Throughout the United States Cinco de Mayo is celebrated by tossing back shots of tequilla and blended margaritas.  Many celebrate simply for the sake of having a party without really understanding what Cinco de Mayo is truly about.  Although many Americans believe otherwise, it is not Mexico's Independence Day (which is actually in September).  It is, however, a day to commemorate a victorious battle against the French army, who had invaded Mexico less than a year earlier.  So now that you know the true reason for this holiday, break out the blender and the tequila and throw a fiesta grande complete with homemade authentic taquitos.  Chef Felipe was hesitant, but kind enough to share a bit of family tradition with his grandmothers recipe. 

TAQUITOS DE POLLO

2 chicken breasts

2 tomatoes peeled and chopped

2 onion finely chopped

1 minced garlic clove

20 corn tortillas

oil for frying

Bake  chicken in oven.  Let cool and shred.  In pan saute garlic and onion for a couple of minutes until onion is soft, add chicken and cook for a few more minutes.  Place a small amount of the chicken mixture in the tortillas and roll. 

Add more oil to frying pan.  When the oil is hot enough (you can place a corner of a tortilla in to see if bubbles form right away) place the rolled tortilla in and fry until golden and crispy. 

Serve with sides of guacamole, salsa, and sour cream.  Top with cilantro. 

I ventured out to the Farmer's Market last Saturday Morning and at the far end of the row, past the morrels and  chantrelles, beyond the local honey and farm fresh eggs, nestled in next to several lettuce varieties, there it was.....ASPARAGUS.  I couldn't have been happier.  I picked out about 20 of the most beautiful spears and headed home to fire up the grill!  I learned from the best (the best being GP's executive chef, Jim Joyce), that if you really want a flavor explosion, it's best to blanch the asparagus before throwing them on the grill.  Start by trimming the tough ends off, then bring a pot of salted water up to a boil, throw the spears in for about 1 minute.  Take them out and immediatly shock them in an ice water bath.  Pat them dry, brush with olive oil and place them on the outer edges of the grill (to avoid burning).  Turn them over after about 2 minute. After about 2 more minutes (depending on the temperature of your grill and thickness of the spears), they should be perfect.  I tossed mine with minced roasted garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt and served them alongside bleu cheese and bacon elk burgers!! 

In the spirit of asparagus season, Chef Jim has agreed to film a Youtube video on Wednesday, April 25th to demonstrate this grilled asparagus method.  You can check it out at our Youtube channel!  http://youtube.com/gourmetproductions

The chefs at Gourmet Productions and Gourmet Catering are busy in the kitchen prepping for our Thanksgiving orders.  The smells are wafting into the office, and I can barely contain myself.  I have convinced Executive Chef, Jim, to share his recipe for his apricot cranberry relish.  It is great served with the Thanksgiving feast, but I especially like it the day after, on a sandwich with the leftover turkey and a piece of provolone.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup raspberry vinegar

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup minced red onion

1 1/2 TBSP minced garlic

3/4 TBSP minced ginger

1/2 cup minced red bell pepper

1/2 TBSP crushed coriander

1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes

12 oz cranberries

4 oz diced dried apricots

Procedure:

In large pot, combine all ingredients except for cranberries and apricots.  Bring to gentle boil over medium heat.  Add cranberries and apricots.  Stir every 10 minutes, until desired thickness. 

*Be careful not to turn the heat up too high because it burns easily. 

I recently traveled to Peru and was in awe of every aspect of the country.  From the ancient ruins around every corner to the artwork, to the incredible flora and fauna, and of course, THE FOOD!

For the Quechuan people, food is not just a staple on which to survive; it is a way of connecting with the earth.  They present offerings of nuts, grains, and even alcohol to Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).  When I first saw people dumping their chicha (corn beer) on the floor of a restraunt, I wondered why they were being so rude and wasteful, but my new Peruvian friend explained to me that they were respecting their Pacha Mama by giving the first drink to her. 

Peruvians take great pride in their cuisine.  They boast of more than 2000 varieties of potatoes, promote quinoa, and show great excitement when trying to get tourists to try their native favorites of chicharones, ceviche, local trout, and even guinee pig. 

