Show 556, December 16, 2023: Co-Host and Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”

Chef Andrew Gruel of Big Parm and the Calico Fish House

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) and also the founder and pizzaiola of the fast-casual Big Parm (New Jersey-style pizza) located in the Mess Hall in Tustin provides another timely and informative Ask the Chef segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.

The Holidays are here and stress-free Holiday cooking is always the ultimate objective. As a working chef Andrew has plenty of experience with cooking wisely for the Holidays for both demanding guests and discerning Family. Chef Andrew joins us with his continuing series of genuinely useful holiday cooking tips. This week it’s roasted goose as the centerpiece for the Holiday Table. The flavorful taste profile is between duck and turkey. Egg prices are on the rise again. Chef Andrew explains what’s going on and how you can cushion the expected price increases.

Check out Chef Andrew’s handy and practical cooking tips on Substack at “American Gravy.” There is a accessible free level as well as a premium option with a modest cost.

Show 553, November 25, 2023: Co-Host and Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”

Chef Andrew Gruel of Big Parm and the Calico Fish House

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) and also the founder and pizzaiola of the fast-casual Big Parm (New Jersey-style pizza) located in the Mess Hall in Tustin provides another timely and informative Ask the Chef segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.

The Holidays are arriving soon and stress-free Holiday cooking is always the ultimate objective. As a working chef Andrew has plenty of experience with cooking wisely for the Holidays for both demanding guests and Family. Chef Andrew joins us with his continuing series of genuinely useful, stress-free holiday cooking tips. The Thanksgiving Turkey has been carved and the remaining turkey and the bountiful side dishes are tucked in the refrigerator. Chef Andrew provides some tasty thoughts for creativity with leftovers.

Show 551, November 11, 2023: Co-Host and Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”

Chef Andrew Gruel of Big Parm and the Calico Fish House

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel, the menu-maker behind the full-service Calico Fish House (in the Sunset Beach area of Huntington Beach) and also the founder and pizzaiola of the fast-casual Big Parm (New Jersey-style pizza) located in the Mess Hall in Tustin provides another timely and informative Ask the Chef segment where he responds to listeners’ thoughtful inquiries.

The Holidays are arriving soon and stress-free Holiday cooking is always the objective. As a working chef Andrew has plenty of experience with cooking wisely for the Holidays for both demanding guests and Family. Chef Andrew is continuing his helpful series of genuinely useful Holiday cooking tips. Have a properly sharpened chef’s knife at the ready.

The Holidays are arriving soon and stress-free Holiday cooking is always the objective. As a working chef Andrew has plenty of experience with cooking wisely for the Holidays for both demanding guests and Family. Chef Andrew is continuing his helpful series of genuinely useful Holiday cooking tips. For Thanksgiving he suggests spatchcocking (splitting the bird down the backbone) the turkey before roasting and using a dry rub with an overnight stay in the refrigerator. Have a properly sharpened chef’s knife at the ready.

Check out his handy and practical cooking tips on Substack at “American Gravy.” There is a free level as well as a premium option with a modest cost.

Show 499, November 12, 2022: Lauren Thomas, The Modern Hippie Table cookbook and blog – The Modern Hippie Way Part One

Modern Hippie Lauren Thomas

Modern Hippie” celebrates a way of living and entertaining that creates an intentional series of moments at home, where good food, conversation, and design come together to create and establish lasting and inspired memories. Lauren Thomas’s The Modern Hippie Table: Recipes and Menus for Eating Simply and Living Beautifully combines more than 70 curated recipes and assorted themed menus with beautiful and doable tabletop ideas, creating a vibe of laid-back elegance that complements whatever is on the menu, from an intimate dinner for two to a large celebration.” 

“In this debut collection, Lauren shares favorite dishes that can be easily prepared for entertaining, which allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests and family. Some of the recipes are made from scratch, while others make creative use of store-bought convenience foods and pre-made products that help save time.”

“Lauren is also passionate about making sure the surroundings of the occasion are as beautiful as the meal is delicious. She provides suggestions for flowers, linens, and surfaces that won’t add stress or break the bank. And to complete your planning, suggested menus for occasions such as an intimate date night or a meet the neighbors gathering are sprinkled throughout the book to help plan out themed meals, along with tips on how to set the scene for the occasion.”

Lauren takes a break from preparing her Pear, Pomegranate, Turkey and Gorgonzola Board to join us.

For Lauren’s virtual presentation for the Melissa’s food media group she prepared a Pear, Pomegranate, Turkey and Gorgonzola Salad Board inspired by her recipe for Pear Gorgonzola Salad in The Modern Hippie Table. Lauren graciously shares that recipe with us. Perfect use for that leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Show 499, November 12, 2022: Lauren Thomas, The Modern Hippie Table cookbook and blog – The Modern Hippie Way Part Two

Modern Hippie Lauren Thomas

Modern Hippie” celebrates a way of living and entertaining that creates an intentional series of moments at home, where good food, conversation, and design come together to create and establish lasting and inspired memories. Lauren Thomas’s The Modern Hippie Table: Recipes and Menus for Eating Simply and Living Beautifully combines more than 70 curated recipes and assorted themed menus with beautiful and doable tabletop ideas, creating a vibe of laid-back elegance that complements whatever is on the menu, from an intimate dinner for two to a large celebration.” 

