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Spanish Paprika or Pimentón is one of the essential ingredients in Spanish cooking. It’s used in chorizo sausage, sprinkled on top of seafood and fried eggs, added to soups and stews, and is used in many other Spanish dishes & sauces. I first heard of this spice, made from crushed pimento peppers, in a New York Times article this past April. The writer of the piece seemed to be of the opinion that Hungarian Paprika is basically useless, except to garnish deviled eggs, but Pimentón is versatile enough to be a cook’s best friend.
Personally, I disagree with the writer’s premise regarding Hungarian Paprika. Whether sweet or spicy, the spice made from ground Hungarian Chiles can be used in barbecue rubs & sauces, a variety of chicken dishes including Tarragon Chicken and Skillet Chicken, Roasted Pork Shoulder, Potato Kugel, Short Ribs, Crab Cakes, Goulash, Chili, and a number of other epicurean standards. Nevertheless, the article made me curious about the Spanish version, which comes in three varieties.
Dulce - slightly sweet with very little heat
Agridulce - packs a solid kick of spice with only a hint of sweetness
Picante - quite hot with a tiny bit of bitterness
It took me some time to find Pimentón. When I did finally find it, it was prohibitively expensive, at least on my budget. I’d given up on the idea of tasting the spice, when I received a gift of Cabra al Pimentón (Goat Cheese with Spanish Paprika).
Cabra al Pimentón is a semi-hard goat cheese with a moist texture and a dusting of Pimentón on the edible outer rind. The flavor of the goat cheese is strong but relatively un-salty compared to Feta, Caprino, or even a Chevre. I didn’t get any sweetness from the Pimentón, nor was it tongue-searingly hot, leading me to believe the Agridulce level of Pimentón was probably used.
Being as strong as it is, Cabra al Pimentón should be eaten in ultra-thin slices and enjoyed with a fruity white wine.
I am not a professional chef, nor have I been classically trained in the field of cuisine. I AM, however, a writer and a well read food & wine enthusiast, who lives to eat and knows what he likes. In this blog, you'll read my views on cheese, wine, restaurants, cooking, food trends, and more.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wine, Beer, and Cheese at Starbucks?
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According to, of all things, The Mother Nature Network, and several other news sources, Starbucks is planning to open cafés featuring beer, wine, and cheese. I have to say, I have mixed feelings about the proposed endeavor. On one hand, I’d love to be able to go Christmas shopping and have somewhere to stop in for a bite of cheese and a glass of Gewurztraminer at a reasonable price. On the other hand, I don’t want to see such fare reduced to the level of fast food.
In the early 90s, I spent most of my last two years of college at a gourmet espresso bar called Coffee & Company. I was there so often in fact, that when my dorm mail was robbed during my senior year, the proprietors let me use the coffee shop as my mailing address. As a result of my frequent patronage, I came to be a quasi-expert in coffee and espresso drinks. I could tell you the difference between a Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, and Americana and could tell you what each should taste like when made with specific blends. These skills became finely honed just before the popularity of gourmet coffee and espresso began to flood mainstream America.
In response to the caffeinated trend, Starbucks began to spread its tendrils across the nation. They introduced consumers to Frappuccinos and other silly concoctions, which have as much to gourmet coffee as Chalupas have to do with genuine Mexican cuisine. While such innovation typically isn’t enough to turn people off, mass production methods which, lead to over roasting, initially kept true coffee snobs away. Over the years though, Starbucks’ overwhelming dominance in the coffee market lead to the closure of higher quality mom & pop establishments. Thus, with a Starbucks on every corner, and few other places to go, their brand of burnt mass marketed elixirs soon became the accepted norm for coffee the same way The Quarter Pounder represents the typical burger in many people’s mind. I would hate to see cheese & wine reduced to their basest forms and accepted as accurate representations of such victuals.
