When I cook hot chicken at home, I use only the best chicken i can buy. This dish puts hot chicken center stage on top of a Belgian Waffle, maple mascarpone smear, fresh tangy coleslaw, a sunny up egg and topped with thyme infused honey and dill pickles. The dish doesn't come with side dishes. The sides are a part of the dish. You can find this simple recipe I have created to celebrate this classic Americana food star on my website under Recipes. Enjoy and have fun.
My first Hot chicken experience was when I moved to Nashville, TN. It was at a hot chicken joint called Hattie B's. I ordered the highest level of heat they had. Personally, I say if you are going to have hot chicken get it Hot. It's an experience best enjoyed with close friends. Especially since you most likely will be crying, and wiping your nose over and over. Milk seems to help, but I would rather have a cold beer to cool the fire. This experience was with my dad. He ordered his chicken with no heat. He probably made the safe call, but as a chef you've got to take some risks. Right? My half chicken "what the cluck" and his mild were delivered. The journey was about to begin. I took a bite. Then it hit. The explosion of heat, salt, spice and crunch. I was on fire. I began to sweat, a lot. My dad, seeing me sweating and weeping, told me to put the chicken down, but I couldn't. I had to finish what I started. I couldn't help myself. I inhaled the rest of my half chicken. I felt like I had won the Indy 500. I slammed my ice cold beer to extinguish the fire inside my mouth. That didn't work. So I ordered another. The second beer slowly began the comeback from my heat induced food trance. I wiped the sweat off my forehead and smiled. I had just experienced the hottest chicken I ever had , and most importantly joined the mystical Nashville Hot Chicken Experience. It was glorious. I highly recommend it. I gave my dad a high five and we finished our cool frosty beverages and wandered downtown to the lights and music on Broadway. When in Nashville I suggest going to a Hot Chicken Shack such as Prince's, Hattie B's, Bolton's, Party Fowl or 400 degrees. These places know how to hit those hot chicken textures, flavors and side dishes.
When I cook hot chicken at home, I use only the best chicken i can buy. This dish puts hot chicken center stage on top of a Belgian Waffle, maple mascarpone smear, fresh tangy coleslaw, a sunny up egg and topped with thyme infused honey and dill pickles. The dish doesn't come with side dishes. The sides are a part of the dish. You can find this simple recipe I have created to celebrate this classic Americana food star on my website under Recipes. Enjoy and have fun.
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![]() Making Hot sauce can be be exciting. Where you want to take it is the fun part. Will it be super hot or semi hot. I think its all the personality of the creator. I grow a garden every year and growing peppers is always something that finds its way into the garden. Especially hot peppers. This past summer I grew some peppers intentionally with the purpose of coming up with a hot sauce with a unique combination of flavor and high heat level index or Scoville scale. I planted cayenne, jalapeño, habanero, chocolate habanero and ghost peppers. Scoville scale is a hot index measuring the pepper's capsaicin. Capsaicin is an active component in the peppers that produces the burning effect or the "hotness". The hottest pepper is Carolina Reaper. The ghost pepper is basically a number 2 on the scoville scale, habanero coming in at 4, cayenne at 6, and the jalapeño at 9. I felt with a variety of different levels of heat mixed with the different flavors it would create an interesting sauce. You can use any peppers really. My recipe is fairly simple. Hot sauce is quickly becoming America's favorite sauce to put on their food. I'm calling this sauce "Unicorn Blood". Its got the intensity with the ghost peppers but the earthy flavors of the jalapeño and the cayenne. I've made this sauce in the spirit of Tabasco rather than the semi thick ketchup like consistency of Siracha. Have some fun with this. Unicorn Blood 3 lbs hot peppers (jalapeño, habanero, cayenne, ghost peppers) chopped 2 cups White Vinegar 1 Tablespoon salt Procedure: Chop all the peppers into a rough chop. Place in a stainless steel bowl. Pour vinegar over the peppers. Wrap and let stand for 10 days at room temperature. Place mixture into a blender. Blend until everything is incorporated. Strain mixture, making sure no seeds are in the sauce. Bottle and label. Serve . I don't know about you, but i love drinking almond milk. Maybe its the texture or the flavor. Its probably a combination of both. It pretty much goes with anything breakfast, especially any cereal or granola. You can put it in your chai tea or even your coffee. It may be the best dairy alternative in my opinion. Making your own almond milk is even more rewarding. When i first heard of people making their own almond milk, i was a little intimidated. I thought it would be very expensive and a big project. So I looked up recipes and found its not that hard at all to make almond milk and other nut milks for that matter. Soaking your almonds helps with digestion. Almonds have tannic acid and an enzyme inhibitor is released when they are soaked. Make sure to discard the soak water and rinse the almonds before making the milk.
