So – Who Is Spike Mendelsohn?

No, this isn’t Spike Mendelsohn, this is the Big Boy that I grew up with, the place where the best burgers could be found in those days. I loved Big Boy hamburgers! Since then, about the only places you could find hamburgers were at chain restaurants, and they were hardly good enough to visit more than once or twice.

Recently, I’ve heard of folks making “really good hamburgers”, the ones with chopped onions and herbs mixed into them before they’re grilled, but I never thought of them as “gourmet”. Then, along came Spike Mendelshon, the “Burger Guru”, who is setting the culinary world on its heels. As a finalist on Top Chef and writer of the new “Good Stuff” cookbook, Spike has taken the burger to tremendous heights, even to the point of “gourmet”!

I first heard of Spike and his hamburgers from Chef-owner of Bistro Boquete, Lauretta Bonfiglio. Upon further investigation, I learned that Spike grew up in St. Petersburg, Florida, my home town, and I just discovered that his parents own Pepin, a very popular restaurant I’ve visited many times! Little Spike must have been cooking in the kitchen at the time I was enjoying the fine cuisine at Pepin years ago.

The other day, Lauretta shared her copy of Spike’s book with me and I immediately wanted to learn some of Spike’s recipes. I wanted to duplicate them in my kitchen. Spike’s luscious burgers inspired Lauretta to present a cooking class for Boquete Gourmet, teaching some of the many tricks and secrets that are making hamburgers the newest, trendiest “gourmet” entree.

Below is the cover of Spike’s perfect, all-American cookbook for anyone who loves great casual comfort food like burgers, fries, and shakes, but wants to shake things up with a gourmet touch, like me. Spike opened his new restaurant in Washington D.C., “Good Stuff Eatery”, and it’s always full of customers who enjoy truly gourmet dining.

As you can see, Spike also makes fantastic milkshakes, sides and salads, some of which will be included in Lauretta’s menu for her “Gourmet Burgers & More” cooking class to be held on Friday, September 24, beginning at 5:00pm. The class will be held in my El Santuario, Boquete, Panama kitchen, where I’ve recently added a couple very unique kitchen appliances you’ll soon see.

The $25 fee includes the hands-on class, recipe book, full-course dinner including 3 entrees, Lauretta’s twist on one of Spike’s famous shakes, and a glass of wine. Make your reservations today at boquetegourmet@gmail.com, as seats are limited.

You won’t want to miss learning how to make Spike’s “good stuff’ in your own Boquete kitchen.
Talk about inspired!
Cora

If You Love Salmon – Come to Class

If you come from Canada or north-western US, salmon is abundant everywhere. But, if you live in Panama like me, it’s a bit tricky to find fresh salmon in most markets.

Yes, we can find salmon in Rey or Romero’s, two of the largest supermarkets in Chiriqui, if we’re lucky. Lately, both fresh and smoked salmon have been available at Deli Baru Market in Boquete.

Salmon is the common name for several species in the family “Salamonidae”, which also includes trout, a very plentiful fish in Boquete. Salmon is a healthy, “oily” fish because it’s high in protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. More than 80% of Pacific salmon are wild-caught, where 99% of Atlantic salmon are farmed. I wonder which variety tastes best.

Boquete Gourmet will host popular chef, Renny Kranich on October 1, in my El Santuario kitchen to share her knowledge about salmon and some of her favorite ways to prepare this delectable fish. Renny’s class will include several salmon dishes that are just right to be served as appetizers, recipes to use when serving salmon for lunch, and she’ll demonstrate how to create a spectacular main salmon dish in a 5-course gourmet dinner.

While waiting for Renny’s class to begin, you might want to try one of my favorite recipes for an Easy Hollandaise Sauce to serve over poached eggs, accompanied with thinly-sliced smoked salmon.
1 stick butter, melted in microwave
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, poached
2 English muffins, toasted
4 slices smoked salmon or gravlax, thinly sliced

Partially fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to a simmer. In the top of the double boiler, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, and cold water. Add the melted butter to egg yolk mixture 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time while whisking yolks constantly. If the sauce begins to get too thick, add a teaspoon or two of hot water. Continue whisking until all butter is incorporated, then whisk in the salt, and remove from heat. Place a lid on pan to keep sauce warm while toasting the English muffins and poaching the eggs.

To present, place opened English muffin halves on a large dinner-size plate. Top with smoked salmon, allowing the ends of the salmon to touch the plate, then top with poached eggs and drizzle with Hollandaise sauce. Garnish with a few rings of thinly-sliced red onions and capers, and serve immediately. No side dish is required, unless serving for dinner. This recipe serves two very lucky diners.

Renny has several new, exciting and tasty ways to prepare and to serve salmon you won’t want to miss. If you love salmon like I do, you won’t want to join this fun and informative class. Email boquetegourmet@gmail.com to reserve you seat now. The $25.00 fee includes hands-on class, recipe book, full-course dinner, Renny’s favorite cocktail and a glass of wine.

See you October 1!
Cora

Your Grandfather’s Artisan Bread!

This bread is very special, not only because it’s baked in an outdoor clay oven, but it’s made by your grandfather, or should I say “grandfathers”.

Last week, Rudy, Jim, Jerry and David tried their hands making artisan bread, under the watchful eye of instructor, Grandpa Mort Rabkin.

The results were amazing, beautifully mixed, kneaded, shaped and baked by these very talented grandfathers.

