Eastern Shore Cooking Demonstrations

Robert Morris Inn - Cooking Demonstrations

 COOKING DEMONSTRATION LUNCH SERIES 

March 17, 2012 

 Oxford, Maryland 2012 Cooking Demonstration Series - Cooking demonstrations at the Robert Morris Inn with celebrity Master Chef Mark Salter to include recipe cards, two hours demonstrations followed by a two course luncheon with wines. Each cooking demonstration starts at 10am with lunch at 12 noon.

$64 per person with limited guest numbers or $288 to attend the full series of five

Price is $64 per person excluding tax and lunch service gratuity

Program and contents subject to confirmation

Saturday, March 17th - Mark's Signature Dishes
Every recognised Chef has "signature dishes" but few share!
Mark's are legendary . . . . taste and try a selection:
Maryland Crab Spring Roll with Pink Grapefruit, Avocado and toasted Almonds
Smoked Chesapeake Blue Fish Pate with Croustades Cream of Maryland Crab Soup
Blue Cheese and Granny Smith Apple Coleslaw

"SATURDAY DINNER THEATRE" SERIES 2012, MARCH 31, APRIL 21

March 31, 2012 - Oxford, Maryland

"Saturday Dinner Theatre" Series 2012
Starring Master Chef Mark Salter & . . . You!

$140 per person exclusive of tax and gratuity.

Restricted numbers of guests.

31st March & 21st April
Robert Morris Inn, 314 North Morris Street, Oxford, MD 21654 

Contact

410 226 5111

Web Site URL

www.robertmorrisinn.com

Eastern Shore Event information sourced from

http://www.tourtalbot.org/events.asp 

Winter Cooking Demonstration Series - Oxford, MD

WINTER COOKING DEMONSTRATION LUNCH SERIES
February 4, 2012


OXFORD....
2012 Winter Cooking Demonstration Series - Cooking demonstrations with celebrity Master Chef Mark Salter to include recipe cards, two hours demonstrations followed by a two course luncheon with wines. Each starts at 10am with lunch at 12 noon.

$64 per person with limited guest numbers or $288 to attend the full series of five

Price is $64 per person excluding tax and lunch service gratuity

Program and contents subject to confirmation

Saturday, February 4th - Italy
The characteristic of Italian cuisine is simplicity. Italian cooks rely chiefly on the quality of te ingredients rather than on elaborate preparation. Try some of Marks favourites:
Best Caesar Salad with crunchy Baguette Croutons
Goat Cheese, Black Olive and roasted Red Pepper Raviolli
How to make the perfect Pasta dish with home-made Marinara Sauce
Risotto with Wild Mushrooms

The Robert Morris Inn, 314 North Morris Street, Oxford, MD 21654
http://www.robertmorrisinn.com/
410 226 5111

Eastern Shore of Maryland event information sourced from

http://tourtalbot.org/showevent.asp?eid=6895

Thanksgiving with the Turkeys - A Dinner Where Turkeys Are Guests, Not Entrees

A Dinner Where Turkeys Are Guests, Not EntreesArash Arabasadi | Poolesville, Maryland

VOA - November 22, 2011






Thanksgiving in the United States is a holiday that emphasizes roast turkey as the traditional meal. The National Turkey Federation reports that more than 45 million of the birds meet their doom in November. But at one farm, the turkeys are not the main course - instead, they're the guests of honor.

It’s morning at the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, and everyone is just waking up. Volunteers gather around the table and prepare a traditional, Thanksgiving feast.

But… with a twist.

"So many millions of turkeys are killed at Thanksgiving for normal celebrations that people do. The turkeys here are all rescued, and we wanted them to be the guests of honor," said Terry Cummings.

Americans typically serve turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner… but today, the turkeys get a seat at the table… instead of on it.

For the past 14 years, Cummings and her husband have hosted "Thanksgiving with the Turkeys."

"We want to promote compassion for all animals... and we want to try to show people that there's another way that they can celebrate Thanksgiving without killing animals.
They got full tables with all different foods that they like. Most of the birds - chickens and turkeys - like fruit of almost any kind. And tofu… that was kind of accidental," she said.


Deborah Block's Thanksgiving report:




After the birds get their feast… the humans get one, too. They call it the world’s largest, vegan potluck, and more than 800 people turned out this year to share and sample food prepared by other guests.

People were pretty excited about it, because it's an interesting event; it’s not a traditional thing. It feels really good to be a part of something like this and to see so many people being so supportive of the animals and caring about the animals and wanting to teach their children to be compassionate towards animals. I was a meat eater for 30 years. I didn’t think about the animals. Even though I loved the animals, I didn’t make the connection between the animals that were on my plate and the animals that I supposedly loved," Cummings said.
Cummings says the goal is to show turkeys in a positive light… and to get people to think more about what’s on their tables… and on their plates.

