"ingredients" news and stories

I am in heaven. First I find flame decals for my Kitchen Aid. Now I've found the best web site ever, at least in my opinion.

Pastry Chef Central has everything a pastry chef (or geek) could ever want!
The site is basically split up into two sections: tools and ingredients. The tools section has several categories each filled with wonderful, beautiful toys, I mean tools. The ingredients section doesn't have any sub-sections, but it doesn't need any as it's choc full of lovely and fantastic things necessary for all manner of delicious desserts.

There's a third section, actually. It's a resource area with recipes and an "Ask the Chef" link.

The site is great. It's easy to read and follow. It's neat and clean, as any pastry web site should be. Best of all, Pastry Chef Central has lots of pictures! Can you actually see me drooling? Does anyone have any other pastry/baking websites to share?

As I mentioned last week, sometimes the best pictures aren't of the completed meal, but of the ingredients themselves. We received some links back from readers directing us to even more amazing collections of fresh fruits and veggie pictures, which I've included in a little photo essay that you can view after the jump. Have more? Send them to us via this link.

(Special thanks to Sheri and Anita!)

If cooking shows and Indie rock bands top your list of favorite things, then this one just may be for you. A new web show spotlights both in Dinner with the Band, where you will find musical performances alongside cooking techniques delivered by host and chef Sam Mason.

According to the On Food beta site, the show is aiming to be the perfect mash-up of indie music and edgy food for total entertainment.

Ingredients are flashed across the screen in larger-than-life scratched lettering so you can't miss them, and the recipes seem to be quite unique and interesting. The pilot episode debuted last month, coinciding with the show's launch party at SXSW. I'm not really sure there is enough of a market to make this a phenomenal success, but the premise is certainly interesting.

(thanks, Karina!)

Source

The words "all natural" on the packaging of Capri Sun juice drinks have prompted a Florida woman to file a lawsuit against Kraft Foods, Inc., the drink's producer, the Associated Press reported. Assisted by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Linda Rex of Boynton Beach, Fla., claims that the inclusion of high fructose corn syrup is what makes the drink in the little silver pouch less than "all natural." You might remember the CSPI from when they filed and then withdrew lawsuits against Kentucky Fried Chicken over trans-fat use last year, or for their similar actions against Starbucks. A recent press release from CSPI points out that the organization has also challenged 7UP's use of the word "natural." A statement from Kraft says that the "all natural" label was already on the way out and will soon be replaced with packaging that claims "no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives,'' the AP reported. CSPI's always-witty executive director Michael Jacobson, coiner of phrases such as "venti-sized health problems" and "Kentucky Fried coronary," said HCFS "would more accurately be called 'Fresh from the Factory.'"

The competitors on Top Chef seem to endlessly complain when they have to work with an ingredient that they didn't make from scratch, repeating ad nauseum that they feel such things - namely, processed foods - are far beneath them. But using commercial ingredients isn't beneath all chefs, not even ones like Jean-Georges Vongerichten and David Bouley. Vongerichten serves his Two-Flavored Stir-Fried Shrimp in a sauce of Hellmann's Mayo and condensed milk. Bouley uses Heinz Ketchup in several sauces, including the one served with his Braised Hawaiian Yellowtail appetizer. Other secret ingredients in chefs' pantries include Gravy Master, Kraft Singles, canned creamed corn and Dr. Pepper.

How are high-end, starred chefs getting away with using ingredients that you could find at a convenience store? The answer is that they don't advertise it the same way that they highlight grass-fed beef and organic tomatoes on their menus.