Homemade Almond Milk Ingredients
The finished product should yield about 32 to 40 ounces of fresh almond milk. You can store in the refrigerator for about a week. Try to finish it before then. I know I do. Shake the almond milk before you use it, since it tends to settle. The pulp that's leftover can be used for cereal or dry it to make cookies with honey and dates. You could basically substitute the almonds with other nuts and make other delicious nut milks. Right now Almond milk is my favorite. I put it in my smoothies, chai tea and i like it straight up on its own. Remember to have fun with it. ![]() Salt in cooking is like grapes to wine. They are inseparable, not only for taste but also for the benefits of health. I found that Himalayan pink salt is the most superior salt to incorporate into your cooking. It's the only salt i personally use when I am cooking at home. Himalayan salt is millions of years old and pure, untouched by many of the toxins that pervade most of the known forms of ocean salts. Known in the Himalaya's as "white gold," Himalayan Crystal Salt has the same 84 minerals and elements found in the human body. This form of salt has also been maturing over the past 250 million years under intense tectonic pressure, creating an environment of zero exposure to toxins and impurities. Himalayan salt's unique cellular structure allows it to store vibrational energy. Its minerals exist in a colloidal form, meaning that they are tiny enough for our cells to easily absorb. The taste is what got me hooked. The texture and the crunch is addictive. I couldn't recommend it enough. If you want to elevate any dish, this is the salt to get. According to Dr. Edward Group the health benefits of using Himalayan Pink Salt may include: Promoting stable ph balance in the cells and brain, controlling water levels in the body, encourages excellent blood sugar levels, aiding in reducing common signs of aging, promoting cellular hydroelectric energy creation, aids in vascular health, delivers good iodine for thyroid gland health, blood pressure, creates a healthy libido. A majority of common table salts are processed salts void of all nutritional elements and loaded with chemicals. The processed salt crystals are energetically dead. For the body to digest the processed salts it wastes tremendous energy to keep the body's fluid balance intact. My vote is Himalayan Pink Salt. The taste and texture is by far my favorite and the crunch and flavor is next to none. Go Himalayan Pink Salt and discover the flavor. As the saying goes, "you eat with your eyes". When it comes to plating food I've found that to be a culinary truism. Beautiful plates of food, colorful, textural, emanating a delicious symmetry. Our senses must be touched and invited by the sight of the plated product. This is just as important as the flavors and the taste of the plated creation. However, if the food doesn't taste good than what's the point. They must go hand in hand, beautiful food and a beautiful presentation. I'm still learning this process, but the journey has taught me a lot. The endgame is to reach the bridge between both of these important aspects. The goal of a Chef is to reach this peak of food truth. Adding your own individuality into the presentation is just as important as adding or taking away an food ingredient from the creation. Bring your dish alive by personalizing it. I like to leave a little "hidden" component that symbolizes me on the plate. Elevate the diner's experience by leaving them a visual memory. Food is fun and cooking is an adventure of self-discovery.