“In this debut collection, Lauren shares favorite dishes that can be easily prepared for entertaining, which allows you to spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your guests and family. Some of the recipes are made from scratch, while others make creative use of store-bought convenience foods and pre-made products that help save time.”

“Lauren is also passionate about making sure the surroundings of the occasion are as beautiful as the meal is delicious. She provides suggestions for flowers, linens, and surfaces that won’t add stress or break the bank. And to complete your planning, suggested menus for occasions such as an intimate date night or a meet the neighbors gathering are sprinkled throughout the book to help plan out themed meals, along with tips on how to set the scene for the occasion.”

Lauren takes a 2nd break from finishing her Pear, Pomegranate, Turkey and Gorgonzola Board (inspired by her recipe for Pear Gorgonzola Salad from The Modern Hippie Table) to continue with us.

For Lauren’s virtual presentation for the Melissa’s food media group she prepared a Pear, Pomegranate, Turkey and Gorgonzola Salad Board inspired by her recipe for Pear Gorgonzola Salad in The Modern Hippie Table. Lauren graciously shares that recipe with us. Perfect use for that leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Pear, Pomegranate & Turkey Gorgonzola Salad Board

Pear, Pomegranate and Turkey Gorgonzola Salad Board by Lauren Thomas

Recipe excerpt from:
The Modern Hippie Table: Recipes and Menus for Eating Simply and Living Beautifully
by Lauren Thomas

If you find yourself wondering what to do with all those turkey leftovers after Thanksgiving, this delicious salad board makes a beautiful presentation to impress your family (who’s still in town) when you don’t feel like cooking. Whether you serve this salad for lunch or dinner, I can assure you that you’ll inspire a new leftovers tradition! Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon sherry or white wine vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 heads butter lettuce, torn into small pieces
  • 1 head Greenleaf lettuce, torn into small pieces
  • Approximately one pound of leftover white turkey meat, sliced or chopped
  • 1 small head radicchio lettuce, chopped
  • 4 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese
  • 2 large ripe pears, preferably Bartlett or Comice, cored and cut into ½- inch cubes
  • 1 cup pomegranate arils, or the seeds of one pomegranate
  • Black pepper
  • *Extra pears and pomegranates to help decorate your board

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt. Set aside.

In a large salad bowl, combine the butter lettuce and Greenleaf lettuce and toss to combine. On a large platter or wooden board with raised edges, arrange the lettuce to cover. On top of the lettuce, start by arranging the turkey in the center, followed by the radicchio, cheese, pears, and pomegranate arils on either side of the turkey in parallel lines. Drizzle the salad dressing evenly and toss gently just before serving. Season with black pepper to taste.

Show 470, April 16, 2022: Jenny Goldfarb, Founder, Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli Part One

Jenny Goldfarb of Mrs. Goldfarb's

“Jenny Goldfarb, aka Mrs. Goldfarb, is the Founder & CEO of Unreal Deli, the country’s leading provider of premium plant-based deli meats. Unreal Deli is meat from a (truly happy) farm, not a factory, made with locally-sourced ingredients you can pronounce. With no experience in the food sector, let alone launching a company, Jenny gave birth to this rapidly expanding business in her tiny kitchen while pregnant with her 3rd child. Her great-grandfather, Morris Gross, immigrated to NYC in 1907 and worked his way up from dishwasher to owning several NY delis.”

“Jenny grew up a “bagels and Seinfeld Jew” on the Standard American Diet (SAD), and in her early 30s, learned about the plight of animals on factory farms, which led her to adopt a plant-based diet. After much trial and error, she became a whiz in the plant-based kitchen and realized the thing she missed most after becoming vegan was premium NY-style deli meat. She sought to recreate a corned beef made from beets, chickpeas, tomatoes, and high protein wheat. The recipe was such a hit with her friends and family that they encouraged her to produce her Corn’d Beef Reubens for some of the biggest delis in LA, which got the attention of Whole Foods and even landed her on Shark Tank where she took on Mark Cuban as primary investor.”

“At the top of 2020 things were looking good, until the pandemic hit and restaurants, the company’s main revenue source, shut down. It didn’t look good. But making it through challenges is all about flexibility, so the company shifted into retail. Retail sales shot through the roof! The company then developed Unreal Roasted Turk’y followed by Unreal Steak Slices to have a more diverse product line supporting consumer sales. The product line can now be found in thousands of restaurant and grocery locations nationwide with more to come including new products and a wider release of more Unreal Deli ghost kitchens after the successful launch in NY.” Mark Cuban has contributed a second round of funding in addition to his original “Shark Tank” investment.

