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OUT (of the kitchen) |
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Cooking Little is a kitchen shopping and tips blog for urban dwellers and anyone who cooks in a small kitchen. Beyond the kitchen, we feature diversions such as culinary travel spots, classes and tasting events. |
Recently in OUT (of the kitchen) Category A Truly Gourmet SettingEscaping from reality by flipping through the photo essays of food and travel magazines can only keep a city dweller sane for so long. Living the fantasy is actually possible and affordable, even if only for a week or two at this quintessential Tuscan Farmhouse. With terraces on several levels, a pool in an olive grove, four bedrooms and two bathrooms -- a group can commune in this gorgeous spot and still spread out. The town of Lucca, the birthplace of Puccini, is fifteen minutes away. It is a mostly pedestrian town with incredible food, antique and craft shops. Olive oil, truffles and mushrooms are a few of the the local culinary stars and the middle of October is the start of truffle hunting season. Wander the streets around Via Filungo to find small grocery stores, butchers and bakeries. There is a store named Le Sorrelle, that does not sell food, but has housewares and gifts such as olive oil soap that will provide terrific local color to your shopping trip. Then back to the farm house to shoot photos your own magazine-worthy Tuscan feast. $1900/week and up AT HOMEAWAY.COM OUT (of the kitchen)
 It is time to nibble a 1000 year old culinary tradition. Grana Padano D.O.P, an authentic Italian cheese made to exacting standards, is also the sponsor of two New York Autumn traditions – the Columbus Day Parade and the New York City Marathon. Not Italian or a runner? That’s OK, all are welcome to try Grana Pando cheese at several tastings listed here. Touted as the first hard cheese and Italy’s favorite, there are numerous ways to cook with Grana Pandano. No matter what recipe you choose, remember to reward the cook and try a chard on a slice of apple drizzled with balsamic vinegar while the dish is cooking. Read on for the information on the free Grana Pandano tastings in NYC Find locally AT MURRAYS CHEESE AND AT iGOURMET.COM OUT (of the kitchen)
READ MORE ON Grana Pandano D.O.P.
 Chef Elizabeth Faulkner treated food bloggers to a special dessert creation called Night Flights to celebrate the Chocolate Adventure recipe contest from Scharffen Berger Chocolate and Tuttifoodie. With components that can be made ahead and stashed in the refrigerator or freezer, this is a company-worthy homemade dessert that can be done in a small kitchen. The simple parfait presentation belies its complex flavors, textures and temperatures. It layers: chili chocolate sauce, pandan coconut pudding, chocolate mousse, smoked salt cocoa nib streusel and chocolate ginger mint sorbet. The Chocolate Adventure contest, in its third year, challenges cooks to use Scharffenberger chocolate or cocoa in sweet or savory recipes in combination with at least one of the adventure ingredients such as pandan, black eyed peas and chili. And Scharffen Berger Chocolate is not shy when it comes to rewarding cooks for their creativity. The winning recipe in each of the two recipe categories -- Sweet and Savory -- receives a $10,000 prize. Read on for the Night Flights Recipe. enter the contest AT SCHARFFEN BERGER CHOCOLATE OUT (of the kitchen)
READ MORE ON Night Flights.
 Paired with food or flying solo, a collection of good beer under one roof is a thing of beauty. Beers from Brooklyn Brewery, Southampton Publick House, Kelso of Brooklyn, Blue Point Brewery, Ommegang, Left Hand of Colorado, Smuttynose and many more will be available for your unbridled enjoyment at BamCafe on Wednesday, July 29 from 4pm-8pm. The producers, Edible Brooklyn and Edible Manhattan lined up the experts to design smart pairings of regional beer (mostly) and dishes from regional food makers such as Good Fork, Rose Water, Jasper Hill, Widow Hole's Oysters and others. Or attendees can devise their own beer and food parings to suit their own palates. Half price tickets go to those who order or renew an Edible subscription. If you love well-crafted beer, this is a dreamy event. (If you can't make Good Beer, mark your calendar for August 10 and get tickets to the Brooklyn Beer Dinner hosted by Garret Oliver, award-winning brewmaster, at Tiff's Restaurant in Pequannock, NJ.) $45 TIX AT BROWN PAPER TICKETS OUT (of the kitchen)
 OUT (of the kitchen)
