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Posts with tag fusion

Adios to foam?

A dish with foamSlate -- my favorite web site on the internet after Slashfood -- published an article today about the possible decline of Spanish avant-garde cuisine. The article lists numerous factors contributing to the "death" of the movement, including the overuse of foam, popular demand and democracy (meaning the fact that people can recreate the culinary experiences in their own kitchens). It contends that the mainstream has caught up with the movement, rendering it no longer new or exciting.

Fortunately for those of us who enjoy this type of food, the article ultimately concludes that Spanish avant-garde cuisine will likely meet the fate as trends like Asian fusion and California cuisines: some elements will fade away, but others (like foam) will simple become part of the "culinary vernacular." Phew! Anyone think otherwise?

One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors, Cookbook of the Day

When you want to add some variety, some spice, to your regular diet, looking to other cultures and cuisines is a great idea. Adding some curry to your usual marinade or chipotle peppers in your bbq sauce effectively constitutes fusion cuisine and opens a world of possibilities for the home cook in the kitchen. Strangely, however, not that many cookbooks promote this type of fusion. They tend to strive for either authentic, exotic recipes or for familiar fare, with the tiniest pinch of spice that serves to differentiate it from the competition. The former strategy can be intimidating to some cooks, while the latter would hardly constitute a decent exposure to a new cuisine, let alone a good introduction. One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors embraces the idea of really blending flavors from two cultures, resulting in a cookbook full of recipes that manage to be familiar and different at the same time, introducing a whole new range of possibilities in a very accessible way.

The recipes are relatively uncomplicated and primarily use ingredients that can be found at the regular grocery store, as opposed to at specialty markets. Roast Lamb with Mint–Black Pepper Sauce, Curry Leaf Lime Vinaigrette, Pan-fried Black Pepper Shrimp and Mahi mahi Stuffed With Coconut Coriander Chutney are just a few examples of recipes that incorporate Indian ingredients and condiments (which play a big role in Indian food) into more familiar dishes. Author Floyd Cardoz doesn't rely on the food to speak for itself, and takes the time to explain the inspirations for his flavor combinations and the history associated with ingredients at every possible opportunity.

Kalbi tacos are ultimate Korexican fusion

kalbi/galbee tacoIt's another late night here in the Slashfood virtual offices, and as we surf the web as we usually do in our last moments before collapsing into bed, we have come across what we think might be The Food Trend of the Year. At the beginning of this year, all the food fashion forecasters put in their guesses as to what they believe will be the "It" food for the upcoming year, whether it's exotic spices from South Asia being used more commonly in the home kitchen or specific products that will gain some traction. Maybe it will be: Korexican.

That's the fusion of Korean and Mexican, as we see in kalbi tacos from LA food blogger Eat, Drink n B Merry. Some say that "fusion" cuisine was over all the way back when leggings were in style the first time, but leggings have come back, and apparently, so has fusion. At least, it did at a semi-buzzed barbecue in southern California.

Chopped kimchee with kalbi is always delicious, but not sure how it tastes with guacamole!

Susanna Foo Fresh Inspiration: New Approaches to Chinese Cuisine, Cookbook of the Day

Perhaps tainted by years of average takeout, Chinese food can start to seem boring from time to time. This is a shame because Chinese food is some of the most interesting on earth. That being said, it doesn't mean you're going to be able to find it in your town. Instead, a book like Susanna Foo Fresh Inspiration: New Approaches to Chinese Cuisine can offer some new takes on some favorite flavors to spice up your dinner options. Author Susanna Foo, a James Beard award winning chef, is known for her fusion cuisine and that is exactly the approach that she takes with this book, using Asian ingredients in western dishes and bringing western techniques to some Asian classics. The resulting dishes are, while not traditional for any established cuisine, fresh and fun. There is an emphasis on the use of seasonal ingredients and of bold but complex flavors, but the dishes are actually fairly simple and most of the ingredients should be easy to find if you have a well-stocked market in your area. Recipes include Beef Carpaccio with Vietnamese Vinaigrette, Chinese Steamed Artichoke Hearts, Mandarin Potato Salad with Cellophane Noodles, Orzo with Cilantro Pesto and Peanuts and Lychee and Lemon Thyme Sorbet .

Top Chef Episode 5 recap

After a trying experience last week with microwaved food, the Top Chef chefs again found themselves preparing food outside of their element - both literally and figuratively. Instead of working in the kitchen, plating and serving, the chefs were sent out to San Francisco's Mission District to peddle their wares as street food. In addition to mingling with the people, the chefs had to focus on ethnic flavors throughout both tasks in the episode and in doing so, found that they were further from their comfort zone than they realized.

The quickfire challenge was designed to test the chefs' ability to recognize ingredients without seeing them. I agree with the comments that Tom Colicchio, one of the judges, made on his blog - namely, that the challenge was not really representational of their ability to recognize ingredients because the ingredients chosen were very exotic. Guest chef and judge Mike Yakura, head chef at Le Colonial, a French-Vietnamese restaurant, choose ingredients to taste that some of the chefs had never before worked with. Expecting that all chefs should know all possible ingredients is unrealistic, if not impossible, and the competitors did not do terribly well. Out of the 20 ingredients - which included longan, tamarind, hibiscus extract, chili paste, nopal, konnyaku, durian and nato - the chefs tasted, Tiffani and Miguel only identified 1, LeeAnne, Harold, Lisa and Stephen identified 3, and Andrea identified 4. Andrea, winning the challenge, received immunity.

Continue reading Top Chef Episode 5 recap

Tip of the Day

Wondering how to keep your radishes fresh and crisp? This reader-submitted tip will save the day.

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