Turkey Plastic Sensors - Millions Will Pop While Cooking Turkey

Smart Turkeys 'Pop' When They're Cooked
Spring-loaded plastic sensor signals when bird is done


VOA - Ted Landphair | Washington, D.C.
Nov 15, 2011


The heirs of the turkey farmer who perfected the spring-loaded plastic sensor, which signals when the bird is cooked, sell more than 100 million of the timers annually.


You’ve heard of “smart phones,” but what about smart turkeys?

First of all, it’s a myth that turkeys are so dumb that they actually drown if they look upward with their beaks open during a rainstorm. In the wild, they’re fast, sociable and smart enough to hide from most humans.

But the really smart turkeys are dead and plucked, unfortunately. They’re the ones more than 45 million Americans will be roasting for Thanksgiving. And the people who roast them don’t have to rely on guesswork and experience - or even juice-splattered meat thermometers - to determine when the golden-brown bird is done.

That’s because of a little pop-up bird timer, perfected by Tony Volk, a California turkey farmer, half a century ago.

Others actually beat him to the idea of a spring-loaded plastic sensor that you’d stick into the thigh of the bird before shoving it in the oven. A little metallic bead deep in the device held a spring in place, and the soft metal was supposed to liquefy when Tom Turkey reached 82 degrees Celsius - the temperature when fowl is safe to eat. This would free the spring, and up would pop a plunger to announce the bird was ready.

But early versions had problems with weak springs that would clog with the honey and barbecue sauce people used to baste their birds. So the plunger wouldn’t pop, birds came out overdone and dry, and many a Thanksgiving was ruined.

Volk put a stronger spring in the contraption, combined materials to make a better triggering bead, and made sure it would not melt until the bird came within a half-degree of 82 degrees.

Originally, he and his family assembled each pop-up timer by hand around a kitchen table. Now, machines do it in a big California factory. Volk’s heirs sell more than 100 million poultry timers annually. That makes for a lot of smart turkeys, or turkey lovers, this Thanksgiving.

'Man With a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers Who Cook for Their Families.' by John Donohue - Book News

Book Chronicles Men's Evolution from Bread-Winners to Bread-Bakers

Essay contributions from two dozen fathers who cook for their families

Faiza Elmasry | Washington, D.C. - VOA, July 18, 2011

With many mothers working outside the home, more fathers - such as New Yorker editor and cartoonist John Donohue - are cooking for their families.

Donohue wanted to chronicle men’s role as bread-bakers, not just bread-winners. So he asked more than two dozen fathers, writers and chefs who take charge in the kitchen to contribute to his book, "Man With a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers Who Cook for Their Families."

Two dozen fathers, writers and chefs contribute to 'Man With a Pan: Culinary Adventures of Fathers Who Cook for Their Families.' by John Donohue.

How Much Salt Is Too Much?

Medical Community Debates How Much Salt Is Too Much

VOA - Carol Pearson May 10, 2011

U.S. public health officials say the upper limit of salt consumption should be 2,300 milligrams per day. The American Heart Association says that it should be no more than 1,500 milligrams. The Salt Institute says 2,300 milligrams is far too little.

A new study published in a respected American medical journal concludes that low-salt diets could lead to heart disease.  U.S. public health officials say Americans are eating too much salt. The cstudy caused a controversy about how much salt is OK and how much is too much.

The controversy began when a study published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association contradicted long-standing advice from public health officials and medical specialists on heart disease, stroke and recommended salt consumption.

The study involved more than 3,600 men and women and followed them for eight years until the participants were about 49-years-old. When the data was analyzed, those who consumed the lowest amounts of salt turned out to be the most likely to die from cardiovascular disease. The study also reports that salt consumption did not cause high blood pressure for some 2,000 participants whose blood pressure was normal at the start of the study.

The study was hailed by the U.S. salt industry.  Lori Roman is president of the Salt Institute, the industry's research arm.  "The evidence continues to mount...that reducing sodium can cause great harm,” she said. “And that salt reduction as a strategy to reduce blood pressure is not the best choice."
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publicly criticized the salt study, something the federal health agency rarely does.  The CDC's Dr. Peter Briss says one study does not change the evidence against salt.

"Salt increases blood pressure.  More salt leads to higher blood pressure and higher blood pressure leads to worse cardiovascular health," said Dr. Briss. He said the study was too small, and the participants too young.  He added that some of the participants who died were heavy smokers.  Dr. Briss said there is no evidence that reducing salt is harmful, a point echoed by Dr. Stephen Havas, an expert on cardiovascular disease.

"You have to put this study in the context of how much evidence is out there. The World Health Organization referred to the evidence on the harmful effects of sodium as being conclusive," said Dr. Havas.

In medical research, the word 'conclusive' is rarely used.  In the U.S., warnings on packages of cigarettes say they can cause lung cancer and heart disease.  But a majority of doctors agree that eating too much salt will cause cardiovascular disease.

