Radio v.s. Video; an Old Friend v.s. a First Date

The pumpkin pie, stuffing and the cranberry sauce are long gone. We have just a bit of turkey and a smidge of gravy left now, heck, even my turkey and posole soup is now a memory, but we had a wonderful Thanksgiving, with a lot of emphasis on the “thanks” part . Speaking of memories, I hope you made some nice new ones this holiday as well.

After a bit of rest, we are all back at it this week with a fabulous cooking event at Standards of Excellence in San Jose on Thursday, more radio segments to record today and round two of our SOE video series! Good thing I am known for having a lot of energy…so join in the action:

This Thursday, ENJOY OUR COMPLIMENTARY HOLIDAY MENU

• Broiled Lamb Meatballs in a Lettuce Cups with Apricot Yogurt Drizzle
• Assorted Flatbreads with Artisan Cheeses, Cured Meats and Fresh Herbs
• Roasted Butternut Squash Rounds with Pesto, Goat Cheese and Pistachios
• Assorted Cookies

We are kicking off my new radio segments on the Green Morning Show, 960AM with a holiday party! Come by to see me demo recipes on the latest Miele appliances, meet, mingle and sample delicious holiday bites and a special bonus dish and recipe I will mention below!

WHEN: December 2 @ 6:30-8pm
WHERE: Standards of Excellence showroom at 1720 Ringwood Ave in San Jose, CA

Get in the spirit early with us at SOE!

Today I am on the way to record several radio segments for Green 960 for December. Although it is still a new experience, I took to it quite easily. I love the hushed hallways and the sequestered studios with the giant microphones. It is exciting to bring a recipe concept to life in just over two minutes using just my voice and of course, genuine passion. Yeah radio…nice, smooth and easy, baby…I am in, out and on my way.

And now on to VIDEO, which is so much harder and yet, still very exciting. We set up at 11:00 and after lights, camera and action, reset, action, reset, action… it takes hours to get to two minutes. The Standards of Excellence kitchen in San Rafael is our home base and Miele is our co-sponsor. This week’s shoot focused on holiday entertaining and seasonal ingredients with my “Warm Crab and Artichoke Dip”, which is full flavored and decadent, yet quite affordable for such a luxurious dish. Here are the food props, one set up had whole food items such as a live Dungeness crab and Straus Creamery half and half, as seen here:

I also pre-prepped all the ingredients in advance as well as seen here in the foreground, with the fantastic, patient, fun and professional crew in the back ground.

With this recipe, I was able to feature the Miele Convection Oven, Steam Oven and Induction Cook top!



The finished dish is shown here, with me smiling away

despite a long day (I think I am holding myself up at this point). Yes, I will share the recipe very soon, it is a winner and so easy to do ahead. But first, I will serve it up as the bonus dish at our Meet and Eat event in San Jose. You must be tempted…

So it started with radio, my dear radio, you met me half way like an old friend. Now video, a much bigger stretch, so much more to do…much more to learn, so very exciting, “first date” style. But wait, what is going to happen, didn’t “video kill the radio star”? We shall see, let’s hope they can all get along! See you in San Jose.

Reflections on Gratitude and Abundance…

Happiest Thanksgiving to all of you! I am honored and so very grateful for my seven plus years as the trusted chef for Standards of Excellence Appliances and my “a la carte” culinary adventures with Macy’s, Fresh Starts Cooking School, Sears and more. I truly love cooking and kitchens deep down in my soul. It is fantastic to learn more and more about food and cooking technology and meet remarkable, inspiring chefs, artisans and of course work side by side with such excellent people. I thank you all…

Looking back, I have cooked, tasted and experienced a world of flavors and I would love to recommend some of my favorites as we all look for gift ideas in the next few months.

Book wise: I loved working with the culinary “king of kings”, Chef Thomas Keller as he taught from his latest book “Ad Hoc at Home” this spring at the Pebble Beach Food and Wine event. This book captures the down to earth spirit and cooking of his most casual, yet highly revered restaurant.

