Tear Sheet Tuesday: Summer recipes, NYC X Design & Furniture Porn

Welcome to another edition of the occasional series I call Tear Sheet Tuesday.  We launched last Tuesday.   If you want to catch up you can do that right here.  In a nutshell, I tear what strikes my fancy throughout the week and I share that with you here.  It could really be anything. It's all inspiration!

Perhaps today's tears will inspire you to cook, lounge by the pool or get busy creating an office you really want to work in!  Let's get started.  First off, my Cooking Light hit this week.  I wanted to be good and feature this...

However, THIS is what really looks yummy to me.  Both are super summer meal inspirations and can be found in the current May 2017 issue of Cooking Light.

In addition to recipe fantasies you can indulge in a little design dreaming this week if you happen to be in the Big Apple.  NYC X Design is going on right now and it's open and free to the public through May 24th.  This is the fifth year of this international event where you can attend talks, product launches, exhibitions and more all over NYC.  For more info click here. 

Needless to say I have plucked some coolness from the pages of The Official Guide to NYC X Design, from the Editors of Metropolis.

I guess I'm into the walnut wood  finishes with a little lounging mixed in these days.  Mark my words, beautiful stained wood grains will be the next big cabinet look, as soon as white Shaker runs its course (which could be never). 

Last but not least, I know you didn't forget the furniture porn I promised you ;).  I have been eyeing this incredibly beautiful burled wood console for a really long time.  This week's sale catalog from Williams Sonoma came in the mail and BAM!! There it is on sale.  Should I? I really love it.

So that's what I have for you this week.  Please send me YOUR tears so that I can see what's inspiring you and feature it right here. Also, don't forget to leave a comment.  I'm getting lots of emails and I'd love for you to share your kind words right here.

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Talkin Turkey and Combi-Steam Ovens

Sometimes my job comes with perks. I cannot lie. This week I had the pleasure of attending the annual Thanksgiving “lunch and learn” hosted by Florida Builder Appliances, the dynamic go-to resource for all types of appliances from GE to the uber high end including Subzero-Wolf, Miele and even La Cornue. This little gathering for us peeps in the business is quickly becoming an annual ritual we look forward to.

  We get to experience the amazing Chef Rachelle Boucher in action.   She has cooked for the rich and famous including Catherine Zeta-Jones and George Lucas among others.

 We enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving fare including turkey, stuffing and cranberry relish, served each year with a new culinary twist.  In addition we learn all kinds of interesting expert tips.

Chef Rachelle recommends the “butterfly method”  where she actually spreads the turkey, breast down for cooking.  This is so that the white meat retains moisture.Perhaps the most impressive take away this year was learning about the combi-steam oven.   You know I tout the induction cooktop as the future of cooking, now you can pair that with the combi-steam oven.  This gem combines steam cooking with a convection browning/roasting function.Everyone knows you can steam vegetables to retain flavor, nutrients and moistness but you can also reheat pizza in this bad boy!! Yes, and you will enjoy a crispy perfectly browned crust.  The 14lb turkey at the top of this post was cooked entirely in a Thermador Combi-Steam Oven.  It was steamed for one hour and 15 minutes followed by 30 minutes on browning mode (no basting needed) and voila'!Commercial combi ovens have been used for years in the restaurant industry.  Now the same technology is available for your kitchen.  In addition to Thermador, you can get your combi oven from Miele or Wolf.  Bosch makes one too but it's not available in the US :(If you're eager to sample the benefits of steam convection cooking but don't have the space or funds to invest in the high end brands, you're in luck.  Williams- Sonoma sells a smaller counter top model for around $300.  It looks small but can hold a whole 5lb chicken or 12" pizza. Next up:  Is your kitchen tired, decrepit and outdated?  You can refresh, renew and update without reinventing the wheel.