Anticipating such criticism, Starbucks has already stated, they will match the look and feel of individual neighborhoods, use reclaimed woods and other recycled materials; feature regional wines, cheeses, and beers; and work hard to foster a sense of community by featuring décor produced by local artists. If they stay true to their word, these have the potential to be cozy fun cafes where adults can unwind. They may also become venues for local wine, cheese, and beer artisans to expose the buying public to quality products, which might be otherwise overlooked by run-of-the-mill grocery stores and bars.
The Olive Way store, in Seattle, is experimenting with the concept by offering the new selections from 4pm to closing. Community response and customer feedback will dictate whether the venture expands beyond Washington’s borders.
According to, of all things, The Mother Nature Network, and several other news sources, Starbucks is planning to open cafés featuring beer, wine, and cheese. I have to say, I have mixed feelings about the proposed endeavor. On one hand, I’d love to be able to go Christmas shopping and have somewhere to stop in for a bite of cheese and a glass of Gewurztraminer at a reasonable price. On the other hand, I don’t want to see such fare reduced to the level of fast food.
In the early 90s, I spent most of my last two years of college at a gourmet espresso bar called Coffee & Company. I was there so often in fact, that when my dorm mail was robbed during my senior year, the proprietors let me use the coffee shop as my mailing address. As a result of my frequent patronage, I came to be a quasi-expert in coffee and espresso drinks. I could tell you the difference between a Latte, Cappuccino, Mocha, and Americana and could tell you what each should taste like when made with specific blends. These skills became finely honed just before the popularity of gourmet coffee and espresso began to flood mainstream America.
In response to the caffeinated trend, Starbucks began to spread its tendrils across the nation. They introduced consumers to Frappuccinos and other silly concoctions, which have as much to gourmet coffee as Chalupas have to do with genuine Mexican cuisine. While such innovation typically isn’t enough to turn people off, mass production methods which, lead to over roasting, initially kept true coffee snobs away. Over the years though, Starbucks’ overwhelming dominance in the coffee market lead to the closure of higher quality mom & pop establishments. Thus, with a Starbucks on every corner, and few other places to go, their brand of burnt mass marketed elixirs soon became the accepted norm for coffee the same way The Quarter Pounder represents the typical burger in many people’s mind. I would hate to see cheese & wine reduced to their basest forms and accepted as accurate representations of such victuals.
Anticipating such criticism, Starbucks has already stated, they will match the look and feel of individual neighborhoods, use reclaimed woods and other recycled materials; feature regional wines, cheeses, and beers; and work hard to foster a sense of community by featuring décor produced by local artists. If they stay true to their word, these have the potential to be cozy fun cafes where adults can unwind. They may also become venues for local wine, cheese, and beer artisans to expose the buying public to quality products, which might be otherwise overlooked by run-of-the-mill grocery stores and bars.
The Olive Way store, in Seattle, is experimenting with the concept by offering the new selections from 4pm to closing. Community response and customer feedback will dictate whether the venture expands beyond Washington’s borders.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Review: Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
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I just finished Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Before I talk about the book, I need to confess to a major bias. I’ve been a big Anthony Bourdain fan for some time. I never miss his program and I agree with 85% to 90% of what he says.
When he delivers a commentary which points out that no chef in his/her right mind is going to serve foie gras gleaned from abused caged ducks, simply because such abuse lowers the quality of the final product, I believe him. It makes sense to me. When he encourages travelers to try local fair, instead of Americanized hotel offerings, that makes sense to me too. Since my youth, when I enjoyed pickled pigs’ feet and my father’s smoked smelt, I’ve been all for trying new foods and pushing my epicurean boundaries as he has.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the book, which chronicles his early life and first twenty-five years as a food professional. To say this book is raw, no pun intended, would be like saying the ocean is damp. His early years as a chef were mostly fueled by cocaine, alcohol, indiscriminate sex, gambling, larceny, and foul language.
