"curtisstone" news and stories

Photos: Mailboat; Paul Beaty, AP.

In retrospect, it all sounds like something out of one of those strange dreams where everyone you watched on TV during the day converge into one subliminal place -- and Bret Michaels was there, and so was Rod Blagojevich! And Sinbad was taking Al Roker's drink order while Joan Rivers recommended the $100 burger. Oh Auntie Em, there's no place like home!

In reality, it was just another day in the life of a "Celebrity Apprentice."

When Slashfood received word through the grapevine that our very own "Star Chef" Curtis Stone was serving up gourmet cheeseburgers for charity at Burger Heaven on Monday, we had to go and root for the home team.

If you're a fan of Curtis Stone and happen to be in New York, it's your lucky day.

The chef is currently filming a reality TV show with a bunch of other celebs and will be at Burger Heaven at 9 E. 53rd St. from 10:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. serving gourmet hamburgers for the charity Feeding America. It's not cheap -- $100 a burger -- but it's not every day that you can buy a burger from Curtis Stone.

'Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone'
Recipes by Curtis Stone
Photos by Quentin Bacon
Clarkson Potter -- 2009
Buy it at Amazon

Aussie native Curtis Stone's third cookbook is a paean to lingering at the table with close friends, finishing off a bottle of wine and scraping up the last few crumbs of dessert. His easy-to-follow recipes come with clever names like "Brunch That Will Blow Their Minds" and "Something to Eat on the Sofa." (We love a realistic chef who realizes that sometimes great meals can be celebrated on the couch!)

Takeaway tips: Curtis knows that entertaining can be a stressful, labor-intensive time, so he offers hints to make it less so. One doesn't need to be a great cook to put excellent food on the table: Simply buy quality ingredients, match them smartly and let them shine.

Quality of pictures: Eye-catching. The snapshots made our mouths water so much we actually ran to the grocery store.