There are important elements with plating: Create a framework, keep it simple, create balance, execute the right portion size and highlight the key ingredient. If you're having friends or family over, you want to set the table up properly to enhance the experience. Choose the right plates wisely. Play with the height of the plated food, be odd and reckless, play with color and texture, and don't forget the garnish. I strongly feel the garnish holds an overlooked power that can really enhance the overall experience. Plating is ordered madness. It's bringing some kind of order to the process, distilling and condensing. The Dalai Lama said, "Cook with reckless abandonment". I couldn't agree more. ![]() On a recent trip to Los Angeles my curiosity and interest in plant-based cuisine was once again affirmed by my visits to Planet Raw and Matthew Kenney, both plant-based cuisine restaurants. What is plant-based cuisine you may ask? This cuisine uses only plant and vegan ingredients. No usage of dairy or poultry. All Organic no GMO. Wow, what a limiting scope for food. Not at all. Challenging, yes. Just think no processed sugars, processed meats, butter, cream, etc. My french culinary background was screaming and plotting against me not to enter those domiciles, but I did. I was joined by my youngest brother, Tommy, or Tomzo as I like to call him. This stuff is pretty new to me and it was pretty much alien to Tom. We ventured forward with empty stomachs and full curiosity. First, Planet Raw by Chef Juliano. Cool location for sure in Hollywood. Close to Santa Monica. His space was very clean and full of life from the plants, decor and gorgeous women. I was impressed so was Tomzo. We ordered the raw pasta primavera and the Pad Thai. Full flavors and lots of color. Nut based sauces instead of cream and cheese. Instead of flour based noodles they were kelp, a seaweed based noodle. I loved it and we finished it off with two juices. Kapow. Nutrient-dense courses with some vitamin packed beverages to finish it off. I wasn't stuffed but i was satisfied. Tom dug it. I met with Juliano and thanked him for a wonderful meal. He has been doing the raw food for about 23 years here in LA. Man, i could see why. There was one more place I wanted to check out. Matthew Kenney Santa Monica. I heard many good things about his concept and mission with crafting the future of food. Located on the 2nd level of the mall, it had a very modern look and an open kitchen. I ordered the chef's tasting and Tom had raw pasta alfredo. I had a 10 course journey through the plant-based food ideology. I had the almond gazpacho, coconut kimchi dumpling, raw nut cheese plate, jicama taco's, the signature lasagna, and aerated chocolate with coffee ice cream. This was different and a whole new dining experience for me. I dug the angle of no meat and dairy. It was light and i actually was full by the end of the culinary adventure. I was able to meet the Chef de Cuisine and discuss the philosophy and cooking techniques. There was a lot of dehydrating going on and a lot of nuts and herbs. This was inspiring to me. No gluten, refined sugars, no gmo's. How could you not enjoy that? M.A.K.E in Santa Monica and Planet Raw are both worth checking out whenever you're in Los Angeles. Surf's up and live to cook another day!!! Water is so important to our body's health. I haven't been more aware of this in my life until now. Its crucial and a necessity. The subject of fluoride in public drinking water has become a hot topic. Have you ever wondered why your tube of toothpaste tells you to call a poison control center if your child swallows pea-sized amount? Because its a toxin. There are two types of fluoride: the sodium fluoride found in toothpaste and the more toxic hydroflousilicic acid or sodium silicoflouride , most commonly used in the water systems in the United States and considered one of the most corrosive chemical agents known to man. Flouride is a by product of aluminum smelting. Toxicity of aluminum in the the body can lead to lower IQ, suppressing the immune system, brain fog and skin rash. Alzheimer's has been linked to aluminum toxicity. Flouride is a delivery system for aluminum to the brain. Aluminum mimics estrogen and in men can lead to lower sperm counts. It also has a destructive effect on the the pineal gland in our brain. Flouride partially inhibits a hundred different enzymes in the body. Its been linked to bone cancer as well. It can interfere with vitamin and mineral functions and linked to calcium deposits and arthritis. Aluminum bio-accumulates causing a organic materials in the body to clump making the removal very difficult. It is this bio-accumulation that causes the health problems. We must filter our water. I use a ProPur water filtration unit which has a dual ceramic filtration system removing fluoride, chlorine, glyphosates and other pharmaceutical particulates.