5 STEPS TO A MINDFUL KITCHEN REMODEL

One of my favorite magazines, Cooking Light, contains a very interesting article that I love this month.  It’s about something called “mindful eating”.  I agree that we, as a culture, me included, eat way too much because we don’t do it mindfully.  Simply put it just means that if you make yourself 100% present and focused at the task at hand (eating) during mealtime you will enjoy your food more and you won’t feel the need to eat as much.  I happen to believe that you can easily carry this concept over to the kitchen design and remodel process.  These days when we are trying to get the most out of every dollar we want to know that every aspect of the complicated process of remodeling a kitchen has been well thought out.  Here are five ways you can do it.  

On line resources such as houzz.com allow you to research and prepare for your remodel. Contemporary Kitchen design by San Francisco Architect Cathy Schwabe Architecture

 1) Don’t be in a rush-  When you impose a drop dead date such as Thanksgiving or Christmas you will be more likely to rush your choices.  This is a complicated process and it needs to be planned out properly and executed in a certain order.  Collect your thoughts and ideas beforehand.  This should included concept photos, and ideas for products.  In this day of social media there is no excuse not to do the research.  It will allow your professional partners to do an even better job for you.  

This would be an example of a master of  traditional design!

Mediterranean Kitchen design by Phoenix Design-build Fratantoni Luxury Estates

There's a big difference in the details!

Modern Kitchen design by San Francisco Kitchen And Bath European Cabinets & Design Studios

 2)     Work with someone you feel good about-  I don’t care how knowledgeable your designer, or salesperson seems, if they don’t feel right for you, you’ll probably save much aggravation by partnering with someone you feel is your ally and can see your own unique vision.  Many designers are adept at working in a variety of styles.  However, if you love sleek, modern, minimal designs don’t select a designer who’s work is typically very traditional.  They’ll probably be able to help you but it not with the insight, enthusiasm and access to products as someone who specializes in your style.                3) Prepare for the downtime- Always insist on a schedule for your project.  This is NOT to say it won’t have to be tweaked from time to time but it’s always best to have a starting point.  It helps keep all the players on the same page. A big part of this is to plan how you’re going to get by when you’re without a kitchen.  Where are you going to put the refrigerator?  Do you have convenient place to put your microwave?  How close is your temporary set up to a sink?  Keep most used cups and utensils easy to access.                           4)   Pick your battles- Everyone has a budget and  most of us  can’t have it all.  That said, there are usually a couple of areas in which a judicious splurge can make all the difference.  One biggie is springing for a counter depth model refrigerator which is nearly flush with your counter top.  This makes a big difference in a small space. Although they’re more expensive they’re still a lot less than the super high end true built-in models.   5)   Don’t rush to judgement- If you are living on site during your remodel, resist the impulse to go into a seizure over every nick or crooked drawer front.  Again, it’s a process with a million details and steps.  At this point you should be trusting (if you did step 2) your professionals to do what they do.  Typically all doors and drawer fronts will be aligned before your installation is finished.  It is also typical practice for you and your designer to get together on a punch out list so all concerns, including touch ups are addressed before completion.If you have a question about your kitchen design or remodel I’d love to hear from you!

COOKING & COUNTING DOWN

 Counting down the minutes till my next great adventure in Costa Mesa California with the folks at Blanco and Bosch!  Most of my packing is done and Sunday is my day to cook. (The hubs is great that way.) Since time has become a very precious commodity and I have 69 books on my "Plan to read" list, there are no more magazines in my life, except one.  That would be Cooking Light.I'm always drooling for that next issue and it's my current go-to-guide for cooking inspiration when Sunday rolls around.  Last night's feature was Cashew Honey Chicken.  It was a big hit and I think you should try it cause it's healthy and easy.  If you're a veghead simply substitute tofu.  You can find the recipe here but this is my take on it.  Instead of corn starch I used arrow root cause it's healthier.  I put it in a zip lock bag with the chicken and thoroughly fondled the bag till chicken was lightly coated.  Then I browned the chicken and added the veggies as per recipe.  At this point it seemed a little dry so I added a splash of organic broth.  While that's simmering away I made the sauce.  I doubled all the ingredients because we usually come up short in that department.  It was a good choice because it all came out just right.  Let me know how yours comes out.  Next stop California!!