This week I was inspired by some pretty shiny magazines. I just got this month’s Food&Wine, and I also got the first issue of Food Network Magazine from the Wine & Food Festival. I also wanted to use the local duck and pork ribs I bought at the farmer’s market last week and wasn’t able to use. Luckily, Food&Wine had a special article/recipe section about butchers and I found a great duck recipe from the chef of our favorite San Francisco restaurant, Nopa. I’m also going to make the pork ribs for the first time without a super sticky BBQ sauce. Johnathan is skeptical of this method, but the butchers said if you’re getting really good, fresh local pork don’t drench it, make it simple. I was also craving some Italian, hence Giada’s Bolognese sauce. I also want to make some big fall salads, so I’ll figure out those dishes when I get to the farmer’s market tomorrow. Here’s how the week will look:

Monday - Cassoulet with Duck

Tuesday - Pork Ribs with Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Wednesday - Fall Salad w/ Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Thursday - Homemade Pasta with Simple Bolognese

Friday - Fall Veg Pizza/Salad Pizza

Bobby Flay and the DJ

I don’t have a dinner recipe for last night, but I feel I have a good excuse. Johnathan and I had tickets to the Food Network Wine and Food Festival opening party at Chelsea Market. We got all dressed up (which rarely happens) and enjoyed an amazing night of wine, lots and lots of wine, and food from the Chelsea Market Vendors. It’s every foodies dream. The lights were low, wine glasses were always full, people chatted excitedly, the music changed from a string quartet to a bluegrass band, to a thumping DJ. It was packed, and at points we had to shuffle through but would stop frequently to refill our glasses and feast on gourmet treats from savory to sweet. Plus, Bobby Flay was personally doling out gourmet burgers, Guy Fieri was walkin’ around followed by a camera and a crowd. I also spotted Anne Burrell, and Dale from season 4 of Top Chef. It was also rumored that Giada and the Neeleys were there, but that was unconfirmed. My favorite stops of the night were The Green Table, who kept bringing out nibbles made of their famous local, organic ingredients. Another was Chelsea Market Baskets who had amazing cheese samples served by the cheese makers paired with some decadent chocolates and sparkling rosé. We met two lovely women, mother and daughter from Greenville who we showed around for the night, and a great time chatting with. I think as New Yorkers it’s our civic duty to be friendly and show people a good time who are visiting our great city. Anyway, there was no skimping at this party - 2 different bands, a DJ (pictured above with The Flay), full bars, lots of different wines, and a great gift bag from Bowery Kitchen, and of course food celebrities. If you can get to any of the other festivities this weekend, I’m sure you’ll have a great time. Next year we’ll be there again, and probably buy a few more tickets to some other events!

This was Next Food Network Star Rory Schepisi’s winning ribs recipe that appeared on the cover of Bon Appétit last July. I’ve never watched the show, and haven’t followed it, but is Rory still around? Well, his ribs and BBQ sauce were brilliant, and nothing is better than herbed butter. I did find the link to the recipe on the Food Network site, which is great, b/c it’s a page long recipe I didn’t feel like typing out. There are a lot of steps to this one, so pay close attention. There’s also a lot you can do ahead, like the herbed butter can be made up to a week ahead as well as the BBQ sauce. I’m actually using an herbed butter for the chicken dish on Wednesday so instead of making and using 4 sticks of butter I can interchange them- they’re very similar. I’ve also put the leftover BBQ sauce in a jam jar, we only had one rack of ribs and the recipe serves 8! I have some chicken breasts in the freezer I’ll make a great BBQ sandwich for lunch this week. Summer doesn’t get any better than BBQ - well I guess you really eat it year round, and we use our stove top grill for lack of outdoor charcoal grill space. We also didn’t make the herb salad that you’ll see in the recipe. The thought of just eating parsley with dressing is not appealing to me - a bit dainty I think. Definitely make this dish, and use the Jersey corn before it’s gone!

Paula Dean and Michael Chiarello

As part of my self assigned food homework, I’ve been watching a lot of Food Network - probably more than a college graduate should be watching. I’ve salivated over Paula Dean’s butter infusions (most of which should not be consumed more than ONCE in a lifetime) and Bobby Flay’s grilling masterpieces. I’ve even begun to appreciate some Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals (I still can’t get through one of her daytime shows on ABC), as well as newcomers like the Neeleys- also in small doses. The verdict is still out on the new “Ask Aida”, and don’t get me started on Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee and her TJ Maxx/Stein Mart themed monstrosities she calls sets. But, where are the young people? Is the food loving public (and you tell me) only interested in the seasoned experts? Is the Food Network even looking at young people and not finding “the one”?

I would venture to say my younger brother who is in college, and also loves food would enjoy seeing someone closer to his age running their own gig and would not require them to have owned a NYC restaurant or attended Le Cordon Bleu. My husband and I are on a journey to eat what we see the chefs eat, dine where they say to dine, and entertain the way they do, yet on a much smaller budget and scale, and of course add our own flair. It’d be nice to see someone about 2-3 years ahead, rather than a decade plus, doing things 25 year olds do - not wealthy businessmen, soccer moms, or Napa Valley rock stars (I’m talking about you Michael Chiarello). Don’t get me wrong, you gotta be good at what you do: know your kitchen and your food. You have to if you’re going to roll with the foodie giant that is becoming the Food Network. I bet there are some solid 26-28 year old foodies out there, working in an office, cooking on the weekends, with lots to share. With the right personality - I’d probably tune in to a young newcomer and tune out to Cooking for Real with Sonny. Please hurry Food Network!

Giada De Laurentiis of Everyday Italian

Have you ever watched Giada cooking on Food Network? it’s her “penny pinching” episode, which includes pancetta, mascarpone, and special wonton pockets? While Ms. Laurentis has her unlimited supplies of “everyday” Italian delicacies to do her penny pinching with, my impulse mascarpone purchase for her recipe cost me $5.00 for 1/2 cup. I think a lot of us, myself included, watch or read some great recipes - grab our wallets and head out the door to collect all the ingredients mentioned. Hence, the $50 dinner for you, or you +1. And you have to do the dishes. This is where planning can be very empowering.

I’m a huge Jamie Oliver fan. He always emphasizes the importance of simplicity and freshness, which in some cases can translate into $$$. I also subscribe to Bon Appetit - another money trap with its pages of beautiful photography, glamorous party ideas, and “in” foods and restaurants. Before I know it, I’m at the Whole Foods fish counter buying a pound of tuna, pancetta, fresh pasta, and some unknown delicacy!

However, I do feel it is important to eat well, experiment, and really love what you’re cooking and get excited about it. BUT, a little bit of planning can make a world of difference. For example - I’ve discovered fresh blocks of parm are not cheap - as is most fresh cheeses used in great italian cooking or fondue (a guilty favorite). But to me, the flavor of fresh parm is important - so I plan on 3 different recipes during the week that use parm. Last week I bought 1/2lb at Whole Foods for about $7.00. It’s lasted through a crostata, fish meatballs, and a chicken/mushroom bake plus dusting on other dishes. But what I learned during this shopping trip is Trader Joe’s has a better price on fresh cheeses. So, if you’re dying to make the Semolina Gnocchi with Oxtail Ragu from this month’s Bon Appetit, go for it! Use the veggies from the recipe for 1 or 2 more meals, as well as the parm, and make some extra gnocchi for another meal. However, I’m not sure how much oxtail costs, so this may be a stretch for some budgets. Whats the recipe you’d like to indulge in?