David Ross

Certainly there are a wide range of opinions and emotions regarding Walmart. Yet focusing on the issue of the products in the grocery section, and more specifically local, organic, seasonal or "upscale" products-do you have a sense that those products are merely placed in the store as a tactical movement? In other words, are the free-range, organic chickens placed next to the Tyson chickens merely to create the appearance that Walmart offers higher-quality products? Or, do you sense that the expensive chicken actually sells? I certainly don't have scientific data to support either side of the argument, but it seems to me that Walmart realizes that there are people who frequent their stores who want more upscale types of food products,(.e. healthy, sustainable products, including humanely raised animals). I also sense that, by association, while the free-range chicken costs about $8 bucks as opposed to the factory chicken at $4 bucks, the "budget" shopper may become more educated on the merits of the spendy chicken and choose to buy the fancy bird.

My Schedule at this point is: Thursday, May 5- Bellagio, Champagne/Saber Kick-off with Chefs of Uncork'd Master Series Dinner, Payard Patisserie & Bistro, Caesar's Palace Chef Francois Payard (Let's hope the controversial Chilean Sea Bass isn't on the menu this year as it was at the 2010 event). After Hours at Craftsteak, MGM Chef Tom Colicchio Friday, May 6- Chef Showdown, Bellagio Chef Martin Heirling, Sensi Restaurant vs. Akira Back, Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant Shabu, Shabu, Bellagio Chef Phillip Lo, Jasmine Restaurant vs. Edmond Wong, Bellagio Executive Chef Grand Tasting, Caesar's Palace (One can only hope that no one falls into the pool this year. It hasn't happened--yet). Saturday, May 7- Eating Las Vegas-The Essential Restaurant Guide, John Curtas, Al Mancini, Max Jacobsen Bellagio Master Series Lunch, Picasso, Bellagio Chef Julian Serrano Dinner ??? (Sadly the Bocuse event was cancelled). Sunday, May 8- Mother's Day Brunch, Guy Savoy, Caesar's Palace Chef Guy Savoy (Brunch with a Michelin-Star Chef)

Yes, sort of. I think Weinoo hit the nail on the head when he said Jamie is controversial for poking his nose in other people's business-i.e., how families eat, (in the UK and US), how kids eat in schools (in the UK and US), and how he hopes to change entire communities, (Huntington, WV and Los Angeles). You can't help but be conflicted when you watch Jamie on his mission. On the one hand you want to believe, and you feel, that he is really committed to the goal of getting people to eat better. Yet when he dresses in vegetable suits, castigates a kid for drinking chocolate milk and stages crowds of people cooking in the streets you then become jaded and wonder if he's just mugging for the cameras-a worthy cause in today's media-sensitive world as it were. Personally, I don't think Jamie is "controversial" as it relates to figures like Sandra Lee or the ubiquitous Rachel Ray. I've been enjoying "Jamie's Food Escapes" on Cooking channel where he travels to a region and cooks with local ingredients. It's a true, basic, natural form of cooking and anything but controversial.

I suppose the moment one reads the words "Walmart" on a discussion board about food and cooking the emotions start to boil over the edges of the saucepan. Walmart? Really? How on earth could the empire that epitomizes the unhealthy model of processed, sugar-loaded and chemically-enhanced foods find it's way into the vernacular of the serious home cook? Certainly there are many, many negative reactions when one hears the words Walmart spoken in the context of the foods that line the aisles of America's Superstores. But should we be so quick to react so harshly? It's really similar to the discussion in the "Ruth's Chris Ain't All That Bad" topic here. Just because a steakhouse, or a grocer, is part of a vast National chain, should it be defined as being "bad?" I'll be the first to admit that I shop at Walmart not only for the sake of convenience. However hard it may be for some of us to believe, Walmart does in fact sell a number of locally-made, organic, and dare I say it "upscale" products. I can choose to buy the Walmart generic branded heavy cream, or I have a choice of heavy cream from two locally-owned and operated dairies. I can buy Oscar Mayer bacon, or I can buy bacon, sausages and smoked meats from family-owned business in Pendleton, Oregon and Twin Falls, Idaho. Yesterday I bought a free-range, organic chicken, (and quite expensive at that), from a family farm in Washington. I don't live in a city with a year-round farmer's market, and the one small upscale market is on the other side of town and doesn't offer the wealth of other merchandise I can find at Walmart. So while I vary my shopping based on what I may be cooking, I find no reason not to shop at Walmart. And, sans the dried morels, (from the specialty market), and the fresh chives, (from my garden), in the dish below, one can craft a delicious and good-quality meal from ingredients bought at Walmart. Yes, the chicken, the organic, free-range stock and local chardonnay used for the braise came from Walmart. The asparagus, the carrots and the English peas-Walmart. The lemon, apple cider vinegar and the local butter to make the sauce-Walmart. Braised Chicken with Spring Vegetables-

Tonight I did a Braised Chicken with Spring Vegetables and Apple Cider Butter Sauce. (You can join our discussion on Spring Vegetables here). Believe it or not, the local Walmart Supermarket is now selling local, free-range, organic chickens. And this chicken was incredibly flavorful and tender. Sauteed first in olive oil and butter to crisp and brown the skin, then deglazed with chardonnary and chicken stock, covered and roasted in a 300 oven for 2 hours. The vegetables were a mix of fresh English peas, asparagus, morels (dried-last season), and carrots. (I forgot to add the radishes that I had prepped). The sauce was lemon slices, green onions and apple cider vinegar boiled down, then a dash of the chicken braising liquid added, strained and a stick of butter swirled into the pan, strained again.