U.S. public health officials say the upper limit of salt consumption should be 2,300 milligrams per day. The American Heart Association says that it should be no more than 1,500 milligrams.

The Salt Institute says 2,300 milligrams is far too little. "People consume in a very normal and natural range of sodium - somewhere between 2,500 and 4,500 milligrams a day is very normal and natural," said Roman.

"You risk having a stroke, you risk having a heart attack if you are consuming as much salt as the Salt Institute is recommending," Dr. Havas stated.

As for the study itself, Dr. Havas says it is weak and its methodology flawed. Public health officials are concerned that it was published in a prominent American medical journal.  "It just confuses the public,” he said. “It shouldn’t have gotten out there.  Certainly should not have gotten out in a prestigious journal."

The Salt Institute says it would like to see the study repeated. The medical community maintains people should limit their intake of salt, and while doing that, follow a healthy diet, exercise and if overweight, loose at least some of the excess.

Medical Community Debates How Much Salt Is Too Much

Article and Video from VOA

Shrimp Fajitas Recipe to Spice up your Spring

Shrimp Fajitas

This is a twist on a classic fajita recipe using shrimp instead of beef or chicken.

To make the fajita recipe easier you can substitute spices with 1 1/2 tablespoons fajita seasoning from McCormick. I prefer the tortillas flour wraps heated on a nonstick skillet without oil. Somehow this makes the tortilla flour taste better, with a slightly crisp texture. Try this way to heat your tortillas, instead of the microwave.

I made this for my "Hubby" by special request, he likes fajitas a lot...I say this because he alone can eat 4 chubby wraps!

Ingredients
2  tablespoons vegetable oil

1 green pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 small size onion, thinly sliced

1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons water  

8 flour tortillas, heat on pan without oil or microwave

Shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream - for serving

Spices

1 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
1. Mix well all the spices, put aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, stirring frequently until brown and fragrant. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
3. Pour the last remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and saute the shrimp, at this point add half of the spices stirring occasionally. Cook until shrimp turns to pink, remove from the skillet and set a side.


4. Pour in green peppers, add the remaining  spices and 2 tablespoons of water, keep stirring until the water reduces half. Add the sauted onion and shrimp back to skillet, stirring until mixed well and all the water is reduced. Transfer to a large bowl. Serve with the warmed tortillas, lettuce, cheese, salsa and sour cream .

Tips
You can cook all the fajita ingredients at once if you have a big pan. My pan was small so by pre- sauteing them separately you can achieve that nicely brown color and evenly cook.

Reduce the recipe by half for smaller portions.



National Beef Cook Off Grand Prize Offering $25,000

Want a chance to win a Grand Prize Offering $25,000 Cash and Trip to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Washington, D.C.?

Do you have a beef recipe that is always a fan favorite at dinner parties?  Does your family swoon over your quick and delicious weekday dishes? This year, the 29th National Beef Cook Off® is kicking off a recipe contest for everyday home cooks and entertaining enthusiasts nationwide.  Beginning February 1, 2011, submit your best beef recipes online at http://www.beefcookoff.org/ for a chance to win $25,000 cash and a trip to the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Washington D.C.

"Rather than hosting a cooking competition, this year, we are conducting a national search to find the best beef recipes home cooks have to offer," said Sherry Hill, Cook-Off Program Manager for the American National CattleWomen, Inc., on behalf of the Cattlemen's Beef Board and the Federation of State Beef Councils.  "We're excited to offer four unique contest categories that demonstrate beef's versatility and encourage creativity with a variety of ingredients, cuts and preparation methods."

SOURCE of information - The Beef Checkoff Program
http://www.beefcookoff.org

Grilled Chesapeake Bay Oysters - Recipe - Learn About Oyster Farming

Can Chesapeake Bay oysters make a comeback? Chef Barton Seaver visits the owners of a 100 year-old oyster company who are working to keep the Chesapeake Bay's famous oysters on our plates. Learn how oyster farming helps restore oyster populations. Follow Seaver's easy recipe for grilled Chesapeake Bay oysters.

Excellent Source of Vitamin A - Sweet Potatoes

An 'Image Problem' for a Food That Could Save African Lives
03 January 2011

People who do not get enough vitamin A in their diet may develop night blindness. But in the developing world a lack of vitamin A causes much more serious harm to children. The World Health Organization links vitamin A deficiency to as many as two hundred fifty thousand child deaths every year.


One excellent source of vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes with orange flesh. Orange sweet potatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene, which the body changes into vitamin A.


Experts say orange sweet potatoes specially bred for growing conditions in Africa could help solve the lack of vitamin A there.


But, first, more people will need to be persuaded to eat them. Jan Low with the International Potato Center, a research organization, says the sweet potato needs a better image in Africa.