 Even before the doors opened this morning, the Brooklyn Food Conference was a success. In just seven months 300 volunteers created a grassroots food conference that would bring together more than 75 food organizations under one roof for a free event to inform the community with workshops, multimedia and face-to-face contact with the people and organizations that are our local food producers and food agenda thought leaders. The ultimate goal behind the event is to forge a just,secure, sustainable, healthy and delicious food system. Speakers include: Dan Barber, Ana Lappe, Raj Patel,and LaDonna Redmond. There are workshops for kids, teens and adults lunch for sale and tonight -- a casual dress dance. So drop what you are doing, hop on the F train and head to John Jay High School immediately. Visit the site for more transportation info, including the schedule of a shuttle bus from other subway stations. If you can't make it, there is a tremendous amount of educational materials ready for download on the web site, including the launch of a new video series aptly named, "Talking Food" Thanks to everyone involved in making the event happen including: The Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn's Bounty, Why (Finding Answers for Poverty and Hunger), The Caribbean Women's Health Organization, Brooklyn Rescue Mission and all the local farmers and food organizations. OUT (of the kitchen)
 A Benefit for the Grand Street Settlement May 7th at the Puck Building it will be a LES neighborhood thing, but folks from all neighborhood acronyms are welcome...UES, DUMBO, MEPA, UWS. If you haven't been to the Lower East Side lately, the 9th annual Taste of the LES will be a tour of over thirty five local restaurants in one venue. The evening benefits the Grand Street Settlement and will help fund their programs that serve low income people of all ages living in the neighborhood. This historic section of Manhattan wasonce the first stop for many immigrants before they moved to other neighborhoods, upstate or to other parts of the country. Since 1916, this organization has established a sense of community and has adapted to reflect the needs of the cultural mix of it's neighbors. For the past nine years, as more restaurants have found their way back to the LES, they have helped make the party by serving up signature dishes and cocktails at this annual event. Restaurants that reestablished the neighborhood scene such as WD-50, The Stanton Standard and Oliva will be joined by newcomers Porchetta and Sorrella. Old school nosh purveyor, Velseka, will be side by side with Think Coffee, the Tiny Giant Sandwich Shop and many more. Thursday, May 7th, 2009 Time: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Location: The Puck Building, 293 Lafayette Street (at Houston) $150 for individual tickets AT TICKETWEB OUT (of the kitchen)
 Pro and amateur grill masters can compete on the YouTube National Restaurant Association Hot Chef Grill Challenge. The winner will showcase their grill creations at a live cook demonstration at the world's largest restaurant event. The 2009 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show takes place in Chicago, May 16-19. Enter your Grill Video YouTube OUT (of the kitchen)
 Food & Wine Finds $10 and under New Yorkers are known for moving fast, but all of this keeping one's job or finding a new one is making the normal hustle hectic. "Cook More" is the mantra to save money, but even those fond of cooking (ahem) can't keep up at this pace. Miracle Grill offers a burger and pint special for $9.99 Sunday through Thursday from 9:00-10:30pm. Folks are taking advantage of this tasty deal to cap a weekend or a way too long work day. For a dollar more you can go spicier with the Catfish or Tilapia tacos served with jicama slaw. (Officially the tacos make the The 10 Spot cut at lunch; at dinner they are $10.95.) Their new Saturday and Sunday breakfast menu and a good portion of their brunch menu also come in under $10. Since breakfast is new, for a limited time kids eat for free. Cha-Ching, if you have kids. Wait until brunch if you don't! Miracle Grill -- 222 7th Ave (between 3rd Ave & 4th Ave) Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY (Breakfast 9am-11am, Saturdays & Sundays. Brunch 11am-3:30pm) OUT (of the kitchen)
 Winter is beautiful, but so is Europe in spring. This May starts Ciclismo Classico’s season of cycle and stroll tours. The culinary experience of the tours change depending on region and what the group wants to do. Walnuts and truffles available for tasting en route in south west France; olive groves and cooking classes in Cordoba; wine tasting in Croatia and non-stop flavors in Amalfi. By all accounts, including Outside Magazine, Ciclismo local tour guides are exceptionally accommodating folks who help you discover delicacies and views worth the blisters and sore muscles. There are special discounts for Bike Friday owners. (Note to self: start training, start save pennies.) CHECK OUT THE CICLISMO CALENDAR OUT (of the kitchen)
 OUT (of the kitchen)
 There's hardly a cooking enthusiast who hasn't dreamed about taking a class. Think about booking near home or on a weekend trip. Go the city of Brotherly Love and after you do a lap around Philadelphia's historic sites, head over to Foster's Homeware in Old City Philadelphia to peruse the latest in kitchen gear and take a class in their lifestyle section called apartment 399. Upcoming cooking classes include: Southern Comfort, Tastes of Latin America or a Mediterranean inspired lesson. You can fast track a gift of cooking classes by sending a gift card from Foster's to your culinary friend and let them choose their favorite. Read on for other city cooking classes, Many have email gift certificate options. From $49.00 AT FOSTERS HOMEWARE |
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