Food wise: We loved working with We Olive this summer at Standards of Excellence in Huntington Beach. Visit or go on line to “We Olive” a small franchise that features top notch California olive oils, vinegars and exciting condiments such as their assorted flavored salts. The stores are exciting experiences in themselves, full of tasting, learning and great cooking advice. The one in San Francisco is right next to Marina Meats, the fabulous butcher shop by Dave the Butcher featured in one of my previous posts. Stop by and meet Dave, a growing national culinary celebrity.

Cheese, wow, try logging on to or visiting Cowgirl Creamery in Point Reyes, California or the Ferry Plaza in San Francisco. They sell or ship gorgeous gift sets. Do not miss the celebrated Point Reyes Blue Cheese and magnificent Humboldt Fog goat cheese with it’s distinctive line of vegetable ash and creamy brie-like edge surrounding a classic tangy goat cheese.

Chocolate, mmm, try hand crafted truffles by my friends at Homeward Bound of Marin. Halo Truffles and Halo HomeMades offer the chance to indulge your appetite while supporting Homeward Bound of Marin in its mission to end homelessness. This is my local charity of choice and I love the powerful work that they do.

Be sure and buy local or at least buy something made with care, such as these items. Treat yourself to a shopping trip in an amazing place like Point Reyes or your local farmer’s market.



And if you can, give the best gift of all: a new appliance from Standards of Excellence!

Save the Date: Meet & Eat San Jose

ENJOY OUR COMPLIMENTARY HOLIDAY MENU

• Broiled Lamb Meatballs in a Lettuce Cups with Apricot Yogurt Drizzle
• Assorted Flatbreads with Artisan Cheeses, Cured Meats and Fresh Herbs
• Roasted Butternut Squash Rounds with Pesto, Goat Cheese and Pistachios
• Assorted Cookies

We are kicking off Chef Rachelle’s new radio segments on Green Morning Show, 960AM with a holiday party! Come by to see her demo recipes on the latest Miele appliances, meet, mingle and sample delicious holiday bites.

WHEN: December 2 @ 6:30-8pm
WHERE: Standards of Excellence showroom at 1720 Ringwood Ave in San Jose, CA

Space is limited, call 408-907-3800 to RSVP

The Eye of the Beholder, Finding Beauty in Imperfection

Eric always “leans” toward great food…

The holidays are here.  Suddenly, upon us is the excitement, joy and often overwhelming expectations that go with entertaining, gift giving and cooking. I love this time of year, when my passion for people and food finds many outlets at home and work. As a chef, many people assume I am up for days upon days cooking. I do prepare in advance and I make a great spread.  However, over the years I have found ways to ease my work load and expectations for creating the  “perfect” holiday meal.  One of my favorite sources for easy, yet exciting cooking and inspiration is the innovative cook book author, food writer and educator, Eric Gower, “The Breakaway Cook”. I had the pleasure of cooking with Eric this week at Macy’s.

Basque-ing in Local Artistry: Cheese, Meat and a Kitchen to "Live" For

Any chef would have traded places with me yesterday. I drove out to the historical Barinaga Ranch http://www.barinagaranch.com/, deep in the heart of West Marin, one of the world's most exciting agricultural regions for a 'kitchen warming event"…of course, it was a magnificent Standards of Excellence kitchen. I have been in some amazing kitchens, but this one was incredibly special. In true West Marin style, nearly everything for the home came from within a few miles distance. From the architect and tile makers to the reclaimed wood for the house all was locally procured. This is how they live and how I cooked for the evening, using luscious, sustainable foods from the ranch itself. 

This sheep dog has never lost a sheep,
deep in coyote and mountain lion country!