These musings are relayed to readers via a pen of deep regret and embarrassment for all but the language, which has become one of his defining characteristics. Superman wears a cape, Anthony Bourdain talks and writes with the vocabulary of a longshoreman. That’s, apparently, just the way it is. Nevertheless, Bourdain assumes the role of his own worst critic, describing his young self as a clueless spoiled brat who thought the world owed him a living and who didn’t care who he hurt to get his kicks.
That being said, even during his young drug addled days, he obviously possessed a passion for cuisine and a desire to prepare it well. Resulting from being banned to the car, as a child, for failing to adequately appreciate a French restaurant meal, Bourdain writes with a true zeal for exceptional food, and strongly encourages readers not to settle for the mundane.
Interlaced with stories of his colorful career and co-workers, are tidbits of practical wisdom. Advice on when to order seafood, what to avoid ordering, the secret behind Sunday Brunch, useful methods to get free drinks from bartenders, and the dos & don’ts of owning a restaurant, are among the list of useful topics Bourdain educates readers about. One topic, which hit me smack between the eyes, was the description of a restaurant which is doomed to fail. The section essentially described the final two years of a favorite eatery of mine, and to some extent its owner, before it closed its doors last year.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly is a very honest, no holds barred, look at the Restaurant business. Anyone who's thinking about going into the business should read this book. Heck, anyone who eats out should read it. 5 out of 5 stars.
In a few weeks I'll be reviewing his sequel Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, so stay tuned. Well, not tuned per se, but come back here to read it, when I post it that is. Oh, you know what I mean.
I just finished Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Before I talk about the book, I need to confess to a major bias. I’ve been a big Anthony Bourdain fan for some time. I never miss his program and I agree with 85% to 90% of what he says.
When he delivers a commentary which points out that no chef in his/her right mind is going to serve foie gras gleaned from abused caged ducks, simply because such abuse lowers the quality of the final product, I believe him. It makes sense to me. When he encourages travelers to try local fair, instead of Americanized hotel offerings, that makes sense to me too. Since my youth, when I enjoyed pickled pigs’ feet and my father’s smoked smelt, I’ve been all for trying new foods and pushing my epicurean boundaries as he has.
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about the book, which chronicles his early life and first twenty-five years as a food professional. To say this book is raw, no pun intended, would be like saying the ocean is damp. His early years as a chef were mostly fueled by cocaine, alcohol, indiscriminate sex, gambling, larceny, and foul language.
These musings are relayed to readers via a pen of deep regret and embarrassment for all but the language, which has become one of his defining characteristics. Superman wears a cape, Anthony Bourdain talks and writes with the vocabulary of a longshoreman. That’s, apparently, just the way it is. Nevertheless, Bourdain assumes the role of his own worst critic, describing his young self as a clueless spoiled brat who thought the world owed him a living and who didn’t care who he hurt to get his kicks.
That being said, even during his young drug addled days, he obviously possessed a passion for cuisine and a desire to prepare it well. Resulting from being banned to the car, as a child, for failing to adequately appreciate a French restaurant meal, Bourdain writes with a true zeal for exceptional food, and strongly encourages readers not to settle for the mundane.
Interlaced with stories of his colorful career and co-workers, are tidbits of practical wisdom. Advice on when to order seafood, what to avoid ordering, the secret behind Sunday Brunch, useful methods to get free drinks from bartenders, and the dos & don’ts of owning a restaurant, are among the list of useful topics Bourdain educates readers about. One topic, which hit me smack between the eyes, was the description of a restaurant which is doomed to fail. The section essentially described the final two years of a favorite eatery of mine, and to some extent its owner, before it closed its doors last year.
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly is a very honest, no holds barred, look at the Restaurant business. Anyone who's thinking about going into the business should read this book. Heck, anyone who eats out should read it. 5 out of 5 stars.
In a few weeks I'll be reviewing his sequel Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook, so stay tuned. Well, not tuned per se, but come back here to read it, when I post it that is. Oh, you know what I mean.
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