but did not blog about it yet because we plan to return in October with cameras for The Sour Ball put on for charity by Sweet’s Brands. Also if truth be told, after the Summer Food Drive 2012, I was not much in the mood for eating blogging-style with cameras and lights and questions and notes.

Sorry for the interlude, now back to our Beckett’s Table story. Mrs. P Chef has become more restricted in her diet for some health reasons. The process that used to be a simple read of a menu and then some ordering is now akin to a detective’s interrogation. Picture a young, excited, fresh-faced server being grilled (not literally) by Mrs. P Chef over the terms: ”Gluten Free,” “Soy-Free,” “Smoke-Free,” “Butter-Free, Etc.-Free,” etc. and you will have the picture. The restrictions are now a part of her, and by extension our, meal planning and menu perusing lexicon. It is not a lot of fun chowing down on a cola-braised, smoked, pork shoulder slider, in front of your scowling wife, and her salad, but sometimes it has to be done. Sometimes it does have to be, really, for work, honey.

Okay. With lessons learned, on “Date Night” we are now usually looking for restaurants that are both on the cutting edge of cuisine and on the cutting edge of making something from nothing. As you can imagine, places that fit both bills are few and far between. We imagined that Beckett’s Table would fit into the first camp and offer cutting-edge, fine-dining, comfort food. Mrs P Chef was a trooper in offering to visit there for AZ Restaurant Week 2012. We were both pleasantly surprised to find out that not only does Beckett’s Table serve up thoughtly constructed dishes, well-exectuted, but they are very sensitive about food allergies and food preferences and can be very accomodating.

The menu is marked with (gf) for Gluten-Free, and the vegetarian items are marked as well. Having worked in the kitchen, our server, Brandon, was well-versed in the detailed preparations of the items and their ingredients. He was also extremely patient as we had a mini-seminar, breaking down the most likely dishes for Mrs. P Chef.

In the end, we ordered and hoped for the best. We used to have an inside joke that I always ordered the best thing between us when we went out. I say “used to” because it was a lot more amusing before Mrs. P Chef was kicked down to the equivalent of the Freshman ordering team by her dietary restrictions. Trouncing her Trout Almandine selection, or Sauteed Vegetables, isn’t the same game.

Ultimately, Mrs. P Chef’s options were good enough to leave her smiling (not scowling at the dishes of your’s truly) and a successful dinner was achieved. She was starving as we arrived and got started right away with the Oven Roasted Organic Beets to sustain her for the negotiations ahead.

The Combination of Flash & Flashlight Made These Organic Beets Glow.

I typically have a hands off policy with regards to her limited menu options but I did sneak a single Golden Beet, off her plate (for work) while she was visiting the powder room. It was flavored with Crow’s Dairy Feta, herbs and pecans, making for a tender and earthy dish that was a very good choice for either of us.

My first dish was the gluten-free, Achiote Citrus Poached and Chilled Shrimp with black bean salad and avocado puree. It was acceptable to both of us and a really good example of “Flair,” the 4th of Smart Kitchen’s 4 Levers of Cooking.™

Attention to Detail Raised this Dish from the Ordinary

Without it sounding too bad, a lot of the appeal of this shrimp dish was in the visual presentation. Arriving at the table, it looked like it should have been on a pedestal at the Phoenix Art Museum. The looks set up some great taste expectations. The great expectations were ultimately not met by the dish as a whole. The shrimp, which our brains knew were poached and chilled, turned out to be poached and chilled. It was a much more subtle flavor and experience than that advertised by the visual presentation of the fresh, succulent shell fish sitting on a black bean salad.

Now, Mrs. P Chef loved the black bean salad, but I thought it was reminiscent of the black bean salad at Chipotle, as if a master chef had slipped into the burrito place and prepped it that day, making a sexier, older cousin of Chipotle’s normal black bean fare. It was tasty and delicate but the similarity to faster food ruined it for me. Mrs. P Chef loves Chipotle (and their black bean salad) and loved this one, too.

The avocado puree was a beautiful painted green flourish but fairly inaccessible since none of the other items on the appetizer plate were soft enough or absorbent enough to take it up. All-in-all, the chilled shrimp read like a masterpiece on the menu, arrived like a star and ate like a pretty-good jumble (to me). Mrs. P Chef would probably criticize my take on it, as she ended up with the lion’s share of the dish and a happy “cat-who-ate-the-canary” expression.

Mrs. P Chef ordered from the regular menu and got the Gold Canyon Flat Iron Steak with fingerling potato salad, aioli, & Rocket (a leaf veggie like a milder spinach) for her entree.

An Umami Work of Art on the Plate

The Flat Iron Steak was a great, though pricey, dish. My one small bite was sultry and succulent with accents of butter and umami. I wanted a bit more but left Mrs. P Chef to it because she is not getting as many choices theses days. She cleaned the plate and was a very happy and satisfied spouse.

Cola Braised Pork Not Exactly Like Your Momma's

I ordered off the restaurant week menu for my entree and got the Cola Braised Pulled Pork that came with a Bacon Cheddar Biscuit, the Fingerling Potato Salad and Carolina Cole Slaw. It was not exactly like your Mama would have made (in a good way). This difference from Mama’s cooking is the essence of what I came to like about Beckett’s Table. The items are comfort food, like Mama might have made, but re-imagined as though Mamma were a culinary professional with some serious chops. The pulled pork was tender, moist and flavorful. Examining the plate with a jaded eye, I actually thought that there were some margin enhancing games being played at the center of the plate. I saw how the pork was laid alongside the bulk of potato salad, slaw and biscuit and expected chicanery. Lifting the slaw and potato salad with my fork to uncover the plating ruse, revealed only more pork instead. The revelation made me both happy and wrong and cynical all at the same time.

More S'mores Please

Only your’s truly could venture into dessert land…..because it was included on the Restaurant Week menu. At least, that is how I attempted to assuage Mrs. P Chef, who was actually happily sated from her big portion of steak, and able to hear me. The re-imagined S’mores dessert, called Bacon Chocolate Smore’s, was really interesting. There were a lot of different tastes and textures and a number of combinations to try to determine which method was the best eating. It was like a new culinary playground on the plate that was tasty, engaging and interesting. It was a very flavorful, playful way to end the meal.

As the check arrived we both agreed that we were glad we had visited and liked the experience. The rub was that we were not so sure that we would be rushing back. I think our reluctance stems from the focus on a fusion of fine dining & comfort food. Beckett’s Table is good but neither fish ‘nor fowl. Every dish we had was good, even really good in its way, but none of the dishes that we had (so far) were “crave-able,” like the hatch green-chili burger at Le Grande Orange, or the pork at Bryan’s BBQ in Cave Creek, or the oxtail at Atlas Bistro. There won’t be a mental linchpin of craving to remind us to return.