Before embarking on my journey to Peru, I set one rule for myself, which was to try everything that I had the opportunity to try.  I held myself to that rule and I had an incredible gastronomic adventure!

You can not have Mortadella without Bologna and vice versa.  it is part of Bolognese history and culture.  Andrea from Alcisa tells me it is part of his DNA.  You can catch the aroma as you walk down the porticos in the old city.  In my tour of their production facility I learned all about prosciutto and salame as well.  We followed it up with a tasting of their products and a spumante.   Interestingly, Salame is not aged as much as in the states.  

when you have gelato!  After nine days in Italy, I can truly say eating gelato was one of my favorite experiences.  We learned to look for signs indicating that it was made in house or "Artigiano".  From fior de latte, pistachio, deep dark chocolate, salted caramel, gianduja, grapefruit & mango, each flavor made for a refreshing break in the day.  At cioccolat I taliani in Milano there were white, milk & dark chocolate sauces continuously pouring out of spouts ready to top or fill a cone.  As I sat in the sun drenched piazza enjoying my scoop, I could see how this could become a daily habit.

How much pizza is too much pizza?  1 Eggplant Pizza + 1 Margherita Pizza = 2 Much!  Our neighbors seemed to have no trouble each putting down their own pie at Pizzeria Spacca Napoli in Bologna.  The four of us just managed to finish one!  The crust was chewy and bubbly, a far cry from the pre-made crust in Milano.  Although there were blackened spots, it did not have the burned taste that comes from too hot an oven.  The tomato sauce was light, while the cheese was predominant.  Stuffed to the gills, we strolled back with to go boxes, which were shared with the hotel staff.

Recently, Vicky took a 10-day trip to Bologna, Italy.  Over the next few weeks she would like to share her experience with you!  These blogs are direct from her journal.

At restaurant 'Olivio':  Our bartender makes it with Aperol, Spumante and a splash of soda water on the rocks with an orange garnish.  It is most delicious and matches the "red" city with the bright orange hue.  The spumante made from the local pignoletto grape.  This is light and refreshing - Andrea (my new 'boy'friend) tells me it is important to cut the flavor of the mortadella or prosciutto that is eaten at almost every meal.

The staff members here at GP are undoubtedly foodies, incredibly enthusiastic about ingredients and always looking for excuses to throw parties that revolve around food.  This past weekend was my 3rd annual celebration of pork, a pig roast and all-day party known as Porkapalooza.  The GP crew showed up to play lawn games and  feast on a pig that had been cooking over a bed of coals for 11 hours, as well as sides, salads, and desserts--all donned with bacon or ham.  Among the items were Ham and Pea Salad, Bacon Wrapped Mushrooms,  Bacon Dip, and even Bacon Baklava. 

Need an excuse for a party?  Why not have your own celebration of food.  The opportunities are endless, and with Gourmet Productions just a phone call away, Seafoodfests, Pasta Parties, Tomato Extravaganzas, and Wine & Cheese Tastings can all be made simple. All you have to do is send out the invitations!

The 4th of July is fast approaching and what better way to celebrate your independence than with Barbeque Dishes and All American cocktails. 

So choose your spot to watch the fireworks, bring along the grill and try out some of our favorite Gourmet Productions recipes.

Apricot Chipotle Chicken

Glaze:

1oz chopped white onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 8oz can apricots in light syrup

1 oz dried apricots

3 TBSP cider vinegar

1/2 ancho chile pepper

1 tsp chipotle sauce

1 tsp tomato paste

1/8 c. brown sugar          

Simmer ingredents down, let cool, blend till smooth.

Brush the apricot mixture onto the chicken throughout the cooking process.  Chicken should take approximately 6 minutes for each side.

LiberTEA

1 part citrus vodka

1 part light rum

1 part gin

1 part Contreau

1 part tequila

1/4 fresh squeezed lime

1/4 fresh squeezed lemon

dash of orange juice

splash of cola    

Mix all ingredients, pour over ice, garnish with wedge of lemon.