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.
tinned oysters!
A sandwich w/whats on hand.
As a Floridian, I’ve had plenty of time to perfect no-electricity cooking. Of course, the gas grill gets put to use and since it’s usually warm when it happens, we eat lots of salads with canned beans. Not too different from every day life, actually!
Chicken and dumplings made with canned chicken and tortillas.
usually ice cream … because it’s going to melt with the power out!
I would like to have a plate of enchiladas.
Lots of stuff with no refrigeration needed:
First, a big pitcher of sangria with cut fruit, lots and lots of fruit.
Next we’ll fire up the grill and slice up a crusty baguette, drizzle with oil, grill, rub with garllic and top with a slice of fresh cut tomato, and a drizzle of balsamic (enough to make sure it drips down our arms and faces.)Perhaps some canned white anchovies and mashed cannelini beans, or anything else my heart desires (and my waisteband can withstand)
Since everything is the freezer will go, (I’ll invite the neighbors) pull out a pork shoulder and give it 5-6 hours of smoke on the BBQ, and cook low and slow until tha bones pull out. Chop it up and serve it up with any BBQ sauce..meesier the better. All the vegies in the frig go into some olive oil, salt and pepper and balsamic and get grilled off.
Next…more sangria…lots and lots of sangria
Dessert (if we have room)…BBQ smores on the grill.
Finally, everyone in the pool to wash off the meal and float for a few hours…we might not be able to walk!
Hurricanes? we don’ need no stinkin’ hurricanes!”
Luckily, I’ve never had my power go out for more than a few hours so it’s pretty easy to go without eating at all.
But if I were to have a major power outage my electric oven and stove wouldn’t cut it. I imagine I would be frantically eating cold leftovers from the fridge so they don’t spoil.
we just lot power for a day last week. i was afraid to open the refrigerator. shrimp on the grill…cuz i had it. would love that cookbook…love new ideas
Anything in the fridge or freezer that might spoil, cooked on my portable butane stove burner or my backpacking stove. Of course around the Pacific NW, the power usually only goes out when it is frigging cold outside and we can usually just put food outside on the back porch.
That would be a peanut butter and lettuce sandwich … it’s quick, easy, and filling. It’ll get you through anything …. now my husband would substitute the lettuce for jelly.
grilled steak, tuna, from the freezer.
Grill baby! And it would probably be tacos of some sort…super easy on the grill. 🙂
We bring out the camping equipment and make the food we enjoy in the woods! Campfire Stew, California Egg Crackle, Foil Packs, Baked Potatoes…
Anything from the freezer and fridge that can be grilled outside. We did that a few years ago when Hurricane Ike passed through Ohio.
if the power goes out, we’ll be preparing good ol’ PB&J sammies.
Does pina coladas count as a meal? If the power goes out- we’re good with anything as long as everyone is safe.
We’re prepping for the hurricane here as well. So we are planning on eating a lot of tortilla soup, as we have a propane stove.
canned salmon with capers, chopped onion and red wine vinegar
Whatever is thawing in the freezer and I can throw on the gas grill!
Whatever sweets I can find…Baking cookies now!
Pizza on the grill! Yummy.
Power outage food = snacky stuff. Not allowed to open the fridge and let the cool out! So usually a mash-up of dry cereals and pretzels dipped in peanut butter. But if I had my way? I’m with Holly — gotta eat that ice cream before it melts! 🙂
We live in the country and have a generator, but any reason to eat pb&j’s is aok w/ me!
We have gas so luckily can still use the hob if our power goes out. Last year we were without a kitchen for a month – we lived on crock pot concoctions, toast and pizza cooked in my electric frying pan. It was so good to get my kitchen back!
Without gas or electricity? Sandwiches for sure. Although I’m off to check we have ingredients for pina coladas…
Salad, veggies, and hummus or PB with celery – and my daughter would be happy with a cheese sandwich.
I am with you on surviving the hurricane in style. I’m gonna roast a chicken on Saturday and hopefully pull out some choc chip cookies.
Good ol’ Mac and cheese! It’s good at room temp. or cold AND comforting!
All these post have brought be back to my childhood growing up in VT when we lost power all the time. Our go to meal – Popcorn (popped over the open fire), cheese and apples. Of course today I would add a bottle of Malbec since no refrigeration is needed… Be safe everyone.
Whatever we can find in the pantry or very quickly grab from the fridge…
Whatever was in the frig that was then moved to the cooler.:) We don’t touch the deep freeze in hopes the power will come back on before we need to start freezer diving.
I must be honest, when the power goes out, we go out to eat 🙂
Fresh fruit salad and grilled steak or chicken breasts.
When the power goes out, we go out to eat 🙂
I would eat all the goodies I have made and packed away in my freezer – including an apple cake and zucchini bread. I hope we do not lose power!
thanks!
We lost power for 5 days in the middle of winter, years ago. My mom was a genius. She dug out the old kerosene heater. Made coffee, grilled cheese, and tomato soup on top. One of my best memories!
Like others, we’ll be eating pb&j, chips and dips, and grilling what’s defrosting in the freezer. But I’m hoping for a nice day of rain to fire up the crock pot, bake some bread, and have a movie marathon.
I don’t have much to worry about on the West Coast, but in the case of a power outage I would probably be stuck with almonds and peanuts because I don’t tend to have a lot of ready to eat food in the pantry and I wouldn’t dare opening the refrigerator 🙂
Strawberries and whipped cream (have to use up the cream, right?) But like Karen I would love a plate of enchiladas anytime.
Cheese, apples, & pickles with a side of saltine crackers & butter. Yum!
Grilled steak
The power goes out here quite often in the winter. We use our RV and have all the comforts of home. life doesn’t change much. We also have a back up generator that works for both the RV and the house.
I keep about a weeks worth or more of food stocked in the RV cupbords and freezer.
We eat everything in the fridge first and then hit the pantry for no-cook meals.
Wine, cheese, crackers, canned salmon, grapes, apples and nutella. Oh yeah!
I have been through a hurricane. Just one. That is because I have left every time after that. Let me tell you, Houston in August/September with no air conditioning is not something I am dumb enough to do more than once in my life. With that being said, we eat and drink everything we can out of the refrigerator first using our gas stove to cook and then move onto pantry items. The freezer never gets opened. It is rare the electricity is off long enough to lose those items if you keep it sealed. But we throw a few large bags of ice in there just for ease of mind. I am praying for all of those in the path of the hurricane. They are no fun!
We don’t have to worry too much about hurricanes in Nevada, but when the power goes out it must be time for cheese, crackers & wine!
Popcorn and s’mores!
I try to use up anything that would go bad, things like French Toast or quiches.
Our generator just arrived in Jersey and hopefully this won’t be repeat of the winter storm of 2009 where we lost power for 5 days and flooded when the sump pumps had no power. Yikes. I will be making a Pecan Peach bundt cake to enjoy if the lights go out.
Anything that is thawing in the freezer that has to be cooked. Crackers & PB is always good! If we can manage it, we’d get out of dodge & eat somewhere else!