Sin is Delicious!!!

by sacramento, April 29, 2009 | Permalink

…Whoops!  Cyn that is, (short for Cynthia) and it is her cooking I’m talking about!  Cyn is our store team leader here in Sacramento.  She is crazy fun and crazy about good food.  A definite low-key foodie (low key because she makes food approachable and open to everyone, not just gourmands). 

Her favorite thing to do is to walk through produce and seafood and find what’s new.  This past weekend she did just that!  Here is her fabulous creation:

First of the Wild Salmon - roasted in a hot oven (425F) with Spanish Smoked Paprika Salt.  Next came Corn, cut off the cob and tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in a cast iron pan in the oven.  She then made Peach Salsa (peaches diced small), mixed with Spring Onions that were lightly sauteed, salt and freshly chopped Cilantro.  We just got a bunch of Ramps (a green vegetable)— she tossed them in olive oil, salt, pepper and Meyer Lemon and cooked them on the grill.  Result?  Salmon served on a bed of Roasted Corn, topped with Peach Salsa with a side of Grilled Ramps.   Sign me up!!!

Electronic Recycling with E-Cycle Today (4/25)!

by sacramento, April 25, 2009 | Permalink

Bring any electronic item you want (or need to) recyle Saturday.  E-Cycle will take it off your hands for free and properly recycle the item.  Types of items include stereos, CDs, cell phones, wires, computers, monitors, radios, electronic kitchen appliances, TVs, wires, etc.   Also join in our Earth Day Celebration fun!

Cooking With Peppers, Mexican Style

by sacramento, April 22, 2009 | Permalink

Chef Arturo Vargas is teaching here on Thursday, April 23rd at 6pm.   If you’ve wondered about all the varieties of peppers out there, dried or not, this is the class to attend!  He’ll not only discuss pepper varieties but show you how to process them to make wonderful dishes, sauces and salsas.  Includes three dishes, salsa and guacamole for your eating enjoyment!   (This is a demonstration class.)  Has anyone taken Arturo’s classes anywhere?

Fong Brothers Do It Again!

by sacramento, April 21, 2009 | Permalink

The Fong Brothers duo (Eddie and Kelly) graced us with their presence this past Saturday with two wonderful classes: Fong Bros Take an Early Wok and Take Another Wok. Although the really aren’t brothers, when the pair gets together, they know how to have contageous fun! I’m hoping to have them back in August so keep an eye out.

Here is some feedback to wet your appetite for August:

“I’m a regular (three times or more a week) shopper at the Arden store. Never have taken a class before, but since I’ve known Eddie Fong for years (was a regular at his old restaurant) I decided to take the plunge.

What a great set-up. The kitchen is gorgeous and comfortable, and the viewing of the proceedings easy. I very much enjoyed watching Kelly and Eddie work their magic, and the food was incredible.

I’ll be watching the schedule for more events. Hope the Fongs will be back, too.”

Thanks, Gina Spadafori
Pet Connection, Universal Press Syndicate
PetConnection.com / DogCars.com

AND:

“This class was TERRIFIC! Kelly and Eddie are GREAT. The food was simply amazing, and they just made it all look so easy. Plus they did a vegetable stir fry, and a simple dish with the leftover shrimp. I’m stuffed! Also, having Jon from Rail Bridge Winery there to talk about the wine was really special. And delicious wine, if you haven’t yet tried it.”

Thanks again, Lynn.

Kelly Barnes

Local Goes Big Time with Lemon Grass!

by sacramento, April 9, 2009 | Permalink

Local chef and restaurant owner Mai Pham just released a line of cooking sauces: Green Curry, Yellow Curry and Lemongrass Marinade. This is in addition to running her South East Asian restaurant Lemon Grass, Lemon Grass Asian Grill and Noodle Bar, which is inside a La Bou Bakery & Café on Howe Avenue and writing cookbooks- her third, The Flavors of Asia, was just released.

All three sauces are available at the store. Chef Mai will be here this Saturday, April 11th from 11:00 a.m-3:00 p.m., to sample dishes made with the sauces and give you great recipe tips. Come meet one of Sacramento’s best chefs and taste her delights too!

The Oil of Avocados

by sacramento, April 2, 2009 | Permalink

A good oil indeed!  Avocado Oil has the highest ‘smoke point’ of any oil,  510°F for refined avocado oil.  Refined you say?!  But yes!  Refined oils can actually be better choices for higher cooking temperatures.  Refining does make oils more neutral in flavor and many nutrients are removed during the refining process, however the essential fatty acids do remain. It is also important to note when oil begins to smoke, it releases carcinogens into the air and creates free radicals within the oil. The molecules are highly reactive and can cause cellular damage and breakdown.

A few basic rules you can use to decide whether to use unrefined or refined oil in various cooking applications are as follows.

Use unrefined when preparing dishes needing low to moderate heat (temps below 320°F). This includes steaming, light sautéing and drizzling over cooked grains and vegetables. They are also great for salad dressings, most sauces and baking if baking temperatures are not higher than 350°F.

Refined are better when cooking at medium to high heat temperatures (350° to 425°F) for applications such as stir-frying, sautéing with high heat, grilling and high temperature baking. Remember different refined oils have different smoke points, some higher than others so check them out beforehand!

Greetings!

by sacramento, April 1, 2009 | Permalink

Welcome to Store Blogs, brought to you by the Sacramento store. Each week, we’ll share information with you on a variety of topics so come back often to read, enjoy and learn. And the topic for April Fools Day…???