JAN LOW: "We do have an image problem with sweet potato in general in sub-Saharan Africa. It is seen as a crop of the poor."


Ms. Low explains that sweet potatoes are mainly grown by poor women to feed their families in case another crop fails. The sweet potatoes commonly grown in Africa have white or yellow flesh. But, more importantly, they are low in vitamin A.


Jan Low took part in a project to study how best to market orange sweet potatoes to Africans. She worked on an information campaign in Mozambique and Uganda
.
The campaign included radio messages about the nutritional benefits of the orange sweet potato. They advertised its ability to "fight diseases, make you strong, clear your skin and make you look healthy."


In areas without radio, the campaigners spread the message through community theater. The performances included singing, dancing and storytelling.


And everywhere they went, the campaigners wore orange T-shirts and hats. They even drove orange vehicles. Jan Low says the color of the tuber made it easier to gain public attention.


Dan Gustafson heads the Washington office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. He points to efforts in the past to increase the popularity of other nutritious crops. He says most of these efforts failed because organizers of the campaigns did not consider what people wanted to eat.


But Mr. Gustafson sees a better chance for the efforts to increase the popularity of the orange sweet potato in Africa. For one thing, except for the color, the vegetable is similar to what people already use.


DAN GUSTAFSON: "I think it is because you have got advertising and you have got a difference that is not radical, that I think it will work."

And that’s the VOA Special English Agriculture Report, written by Jerilyn Watson and Steve Baragona. I’m Jim Tedder.

Pierogies Pop up at Orthodox Parishes Across USA

Dumplings Help Keep Culture, Community Alive

Pierogies pop up at Orthodox parishes across US

Deena Prichep | Portland, Oregon - 03 January 2011

Photo: VOA - D. Prichep

A to-go serving from St. John's Baptist Ukrainian Church includes a dozen pierogies tossed in melted butter, topped with caramelized onions and served with a generous dollop of sour cream.

For most Americans, Christmas is over, but Ukrainian, Russian and other Orthodox Christians are preparing for Christmas on January 7. And at the Christmas Eve feast, most of them will eat pierogies. These dumplings are traditionally prepared at home, but in Orthodox churches across the United States, pierogies have become something of a parish industry.

Keeping up with demand

In the basement of St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Church - a small parish of about 50 people - a few dozen people are stuffing and shaping potato pierogies by hand.

"It will be around 180 dozens, yes. And when we started, we were making 45 pounds [20 kilos] of potatoes, and that was a lot," says Myra Petrouchtchak, wife of the priest of this parish. "It took us half of Saturday. Now we make 100 pounds [45 kilos] of potatoes, and by one or two o'clock, everybody will be done."

VOA - D. Prichep

Volunteers scoops out the smooth potato filling to make tray after tray of hand-shaped pierogies in time for Orthodox Christmas.

The church had to increase production because the pierogies developed a following beyond the parish.

"People come here and say that those pierogies remind them about their childhood. Not only Ukrainian people, some German people, Polish people. And it's like, 'Oh, my grandmother used to do that,'" says Petrouchtchak.

Petrouchtchak and her husband started weekly pierogie sales when they came to the church five years ago. They raised enough money to renovate the church basement. But from the beginning, it was about more than just food or a fundraiser.

Holding on to tradition

"It was also good for the parish as a community," says Petrouchtchak. "Because many young women didn't know how to make pierogies, or didn't have time to make pierogies at home. But here, all children can learn how to do it, and carry on the tradition."

VOA - D. Prichep

Even the youngest members of the kids' table can shape circles of homemade dough into traditional potato pierogies.

There are many young people present who will carry on the tradition. Little kids carry trays from the kitchen while their older siblings help shape pierogies. The adults get something out of making pierogies, too.

"It's a great way to socialize," says Andrea Roelofs, a third-generation Ukrainian-American. "If they come in, and they're a little frustrated with something, by the time they leave, they're fine. It's cheaper than a psychologist."

The treat is especially delicious topped with sour cream and caramelized onions. Brian Belo came to try the pierogies, and ended up ordering three dozen for Christmas.

"I grew up with all this back in Pittsburgh, so I've been looking for it here for a couple years, and now I've found it," he says.

As it turns out, the pierogies aren't totally traditional. Usually they'd be made with a bit of cottage cheese. But in a concession to American palates, St. John's uses cheddar cheese instead.

Parish member Mariya Kamsha thinks the results might be a little too good. "My children will say, 'Mom, you know, your pierogies that you make at home, they are not quite that good as the ones that are at the church.'"

Kamsha is wistful about the change. But while the recipe may have evolved, the heart of the tradition - friends and family coming together over pierogies - is not in any danger of dying out.

Dumplings Help Keep Culture, Community Alive
Pierogies pop up at Orthodox parishes across US - article came from voanews.com