Tonight I did a Braised Chicken with Spring Vegetables and Apple Cider Butter Sauce. Believe it or not, the local Walmart Supermarket is now selling local, free-range, organic chickens. And this chicken was incredibly flavorful and tender. Sauteed first in olive oil and butter to crisp and brown the skin, then deglazed with chardonnary and chicken stock, covered and roasted in a 300 oven for 2 hours. The vegetables were a mix of fresh English peas, asparagus, morels (dried-last season), and carrots. (I forgot to add the radishes that I had prepped). The sauce was lemon slices, green onions and apple cider vinegar boiled down, then a dash of the chicken braising liquid added, strained and a stick of butter swirled into the pan, strained again.

Unfortunately, today I discovered that what was billed as the "premier" event, "Tocques off to Paul Bocuse," on Saturday night, has been cancelled. I'm not sure yet why they cancelled it but it's incredibly disappointing given the talented line-up of Chefs that had been on the bill. They've apparently replaced it with a Charlie Palmer, Rick Moonen, Alain Ducasse event outdoor at Mandalay Bay. I may take Saturday night to do something else. I'll post my schedule of events tommorrow.

What about King Henry VIII and his court? Surely the impoverished classes must have had utter disdain for the obese diet of the King's court.

Heidi, as someone who lives directly North of you, (way North of you where it is still snowing), I have a question about the citrus trees. How long do they bear fruit? Do they have a short season like peaches and pears or do they provide fruit for months?

This is going to be wonderful Heidi, looking forward to it.

Mashed Potatoes- Russet Potatoes Butter Cream Salt Pepper

Oven-Roasted Ribs, (still too cold and damp outside to grill on the barbecue), with Cabbage, Carrot and Cashew Slaw, (I didn't plan it to be a 3 "C" salad. The slaw is very easy and goes really well with rich meats. Finely shredded Napa or Savoy cabbage, shredded carrot, cilantro, and chopped green onions. The dressing is lime juice, chili oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Stir in some ginger and garlic and toss into the slaw. Garnish with salted cashews.

I've never really thought much about the proper way to clean a knife. I know that putting kitchen knives in the dishwasher is a no-no, but are there other cleaning methods that should be avoided? Do you simply wipe the knife with a kitchen towel? Or, do you wash it with soap and warm water? The most treasured knife in my kitchen is a 8" Henckels Chef's Knife. It's nearing 30 years old and if it gets some nasty, sticky sauce on it after cutting through some pork ribs, I just run it under hot water and wipe if off with a towel. It hasn't apparently suffered any damage, and I keep the blade sharp. Should I be doing something different?

Mother Nature has not been kind to the Spring Vegetables in Eastern, Washington. I spoke to the Produce Manager at the market yesterday and asked him where the fresh morels were. He said that due to the long, wet, Winter weather, the forests are too damp to produce Morels at this time. He's able to get limited quantities of fresh Morels from Oregon, but he said he'd have to price them at about $100 retail and he knows that wouldn't fly with his customers. We hope that the forests will dry out enough in the next two weeks to produce some local fresh Morels. He said if he can get a decent local crop they will sell for about $30 per pound. Such is the same fate of our local Asparagus crop. Cold temperatures and damp fields haven't yet produced much Asparagus in the Tri-Cities or Walla Walla areas--a departure from last year when we had fresh Asparagus for Easter supper and Father's Day in June.

I ended up using a recipe on Martha Stewart's website for a ham with a Coca-Cola glaze. Coke is really not the standout ingredient in the glaze, only a supplement to brown sugar, canned pineapple juice and concord grape wine. The recipe did make a delicious glaze, but not as syrupy and thick as I had hoped. The real star was the Kurobata ham I bought at the market. It came from Snake River Farms of Boise who contracts for the Kurobata Pork from small, family farms in the Midwest. It was delicious and moist with a hint of smoke. Out side of the country hams from Kentucky--which are a whole different taste--this was the best ham I've ever had. Next time I'll try a different Coca-Cola glaze.

Introduce yourself to the Staff at Valentino and ask if they have any game on the menu. It's off-season for wild game, but if Chef Pellegrini has quail on the menu, order it. He's known for his abilities with game birds. Delicious.

The basic recipe is sliced red cabbage stewed down with apple cider, red wine, red wine vinegar and some granulated sugar. Sometimes I'll add some grated apple and caraway seeds. I usually only season with a little salt and pinch of black pepper. It's better the longer it sits.