Owners, Marsha and Corey, have crafted a home as thoughtfully as they craft their artisan cheeses made from the sheep's milk, a Basque style Basserri and a smaller version, Txiki. Marsha builds on her family's Basque and Spanish heritage as a third generation rancher on this precious, lush land that overlooks Tomales Bay by producing organic cheese, milk and meats served by legendary San Francisco restaurants such as Quince, Zuni and beyond.

The Basserri is in the center

My SOE colleagues, Ann Wilson and Brian Lima, joined forces with me to bring this kitchen to life.

Me, Ann and Brian, loving the kitchen!

We showed off the remarkable features of the Wolf Double Ovens, such as the probe feature. We placed a boneless pork loin fresh from the ranch, stuffed with roasted chilies and crusted with spices on a foil lined broiling pan with a rack into the cold oven, one end of the probe plugged into the wall and the other one deep down into the center of the meat. We set the oven to "Convection Roast" ( bottom heat with extra top heat and fans on for additional browning and moisture). We set the probe temperature to 153 degrees F (after a 10 minute rest after cooking, it reached a perfect 160 F) and shut the door. In about one and a half hours, a sumptuously crusted, seared and moist roast was ready without checking the temperature even once, we could see the internal temperature on the outside of the oven! The convection allowed us to evenly roast tender delicata squash on the rack below and crisp up par-cooked Brussels sprouts. No more stove top searing or opening the oven time and again to take a temperature read, yeah!

Ann shows off the roast feature

Meanwhile, I whipped out some hand made flatbreads, with lamb sausage from... oh, you know!

Dinner was "Chile Stuffed, Spice Crusted Barinaga Ranch Organic Pork Loin over Red Wine Braised Red Cabbage with Apples & Currants and Convection Roasted Delicata Squash & Brussels Sprouts topped with Balsamic Glaze & Pomegranate Seeds." It was sensational.

"Being Green" and "Buying Local". This family and region prove that it is no compromise, but an exciting way to live. Each and every woodworker, cabinet maker, stone mason and landscaper left a gift of their artistry upon this home, each detail revealing itself as the night went on. The home even smelled of sun warmed wood, not of paint or chemicals.

I am proud of bringing tremendous cooking technology to this culinary mecca and showing it in it's full glory. I left with nothing but memories of a fabulous evening and delicious local food smells left behind.

more than "just" appliances, a lifetime a great food awaits!

Driving home carefully, socked in by cotton thick fog,  we were but a small fuzzy glow of light passing through the majesty of this region, already anticipating our next trip back to the ranch above the bay.

It’s a Wrap-Chef, Butcher and Lamb

The party is over, but what an event it was! (Several events, actually). This weekend was a culinary throw down, tapping into many aspects of my chef- powers, from shopping to “mis en place” prep to brunch cooking and catering, whew!

On Friday I facilitated the “Chef, Butcher and Lamb” Cooking Event at Fresh Starts Cooking School. In over 15 years of cooking event work, this was one of the most fascinating and engaging events I have ever witnessed. Dave Budworth a.k.a. “Dave the Butcher, celebrity butcher” of Marina Meats in San Francisco joined forces with J.W. Foster, the Executive Chef of the Fairmont Hotel (S.F.) to butcher, cook and honor, yes, honor a whole lamb, fresh from Redhill Farms in Petaluma, California.



“People may see this as macabre,” Dave explained as he began to cut into the whole lamb, “but if this turns your stomach, then you should not be eating meat. This is where meat comes from, from whole animals. I hope to connect people to the importance of eating meat from animals raised in humane, sustainable conditions, like this lamb which was born, raised and harvested in the same field.”



Chef Foster demonstrated 5 courses based on the cuts of meat, his recipes included Lamb Rillettes with Citrus and Tarragon, Lamb Loin Carpaccio with Arugula Salad (this recipe and photos on my post on November 4th), Tagliatelle with Baby Fennel and Cabbage with Lamb Cheek Confit and more. I live for moments like this, working side by side with chefs of this caliber; we prepped, cooked, plated and bonded! Each demo ended with a plated course created by Catering Chef Jacques Kirk and the culinary academy students and staff.

