Although we were without power for about twelve hours, we’re already back in business. I’m not complaining, but I hardly had time to put my put culinary survival skills to good use! Anyway, we’re pleased Irene is nearly history. Thank you all for sharing your power outage menus. The lucky winner of Michelle’s book is Lynn from Arizona. Enjoy!
Between last week’s little tremor and Irene heading our way, East Coasters are in a bit of a tizzy, so Three Many Cooks has decided it’s giveaway time. And as it turns out, the dish we’re offering is perfect late-summer fare and could be potentially the perfect dish to weather the storm.
Last week I was in Miami visiting with Michelle Bernstein, chef-owner of acclaimed Michy’s and Sra. Martinez. I had already seen her in action, so I knew she was a very gifted chef and savvy entrepreneur. What I hadn’t realized was that she was also author of a lively, appealing cookbook-Cuisine a Latina-that showcases her South American-Italian-Jewish heritage, along with her Spanish, Caribbean, Cuban, Mexican experience.
While you see Bernstein’s chef-y brilliance in each recipe, the food is very personal with the home cook in mind. I’ve heard that if a cook can find two good recipes in a book, it’ll stay on her shelf. If that’s true, Michelle’s book will find a place on mine. I’ve carefully paged through the book and there isn’t a single recipe I wouldn’t want to try.
In her introduction Michelle speaks of her mom’s early influence. “Thanks to my mother, I had a built-in comfort level with cuisines that were foreign to most American palate, with ingredients like cumin, boniato, hot chile peppers, and chorizo, and dishes like escabeche (fried marinated fish in oil and vinegar) and tamales.”
While she was home Michelle says she took her mother’s cooking for granted, but apparently not for long. While in New York pursuing a dancing career Michelle decided to trade in her ballet slippers for a chef’s jacket. Her mother’s influence continues. Tables turned, Mom bakes the cakes for one of Michelle’s restaurants.
We’re giving away a copy of Michelle’s Cuisine a Latina:
And remember, if you cook the fish and make the croutons ahead for Seared Halibut with Gazpacho Two Ways, you could be enjoying the storm in style.
Gosh – I can’t remember ever losing power for longer than an hour. Suddenly I feel very grateful for something I have apparently been taking for granted.
Nutella is the bomb!
Tomato salad, we have some nice ripe tomatoes left from a trip to the farmer’s market. The grill is in the garage, maybe as the eye passes over I can open the door and quickly grill a steak?
well i saw this one coming so i have been cooking all day here in Ocean Pines Md. a big pot of spicy chicken soup. brownies, and some homemade vanilla ice cream. if it just went out without warning, probably PBJ on white. works everytime!!!
What else? PB & J …..Peanut butter and Jelly!!
I can remember during the New York blackout of 1977 when I lived in the West Village making a salad with pretty much everything that we had in the fridge before it went bad. The dressing was a particularly interesting melange of three different things with a lot of olives added (I know!). I recall thinking how great everything tasted at room temperature, particularly a huge tomato that we had. There was both tuna and ham in there and torn up baguette (not croutons exactly) and a cucumber, some zucchini that we grated. I’ve never been able to reproduce it actually.
Everything in the refrigerator that will go bad.
I live near Chicago where we’ve had a few major storms this summer, one of which knocked my power out for 5 days! I found myself mainly craving Italian food – like pizza. Fortunately, most of the restaurants in my area were open for business…
With Irene making her exit from the southern coast on NC…I rushed home from work Friday knowing she was bearing down on us to make Brownies before we lost power…and, when a hurricane is imminent, you’re at liberty to buy things at the grocery store that you never allow yourself to buy any other time!
Welike to ezt sandwiches and salads.
PB&J, though to be honest I’ve never lost power for more than 15 min!
I made buttermilk biscuits, and have cookie dough (chocolate and butterscotch chip) in the fridge if the power goes out. Obv I would have to eat the cookie dough first so it doesn’t go bad 😉
Peanut butter and banana sandwich!
Growing up in Nebraska and living in Los Angeles during the ’94 quake, we experienced many extended periods of power outages. I now live in Boston area. I did not experience the Virgina quake; Lynn has maintained power throughout my eight years of residency in New England. I maintain a well stocked pantry with nuts, dried and fresh fruits, homemade granola, crackers and cheese, deli and frozen precooked meats, etc. Merry eatin’ to all.
VeraMae Volk
veramae@verrecia.com
we always have some tinned sardines in the house, we love them with or without power.