Pan-Fried Pork Chop, Red Cabbage and Butter-Poached Fingerling Potatoes. I used a recipe from Thomas Keller for the potatoes. It was not a good recipe-far too much time and butter for the outcome. The potatoes were soft yet had hardly any flavor from poaching in butter for nearly 2 hours in a low oven. I'll try another variation on potatoes next time.

One advantage of my glass-top electric range is ease of cleaning. No foil to have to wrap around the pans under the burners on a regular electric range, no soot or burned shards of food to fish out from under the grates of a gas grill. Cleaning is easy.

What a wonderful piece Dave. I'll admit that after reading the title and on first glance of the photo I wasn't sure what type of story would follow, but you wove the relationship between the cook and the fuel of the first together beautifully. I've always longed for a gas range, but my yearning isn't based in fact-I simply think I need to have something I've never cooked with. I suppose that's a poor excuse for spending money on a gas range that I really don't need-but the desire is still there. I've added chicken thighs and vinegar to tommorrow's shopping list.

Pam-are there any reliable online sources for schmaltz or is it pretty easy to render it at home?

This is the scene of the accident-sink full of dishes, no room in sink to place a colander to drain pasta. Cook decided to place colander on top of the dishes in the sink, knowing full-well that when he attempts to drain the pasta, the water and pasta will probably slop out of the colander--no where for the water to drain with all those dishes. He proceeds. Hot pasta and hot water splash out of sink and stream onto cooks feet. Covered with socks-(that act like a sponge)-the hot water burns the top of cooks feet. Dreadful.

It happened again tonight when I seared a steak and then finished it in the oven. I live in a tiny little house that was built in 1943. The kitchen measures all of 8 x 10 feet at the most. It's what I call my "galley" kitchen. (Somewhat smaller than the kitchen galleys on a large airliner to be sure). One of the disadvantages of living in a little old house with a small kitchen is that I don't have an exhaust fan-no industrial strength suction system to draw out the smoke when I sear a steak or the smoke caused by sugar oozing out of an apple pie. The smoke detector inevitably goes off, worrying me that the neighbors will hear it and call the Fire Department. Alas, I'm left with having to disconnect the smoke detector, open the doors and windows and take a towel to fan away the smoke. I doubt I'll ever go to the expense of cutting a hole in the roof to install a kitchen exhaust fan in such a tiny kitchen. It's an aggravation not having one, but it certainly doesn't disuade me from cooking foods I know will cause smoke in the kitchen. Anyone else out there cook without a kitchen fan?

This is going to very intriguing Pam. Looking forward to it.

I just received my copy of the May edition of Bon Appetit in the mail last week. I had been anticipating the May magazine because I knew it would be the "debut" if you will of the new Editor, Mr. Adam Rapoport. As noted in our discussion topic here, Mr. Rapoport replaced the venerable Barbara Fairchild at the helm of Bon Appetit, a throne upon which she reigned for well over 20 years. I must say that I wasn't overly enthused about the change when I first heard about it. How could a "style" Editor at GQ even assume that he knew about food and cooking? Another case of "style" over "substance, I concluded. Yet what I should do is give Mr. Rapoport and his staff a chance-a chance to settle into their new roles and see what changes will come about on the pages of Bon Appetit. I'm hopeful after reading Mr. Rapoport's first editorial that we'll find his contributions will give Bon Appetit a refreshing, new focus. He's quoted in his first editorial by saying, "Now, I'm not much of a numbers guy either. But I do care deeply about making a magazine that matters and presenting the kind of food you'll want to cook for the rest of your life." That's a positive statement for the serious home cooks and avid diners in the crowd, but will it pass the muster of the large demographic that supports the mass-market products advertised in the magazine? The newly designed pages are a stark contrast to the recent designs of Bon Appetit. Formerly known for close-up shots of cakes coated in chocolate frosting and teensy white type describing the dishes (that was hard to read), the new format appears jumbled on the page and is a bit hard on the eyes. On page 104of the May issue, I counted 6 different typefaces in regular, bold, underlined, italics and quoted. There are red, green, black and maroon ink colors, 2 black and white illustrations and 1 color photo-and that's just one page. Catchy and trendy I suppose, but also confusing. Even the pages devoted primarily to the travelogue style of reporting seem jumbled from a graphic design standpoint with sidebars and varying type that seems out of sorts with the rest of the article. I find the new focus on cuisine, ingredients and cooking technique interesting, but they can do probably do without silly references like "in Italy, anchovies are not the Rodney Dangerfield of fish." As if anchovies don't get respect anywhere else? I'll hold Mr. Rapoport to his promise that "the core of what has made the magazine so strong for 55 years won't change. Bon Appetit is still going to be about cooking. But how we present this information will differ a bit. We don't want to just tell you what to cook--we want to tell you how to cook it and why to cook it, now. In May, 2011." Let's hope that the readers of Bon Appetit will be much the richer for his efforts.