Flouride causes the pineal gland to calcify. The pineal gland is our "dream center" of the the mythological Third Eye. The spiritual gland you could say of our bodies. Flouride causes this little gland in the center of the brain, responsible for a very large range of regulating activities (it produces serotonin and melatonin) to calcify. Its a calcifying tissue, like the teeth and the bones. The gland is not protected by the blood brain barrier and Doctors say it has a very high perfusion rate of blood, second only to the kidney. When the gland calcifies it can open the doors to all kinds of regulating activities, sleeping problems, concentration, etc. I haven't even mentioned Chlorine yet. This is also a chemical thought to do good by killing microorganisms in the drinking water, but has been known to cause cancer in the bladder. Its also been linked to birth defects like spin bifida. Many European countries have abandoned chlorinated. When you take a shower purchase a filter, I have, which will remove 95% of the chorine from the water. Showering in chlorinated water can increase the contaminates absorbed. Chorine contains trihalomenthames which promotes cancer in the body. Lets not delay and start filtering your water today. The process of fermenting foods, to preserve them and to make them more digestible and more nutritious, is as old as humanity itself. My favorite is kimchi, and most recently Kombucha, especially ginger. Unfortunately, fermented foods have largely disappeared from the Western diet, much to the detriment of our health and economy. Fermented foods are a powerful aid to digestion and a protection against disease. Fermentation by nature, is an artisanal process, the disappearance of fermented foods has hastened the centralization and industrialization or our food supply(Monsanto anyone?), to the detriment of small farms and local economies. The taste and flavor of fermented foods is an acquired taste indeed. The practice is a partnership with microscopic life. This partnership leads to a reverence for all the processes that contribute to the well-being of the human race, from the production of enzymes by invisible bacteria to the gift of milk and meat from the sacred cow. The science and art of fermentation is, in fact, the basis of human culture: without culturing, there is no culture. Culture begins at the farm and binds a people to a land and its artisans. Many say America is lacking culture!! How can we be cultured when we eat food that has been canned, pasteurized, and embalmed? Dead Food=dead culture!! It's ironic that the road to culture in our germophobic technological society requires, first and foremost, that we enter into an alchemical relationship with bacteria and fungi and that we bring to our tables foods and beverages prepared by magicians, not machines.
Microbial cultures are essential to life's processes, such as digestion and immunity. We humans are in a symbiotic relationship with these single-cell life-forms. Microflora digest food into nutrients our bodies can absorb, protect us from potentially dangerous organisms, and teach our immune systems how to function. Not only are we dependent on microorganisms, we are allies. They keep the soil fertile and comprise an indispensable part of the cycle of life. Certain microorganisms can manifest extraordinary culinary transformations. Tiny little beings, invisible to eyes, bring us amazing varied flavors. Fermentation gives us beer, bread, cheese and my favorite chocolate, coffee and wine. The process of fermentation makes food more digestible and nutritious. Live, unpasteurized, fermented foods also carry beneficial bacteria directly into our digestive systems, where they exist symbiotically, breaking down food and aiding in digestion. My first fermentation adventure was when I made my own beer. Pale Ale I believe it was. When I lived in Missoula, Montana. I was drumming in the rock-fusion-bluegrass band called Cold Mountain. The guys in the band loved to drink beer and lots of it. The bass player and I brewed it right there in his apartment. The fun part was drinking local Moose Drool beer while we waited for the primary steeping to progress. Then we pitched the hops, added the malt extract, poured the 5 gallon elixir into the primary fermentation tank and awaited the magic to commence. About a day or two, the release of CO2 happened and there it was an engagement of human primitive culture: fermentation had begun. Two weeks later we bottled and about a week after that we drank them down. I moved to San Francisco a short time later and kept it going, and after that to Nashville, Tennessee and I still occasionally craft my very own local brew. I moved on to Kimchi and sauerkraut, kombucha, and pickled jalapeños. Fermentation can be low tech. These are ancient rituals that humans have been performing for many generations. Connect to the magic of the natural world, and to our ancestors. Live Food=Live Culture Dead Food=Dead Culture ![]() The best food in my opinion is to buy local organic, period. However, its not enough to just eat organic. Yes, certified organic is pesticide free. We also need the essential vitamins and minerals and trace elements that the soil has traditionally transferred to the food that has been grown. This is exactly the focus of one organic farmer and his local farm. James Gardner of Gardner Grove Family Farm of North Murray County Tennessee, concentrates on replenishing the soil of its trace elements and minerals to keep the food that is produced nutrient-dense. The trace minerals are added as well as river sand and organic matter as cover crop. It is the nutrients in the food and the minerals that give our bodies the nourishment it needs to function properly and healthy. The