That late night led into an early morning at Standards of Excellence in San Rafael for our “Meet and Eat” Cooking and Listening Event, celebrating my food segments on Green 960AM, the Green Morning show. We had a great brunch event, more on that on Thursday’s post…

We then jumped in the car to head to Design 101 in Los Gatos for a Grand Opening and Kitchen Warming Event for 180 guests. Our San Jose team was there in force with Sandra Cisneros, manager Dave Patterson and the unstoppable James McIntire. James, a top sales associate donned an apron as promised and cooked, plated and truly made our event unforgettable. We kicked out appetizers for the crowd in the live Viking Kitchen, supplied by Standards of Excellence, of course. I am so grateful to you all.

Two days; tons of action and fun. Here I am, wrapping the lamb butchered by Dave for an after class raffle. Time for me to “wrap it up” as well…until next time!

Eggs in Our Face! Meet & Eat with Me on Saturday

In celebration of my radio cooking segments, Saturdays on the Green 960AM Morning Show, I am cooking up a “Meet and Eat Cooking and Listening Party” this Saturday at Standards of Excellence, 530 West Francisco Blvd. in San Rafael.

I’ll be cooking live in the demo kitchen on the magnificent Miele appliances. There will be brunch favorites using clean, green cutting edge technology by Miele. Learn all about convection ovens, induction burners and steam ovens and get tips and recipes from the radio segments. Are you coming?! I hope to see you there.

The recipe segment for this week is “Oven Baked Stuffed Omelets”, a technique I created many years ago after a challenging event featuring an omelet bar. This photo series outlines the technique and features one of my mentored students, Guillermo Mejia. I am very proud of him, and his success of being appointed Associate Team Leader at Novato Whole Foods.

The recipe and concept is really easy.  It is a jelly roll, style omelet cooked in a half sheet pan. Whip up 18 eggs, ½ cup of half and half (Straus Family Creamery), ¼ cup grated parmesan,  1 ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, then add ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley, ½ cup slivered green onions and 2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning. Brush a large sheet of parchment paper with oil and set it into a “sheet” or “jelly roll” pan with sides, making sure the edges of the paper come up the sides at least 2 inches to hold all the liquid eggs in place.  Helpful TIP:  Be close to the oven and pour the batter into the pan and carefully (it can easily spill).  Place it into a pre-heated 350° oven, set to “convection bake” or  “surround” in the Miele oven and cook until set, about 12-15 minutes.

Here it is coming out of the oven. Then, fill it with cooked vegetables and cheeses, you can fill half or up to ¾ for a thicker omelet, leaving the furthest edge unfilled. You can put any cooked items inside, your choice!

Carefully roll it by lifting the parchment paper and tucking the omelet in, until it’s about ¾ of the way rolled.

Turn it out onto a platter, rolling that last third under as it releases onto the platter

Garnish with additional asparagus, Italian parsley and green onions.

Voila, the plated dish…

Come and taste these in person on Saturday, as I reach back into my line cook days… “Order Up! & Listen Live”

A Dramatic finale for the Sears Chef Challenge!

What a finale… Chef Alex Dino, representing New York, and hometown favorite, Chef Mark Maassen, along with support chefs John Murphy and Ronnie Aleman chopped and sizzled their way into our hearts last Thursday night at the Kenmore Live Studio in down town Chicago. After shopping and prepping the day before, (see last post) our chefs hit the stoves with a “Quick Bite” challenge, creating a first course with traditional Thanksgiving ingredients. Chef Mark won that challenge with a turkey scaloppini style dish-take a look.


Our main event had the chefs incorporating 3 canned food items (hearts of palm, whole peeled tomatoes and northern beans), into their entrée.  The challenge was inspired from the SCC canned food drive, benefiting the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation.