Jenny Goldfarb is our guest with an overstuffed Unreal Corn’d Beef Reuben on corn rye in hand.

Show 470, April 16, 2022: Jenny Goldfarb, Founder, Mrs. Goldfarb’s Unreal Deli Part Two

Jenny Goldfarb of Mrs. Goldfarb's

Jenny Goldfarb, aka Mrs. Goldfarb, is the Founder & CEO of Unreal Deli, the country’s leading provider of premium plant-based deli meats. Unreal Deli is meat from a (truly happy) farm, not a factory, made with locally-sourced ingredients you can pronounce. With no experience in the food sector, let alone launching a company, Jenny gave birth to this rapidly expanding business in her tiny kitchen while pregnant with her 3rd child. Her great-grandfather, Morris Gross, immigrated to NYC in 1907 and worked his way up from dishwasher to owning several NY delis.”

“Jenny grew up a “bagels and Seinfeld Jew” on the Standard American Diet (SAD), and in her early 30s, learned about the plight of animals on factory farms, which led her to adopt a plant-based diet. After much trial and error, she became a whiz in the plant-based kitchen and realized the thing she missed most after becoming vegan was premium NY-style deli meat. She sought to recreate a corned beef made from beets, chickpeas, tomatoes, and high protein wheat. The recipe was such a hit with her friends and family that they encouraged her to produce her Corn’d Beef Reubens for some of the biggest delis in LA, which got the attention of Whole Foods and even landed her on Shark Tank where she took on Mark Cuban as primary investor.”

“At the top of 2020 things were looking good, until the pandemic hit and restaurants, the company’s main revenue source, shut down. It didn’t look good. But making it through challenges is all about flexibility, so the company shifted into retail. Retail sales shot through the roof! The company then developed Unreal Roasted Turk’y followed by Unreal Steak Slices to have a more diverse product line supporting consumer sales. The product line can now be found in thousands of restaurant and grocery locations nationwide with more to come including new products and a wider release of more Unreal Deli ghost kitchens after the successful launch in NY.” Mark Cuban has contributed a second round of funding in addition to his original “Shark Tank” investment.

Jenny Goldfarb continues as our guest with a freshly-prepared, overstuffed Unreal Deli Corn’d Beef Reuben on corn rye in hand.

Show 456, December 18, 2021: Co-Host Chef Andrew Gruel with “Ask the Chef”

Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group

Our own Chef Andrew Gruel of the Slapfish Restaurant Group provides another timely and informative “Ask the Chef” segment where Chef Andrew responds to listeners thoughtful inquiries.

It’s the height of Holiday cooking time and Chef Andrew is here to help. He offers a few more genuinely useful Holiday Cooking Tips to make life a bit easier in your active kitchen. Stuffing makes a great side dish even when turkey is not on the table.

Also, for those in need during the Holidays Chef Andrew is continuing his tradition of providing hosted meals at the Slapfish locations in Southern California and at Big Parm (NY-style pizza) in the Mess Hall in Tustin.

Show 449, October 30, 2021: Clean Eating Kitchen’s Michelle Dudash, Registered Dietarian Nutritionist – The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook Part Two

Michelle Dudash RDN

“From the creator of Clean Eating Kitchen, Registered Dietarian Nutritionist Michelle Dudash presents The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook with simple, plant-focused recipes for lifelong health.”

“The Mediterranean diet holds the top rank for being easy to follow and delivering proven results for improved heart health and blood sugar management, decreased risk of cancer, and increased longevity. This cookbook combines the best aspects of the Mediterranean diet with more than 100 nutritious recipes that help the whole family eat clean including 60 meals that can be prepared in 30-minutes or less.”

“Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook delivers the benefits of the Mediterranean diet with fewer carbs, satisfying a mostly plant- and seafood-based regimen that is higher in protein and good fats. This book includes the healthiest, most crave-worthy ingredients and flavors of the Mediterranean diet that are sure to induce wanderlust. Included are satisfying dishes ranging from Creamy Spinach Pie with Almond Flour Crust to Sheet Pan Chickpea and Broccoli Dinner.”

“With low-carb and low-sugar recipes packed with protein, you and your family can stay healthy by following one of the best eating lifestyles in the world. Enjoy simple, wholesome meals that leave everyone around the table happy and satisfied with the Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Diet Cookbook.”

The last Chapter in the cookbook is “La Dolce Vita: Sweets and Fruit Dishes.” Chef Michelle highlights one of her favorite desserts – Vegan Chocolate Mousse with Aquafaba.

Michelle gracious shares with us her recipes for Mini Bell Peppers Stuffed with Turkey and Pistachios, and Sheet Pan Chickpea and Broccoli Dinner from The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook.

Michelle Dudash continues with us with tongs at the ready.