word the best describes the food produced by Gardner Grove Family Farms is nutrient-dense Organic. An apple can be organically grown and still be mineral deficient. The general, primary focus is on no chemicals or pesticides, rather than the available nutritional value being absorbed while growing. But what makes a plant so healthy and so packed with nutrients and trace minerals that it doesn't need pesticides or chemical fertilizers? What is it that makes that same apple burst into nutrition that fuels your cells and your very being? The minerals and the energy stored in the cells of that apple. And the best way for your body to use all of that available energy is trace minerals and raw. At Gardner Grove they solely focus on creating a soil that can provide as much balanced minerals as a plant can take up into itself. Not only is their non GMO heirloom produce more dense , the flavor is outstanding. You can taste how it will make you feel. Energized! Add to that a raw approach in eating and you have finally completed the full circle of where health truly starts, what you put into your body. You are what you eat. All of the naturally grown produce is harvested the day before its offered. That way what you're eating is still very much alive to pass on to you. Let's vote with our dollars. Support the Farmers who promote healthy food and farming techniques. One day , all food will be grown this way. You can take advantage of that next level of eating now by contacting Gardner Grove Family Farms at: [email protected] ![]() "Juicing speeds up the detoxification process, removing toxins and hardened deposits in the body" "Juicing will help detoxify and re-mineralize the body" "You are what you eat" ![]() Juicing vegetables and fruits are an excellent way to not only expand your intake of nutritious foods, but to also ingest those vital micronutrients that cooked food is missing. Cooking and processing food destroys the micronutrients by altering the shape and chemical composition. Juicing vegetables are key as they are low in sugar and they feed the good bacteria that leads to a healthy gut flora. It is recommended that we have at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits per day. Juicing can almost guarantee you will reach that target. What better way to get those servings than by a delicious glass of organic juice. I can see it now: Kale, beet and carrot. See how the juicing can lead to mixing your own favorite vegetables together, and hopefully juicing will lead you to trying foods that you haven't yet experienced. There are 3 main reasons for incorporating vegetable and fruit juicing into your daily life and health and diet program.
If you are new to juicing I recommend a mid-priced juicer. Centrifugal juicers like the 'Juiceman' are cheaper but they break easily and are low-quality and louder. The Centrifugal juicers are also little harder to clean. The single gear juicers are less expensive and easier to clean than the more expensive twin gear juicers like the Norwalk which runs at about $2000. Don't forget the wheatgrass juicers which are less expensive and can be used for wheatgrass and leafy greens mostly. I find the more difficult the cleaning of the juicer, the less likely you will be to maintain a consistent juicing regiment. So find a juicer that works for you. People may at first think juicing is a chore but will find that it is quite a treat for your body. Listen to your body. Juicing should be pleasant and it should taste pleasant too. Your stomach should feel good all morning. It is wise to choose pesticide free veggies and fruits when juicing. The juice is perishable but that doesn't mean you can't store and refrigerate it in a glass jar or mason jar. It should be good for 12-24 hours after juicing. The juice of organic vegetables will not only speed up the process of detoxification, it will flood your body with enzymes, vitamins and minerals for quick absorption, and this greatly benefits the immune system. As the cells of your body are bathed in these fresh, alkaline vegetable juices, they begin to release acids, which are toxins that can be removed through the elimination channels of the body such as the lungs, kidneys, skin etc. Juicing provides a rich source of live enzymes essential to the digestive process. Enzymes are proteins that break down food into nutrients your body can easily digest. When you eat, digestive enzymes are released from your saliva glands sending signals to the stomach and small intestine in preparation for digestion. Adults have usually used up all of their digestive enzymes by the time they are 30 and often earlier due to the Standard American Diet. It is vital to detoxify the body so our cells can absorb nutrients from the food we eat. When the body has an over accumulation of toxins and nutrients are taken in whether from foods or supplements, the nutrients will not be able to be absorbed very well. "The truth is that nutritional deficiencies and toxicity go hand in hand. If you treat deficiencies without addressing toxicity you make little headway and likewise, if you treat toxicity without addressing deficiencies then no long-term benefit will apply". by Kathryn Alexander D.Th.D. Juicing will assist to break down toxins, cleanse the body, carry oxygen and nutrients directly to the cells and tissues, and allow nutrients to be better absorbed. Chef Bobby says juice about a pint a day (16 ounces). You can certainly juice more. I encourage it! Juice Organic vegetables and fruits whenever possible. No exceptions. This is Chef Bobby's Golden Rule. |
Chef Bobby
Bobby Hansen is the Executive Chef of Wizard and Unicorn in downtown Nashville Tennessee. Archives
June 2016
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