Alex and Mark presented their dishes, and the winner….Chef Alex Dino-he WON! It was truly close, but his dish won the day. Just look at this plate: A small dish of tender octopus paired with creamy northern beans, a seared scallop with zucchini with and micro greens, a seared plank of hearts of palm draped with ahi tuna and ginger oil and a dessert of orange gelee.

Mark made a brilliant seared halibut dish with a seasonal ragout.

I wanted to taste it all! Both chefs already won $10,000 for their charities and a full suite of new appliances during the semi-finals.  Now, Alex adds a FULL KITCHEN MAKE OVER to is winnings and another $10,000 for the Food Bank of Central New York! www.searschefchallenge.com. What a finale!

Back on the home front, stay posted, Thursday I will share an original recipe “Oven Baked Stuffed Rolled Omelet” a dish I created to feed a crowd with style! You can taste it this Saturday as I cook for a crowd from 9 am until noon at our “Meet and Eat Listening Party” at Standards of Excellence in San Rafael at 530 West Francisco Blvd. Come and join us as I cook a brunch feast with the Miele Convection Oven, Steam Oven and Induction Cook Top.

I love induction even more than before (if that was possible)… modern, green and SAFE!

Don't forget: Meet and Eat San Rafael this Saturday!

We are getting together to celebrate the kick off of my radio presence on Green 960AM. Come out to Standards of Excellence in San Rafael on Saturday November 13 at 9am, listen to me talk on the radio about the new and sustainable cooking techniques, recipes and appliance tricks. Sample delicious brunch style treats prepared right there using Miele appliances.

See the event flyer on my facebook.

See you there! 

~ Chef Rachelle

Breaking it Down, in Chicago and Beyond!

Chef Mark Maassen and Chef Alex Dino

The two brilliant chef finalists remaining from the twenty four national Sears Chef Challenge are in downtown Chicago to square off tonight. Chef Mark Maassen of Chicago and Chef Alex Dino of New York are prepped and ready for tonight’s battle. Each chef has won $10,000 each for their charities; one will win $10,000 more, a FULL kitchen makeover, a full suite of appliances and the title of the “Grand Champion of the Sears Chef Challenge”! WATCH US on live stream at 8 pm central time, as Chef Billy Parisi and I co-host this monumental event! www.searschefchallenge.com

The final challenge is based on our canned food drive for the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation; yesterday we revealed 3 canned items: whole peeled tomatoes, hearts of palm and northern beans. The chefs had to incorporate each into their dish, with just 30 minutes to conceptualize and shop at Whole Foods and one hour to prep! Hard one, right? Many more twists to come tonight, tune in!

This Saturday November 6th, my radio cooking segment about “Getting to Know Your Butcher” will air on Green 960AM, the Green Morning Show between 9am & 12pm, PST. The topic was inspired by a “Chef and Butcher Event” coming up at the Fresh Starts Cooking School next Friday, November 12th where guests will enjoy an evening of educational fine dining and the art of butchery featuring the work of Chef jW Foster of San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel and David Budworth, aka Dave the Butcher. Dave will break down a whole lamb, while Chef Foster will share his knowledge and recipes in a cooking demonstration incorporating various parts of the animal. Plates will be served throughout the evening from 6:30 to 10 p.m. and a local winery will pour with each course. All proceeds benefit Homeward Bound of Marin. I can not wait!

Lamb Loin Carpaccio

Lamb loins with spices

This recipe is from this upcoming class, adapted slightly for home use, featuring bright flavors and restaurant chef techniques that are easy to learn. Starting with trimmed boneless lamb tenderloin, I mixed salt, pepper, thyme and lemon zest, crusted the loins and seared them in a hot pan. The loins were cooled and wrapped in plastic wrap and set in the freezer for a bit to facilitate thin slicing.


I then made his quick radish pickles, using a vibrant watermelon radish. 

Making radish pickles

The salad was made with one red endive, half a large head of frisee and baby arugula.

