"bruni" news and stories

Red velvet cake is, for some reason, often considered to be a retro, trashy sort of cake in spite of the fact that it is wildly popular at bakeries these days. The best cakes have a moist and tender crumb, as well as a hint of cocoa. The color can range from Marilyn red to deep mahogany and is typically made with food coloring, although those chefs who are overly concerned with making everything over-the-top natural use beets to color theirs. If the whole cake is just too much for you, you can always try red velvet cupcakes or sandwich cookies.

Beta cook disorder is a condition that arises in chefs when their partner is too dominant in the kitchen, constantly second guessing everything they do and ordering them around. Power struggles, it seems, come out in the kitchen more often than anywhere else, but by consciously working together - with an open dialog - mini dictatorships can be avoided and you'll have just enough hands stirring the pot.

Paul Bocuse, one of the greatest French chefs there is, just celebrated his 80th birthday with a huge, three-day party and a list of A-list chefs both as guests and in the kitchen.

Winter comfort food is even better it you can get it done quickly with no loss of flavor, like Baked Beans with Bacon in 2 hours, instead of 10.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes stuffed chicken thighs.

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A business called PrimeTime Tables operates in New York City by getting primo reservations are restaurants and, effectively, scalping them to customers who want them. Restaurateurs call the service "disingenuous and parasitic," noting that it undermines the relationship between restaurant and diner because unlike any other concierge, PTT charges users for their tables. Most are trying to figure out how the service gets their reservations in the first place.

At Yale, students take lessons in dining hall cooking, where they turn simple ingredients from the condiment bar into gourmet treats the likes of which the cafeteria staff isn't going to offer on their own. And they do it in the microwave.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, talks about broilers - a.k.a. upside down grills - and how to get the most out of yours. He recommends preheating the oven before turning on the broiler and using an ovenproof skillet for cooking, rather than a broiler pan. Recipes include Hard-Shell Clams With Parsley Pesto, Broiled Steak With Pineapple and Onion Salsa and Tortilla Soup.

Frank Bruni analyzes Top Chef and while he mentions Marcel's haircut and Ilan's cutthroat tactics, he spends more time talking about what makes the show work.

It's lemon season and there are many things to make: Spaghetti al Limone, Chicken Breasts with Fennel and Lemon and Lemon Confit Shortbread Tart.

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Frank Bruni has some very astute observations about the way that restaurants present themselves these days. Chefs are artists and the meal is art. While once a diner could still eat what they wanted, when they wanted to, those decisions are now given to the restaurant and to the chef, each of which has a vision (usually of an expensive tasting menu) and vanity to preserve.

Even with advertising deals, cookbooks and tv shows, chefs are still making most of their money at their restaurants. And it's not as much as you might think, at least not until the chefs have already hit the big time in terms of popularity.

Issa Moskowitz, of the PPK, talks about being vegan, being punk and then shares some recipes: Devil's Food Cupcakes with Fluffy White Filling and Chocolate Icing, Spicy Peanut Stew with Ginger and Tomato and Butternut Squash Rice Paper Rolls.

Winter is a good time for smoking - smoking meats, that is.

Americanized haggis leaves out the offal (most of it, anyway) and is much more popular with consumers as a result.

Frank Bruni dines at The Waverly Inn and Garden and gives it one star.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes Farfalle with Gorgonzola, Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes.

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The politics of food was at the forefront, making people aware of issues like obesity and food safety, as well as introducing (or reintroducing) consumers to the idea that their food comes from farmers and fields, not faceless factories. Organics exploded in popularity and so did animal activism issues, like the ban on foie gras in Chicago. Speaking of bans, the trans fat ban in NYC has sparked nation-wide interest and prompted many politicians to suggest similar legislation.

Home cooking was also hugely popular this year, as evidenced by the growing popularity of food blogs, the fact that most of the popular food programs on TV use words like "home-style," "country" and "everyday," and that the top ten bestselling cookbooks "have a decidedly nonprofessional focus" designed to appeal to home cooks, not would-be chefs.

Frank Bruni's dream dinner takes place at a number of restaurants because he "didn't have the perfect meal in 2006," so he has imagined a restaurant crawl to take him around the city fro course to course.

Eric Asimov names key wine trends, like the growth of Spanish wineries, the popularity of Pinot Noir and the fact that you'll always remember the good, not the bad, in the long run.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, recommends his rich and cheesy Welsh Rarebit as a perfect late-night snack on a night of overindulgence (in drinks, not food).

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If a cocktail sounds really strange, you might want to take a chance, trust the bartender and give it a try before dismissing it out of hand. You might be surprised.

Whiskey is growing in popularity, so you might want to know what kinds of nibbles go well with it.

Long-aged tequilas are in higher demand, too - and they're not meant for making margaritas.

A specialty tonic water can really improve the quality of a drink, adding a subtly sweet flavor to take the edge off.

Tailgaters like to bring out the blenders and serve mixed drinks before the big game.

Drinking during pregnancy - not to mention a number of other food-related pleasures - is definitely frowned upon by others in the US, although not necessarily by doctors or people elsewhere in the world. It seems that there are risks associated with heavy drinking, but to be on the safe side in all situations, there is no standard for "heavy drinking" and is just considered to be a big no-no.

Big beers, usually produced by small brewers, are beers that have an alcohol content of more than 7% - far stronger than the average of 3-5% that is a common standard in most places. Fans feel that a lot more goes into making them than other beers and revere them almost as much as a fine wine.

Frank Bruni dines at Spicy & Tasty and gives it two stars.

Mark Bittman, the minimalist, makes party food: Polpetti, Grilled Chicken Wings, Gougères and Asian Corn Fritters.

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