One of the first questions that was asked in the class was “What is artisan bread? “Good question”, was Mort’s eager reply. “Does anyone know what makes bread “artisan?”

The gramps thought and quickly came up with lots of replies, including the fact that each loaf is hand-crafted, not mass produced. Artisan breads are made with few and all-natural ingredients, no chemicals, and baked in “masonry” ovens.

The characteristic I love about hearth breads is that they are so beautiful, crusty and luscious looking, like the ones pictured below.

Step by step, the gramps weighed, measured, mixed and kneaded their dough until it had just the right feeling. It’s a bit of a trick to learn when the dough is smooth enough to rise, but after the first experience, it’ll only take a bit of practice to get it exactly right.

Using Mort’s handmade wooden peal, Jerry loaded the wood-burning oven with his final creation, his very own loaf of home-baked hearth bread.

Jim and David had just pulled these loaves out of the oven when I took the photos below. Gorgeous, wouldn’t you say?

Now that these gentlemen have learned to bake artisan breads, here’s an interesting way they can use it to dazzle their children and grandchildren.

Panzanella is a “show-stopper”, especially when made with grandpa’s old-fashioned rustic bread cubes. If there’s any bread left the day after baking, gather together the following ingredients and toss them together in a large salad bowl.

2 cups day-old artisan bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and lightly toasted in broiler
1 large tomato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium red onion, 1/4 inch slices separated into rings
1/2 cup green or black olives, pitted
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
10-12 fresh basil leaves, torn

To make the dressing, whisk together the following 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle the dressing over the salad, toss and serve.
3 minced anchovies
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Artisan breads are available regularly at Boquete’s Tuesday Morning Market, held from 9am-12pm every Tuesday at the Event Center, just over the bridge from El Parque Central. If you’d like to taste some of these rustic breads, Mort brings a variety of his clay-oven breads on most Tuesday mornings.

Now, you can enjoy his fresh, one-of-a-kind breads and use any left overs, if you’re lucky enough to have any, to make a unique, old-world Panzanella salad, just like grandpas are making in Boquete.

Happy baking!
Cora

Include Ginger for Health

Last week, a friend asked if I liked the ginger she added to her rhubarb pie, a very unusual ingredient in any fruit pie. I loved her pie, especially with the ginger spice she added. As I discussed the ginger flavoring in Emma’s pie, I wondered if ginger were a spice, or an herb? Do you know?

In it’s natural form, fresh ginger looks like this. It’s very plentiful in Panama, but I’ve shied away from buying it fresh because I haven’t known how to prepare it.

So, I did some research and found that ginger has been important in Chinese medicine for many centuries, and is mentioned in the writings of Confucius. It was one of the earliest spices (yes, it’s a spice) known in Western Europe, used since the ninth century. It became so popular in Europe that it was included in every table setting, like salt and pepper, and it was one of the spices used against the plague.

In English pubs and taverns in the nineteenth century, barkeepers put out small containers of ground ginger, for people to sprinkle into their beer — the origin of ginger ale.

These are just a few benefits claimed by researchers for using ginger:

1. Ginger can calm an upset stomach, providing relief of bloating and gas.
2. It helps quiet a cough and soothes your throat.
3. Ginger has been proven to treat feelings of nausea.
4. It contains anti-viral, anti-toxic, and anti-fungal properties.
5. Ginger acts as an antihistamine and aids in the treatment of allergies.
6. It has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to treat arthritis and various other muscular disorders.
7. Ginger aids in digestion and the prevention of stomach cramps.
8. It helps to protect against the development of ulcers.
9. Ginger has proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots.
10. It is frequently used today in developing countries to treat diarrhea.

I also found that fresh ginger can be scraped or peeled, sliced, crushed or minced. The photo at the top is of a “hand” of fresh ginger, which is available in most supermarkets at very reasonable prices.

Powdered ginger is the buff-colored ground spice made from dried root. It’s my favorite way to use ginger, it’s reasonable, easy to use and it’s always on hand. Below is a photo of Ginger Crunch ready to eat.

You’ll find the recipe for Ginger Crunch in my new cookbook “Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook” picutred at the left. It’s available to La Reyna, Sugar & Spice Bakery and El Cacique Souvenirs in Boquete, as well as at The Book Mark in Dolega and Felipe Motta Wine Store in David.

Preserved or ‘stem’ ginger is made from fresh young roots, peeled and sliced, then cooked in a heavy sugar syrup. The ginger pieces and syrup are bottled together, making it always ready to use. This form is extremely hot and spicy, so don’t use much at one time.

Crystallized ginger is also cooked in sugar syrup, then air dried and rolled in sugar. This is very easy to make. I buy lots of fresh ginger, scrape off the peel with a small knife, cut it into strips and boil the strips in simple syrup until clear, tender and the syrup is cooked away. After they are laid out on foil to cool, shake them in a plastic bag filled with granulated sugar and set aside to dry. Keep the candied ginger in a tightly-sealed container. I use crystallized ginger in fruit salads, as a garnish, and it makes a nice treat eaten alone.

Pickled ginger is another way to prepare fresh ginger. Slice the root paper-thin and pickle it in a vinegar solution. This pickle is known in Japan as “gari” , which often accompanies sushi, and is served to refresh the palate between courses. This is even easier to make than candied ginger.

Getting back to Emma’s pie, if you have the opportunity to include ginger to add a gourmet touch to any of your dishes, and please do it for health!
Salud!
Cora