Salad ingredients

 I was inspired to add pomegranate seeds and it was a fantastic color and textural element.
TIP:
To open a pomegranate quickly and cleanly: with a sharp knife, cut a few deep openings into the fruit. In a fill a deep bowl or pot with water and leave it in the sink. Open the pomegranate under water, and break it open with your fingers, releasing the seeds. The seeds sink and the membrane floats, all the red staining juice remains in the water, not on your counter or clothes. Fish out seeds, done in minutes!

Cleaning pomegranate in water

I “broke down” this recipe for you, it is easy. Let me know how it goes and be sure to watch tonight!

FInished dish

Don't Forget: Meet and Eat San Rafael next Saturday!

We are getting together to celebrate the kick off of my radio presence on Green 960AM. Come out to Standards of Excellence in San Rafael on Saturday November 13th at 9am, listen to me talk on the radio about the new and sustainable cooking techniques, recipes and tricks. Sample delicious breakfast treats prepared right there using Miele appliances.

See more details and the event flyer on my facebook.

See you there!

~ Chef Rachelle

Follow that Appliance- Full Steam Ahead! A Week of Kitchen Warming Events, a View from 35, 000 Feet

Once again, my week was a game of “appliance hunting”, seeking out spectacular kitchens and cooking where ever I landed. Speaking of landing, I am somewhere over the Sierras, (snow covered and majestic) right now heading to the most exciting cooking event of the year, the Sears Chef Challenge FINALS taking place this Thursday at the Kenmore Live Studios in Chicago! Chef Mark Maassen of Chicago and Chef Alex Dino of New York are battling it out live and on live stream, 8 pm central time. Chef Billy Parisi and I will be co-hosting the conclusion of this national competition, with so much at stake. The winner takes a full $20, 000 for their chosen charity, the title of SCC Grand Champion and a complete kitchen makeover, top to bottom! I am thrilled and so very excited to be there to support the Sears team and my beloved chef friends. Who will it be? www.searschefchallenge.com

Last Thursday I took the gorgeous ride down to Portola Valley to accompany David Karigaca, Miele appliance territory manager and cooking expert at an unbelievable private home and kitchen, outfitted by Standards of Excellence. I cooked great food, Butterflied Roasted Chicken and Root Vegetables and Pumpkin Cookies in the Miele Master Chef Oven, while David demonstrated the rotisserie chicken feature. At the same time, he filled the Miele Steam Oven with trays of food, broccolini and carrots, a quinoa pilaf with apricots and even a quick steamed scrambled egg demo! The technology was remarkable and the food, well, just look at it!  Our hosts and their guests were practically chanting “Miele, Miele, Miele” at the evenings’ end. I am not kidding.


My annual Macy’s Halloween hands on class was a kick, here is a photo of “Oozing S’mores” made from home made marshmallows, my new favorite thing to make, I posted the recipe last week. NOTE: It is best to use a strong mixer, such as a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer to make this. The mixture gets very thick and stiff as you mix, do not overheat your mixer. If it gets too thick, it is hard to handle.


They also melt a lot faster when you make smores! Here is our rocking crew at Macy’s, featuring Chef Luis Realpozo, Chocolatier for Fresh Starts Cooking School. That is a table full of hand molded chocolates and truffles in our midst!

Saturday night I helped coordinate another private dinner party. Wow! It is a secret, but just guess who did their kitchen! Standards of Excellence of course!

Monday, first ever video shoot for our Green 960 radio cooking segments at Standards of Excellence San Rafael, with again, Miele.

It was so hard, wow, but we did it! Listen in this Saturday from 9-noon on Green 960am for the latest segment, “Know Your Butcher” featuring a brilliant recipe “Lamb Loin Carpaccio” by JT Foster, Executive Chef of the Fairmont Hotel. I will post that recipe here in time for the segment.

And besides cooking, I met a personal hero of mine, writer and humorist David Sedaris on Saturday. In my copy of his latest book, he inscribed, “Rachelle, why must you enchant me so?” He must have read my mind. Right back at you, David…sigh.