Introduction:

Hello and welcome. Here goes. I have to confess I'm a bit nervous. This is my first blog. My computer literacy is about elementary school level but I have a wealth of food knowledge I hope to share with you. My initial food blogging attempt may not be slick or sophisticated but I hope it will be informative and amusing. Food information provided by Mary Spencer; inane and objectionable comments can be blamed on reconfabulator husband Bill.

Food Events:

Bookstock - Sunday, April 26 to Sunday, May 3 Laurel Park Place Mall, 6 Mle and Newburgh Rd., Livonia, Michigan. Hours: Sundays Noon-6 PM; Monday-Saturday, 10Am - 9 PM. Sunday May 3 books half price. Admission free. - A good source for used cookbooks. Look for the old Time Life series of ethnic cuisines written by renowned chefs. Note that these cookbook are accompanied by smaller spiral cookbooks containing additional recipes, which are most often sold separately. I was there Sunday morning and picked up Michael Ruhlman's Making of a Chef, King Arthur Flour's Baking Book, etc. All $3 hardcover.

Eastern Market Food Demo - May 2, 2009 9AM, Eastern Market Shed 2 - Renowned chef Michael Symon will host a cooking demonstration. Free and open to the public. This is the first of a 27 week series of cooking demonstrations - A Taste of Eastern Market. I am excited about this event. Chef Symon's credentials include 3 great restaurants - Lola and Lolita in Cleveland and Roast in the Book Cadillac Hotel, Detroit. He is an Iron Chef on the Food Network. I loved him ever since his "Gosh, golly gee" guest appearanes on Sarah Moulton about a decade ago on the Food Network. We have eaten at Lolita in Cleveland and it is well worth the trip.

A Morel Lover's Day Trip - May 9, 2009 10 AM, Gladwin, Michigan. An old college friend and I have organized a Morel Lover's one day trip. Take a walk in the woods foraging for Michigan's finest delicacy - the morel mushroom. Enjoy hands on lunch and dinner cooking classes conducted by Mary Spencer featuring morel mushrooms and the culinary bounty of a Michigan springtime. Dine on a 5 course gourmet dinner which I will personally prepare with your help. The class is conducted in The Highlands, a 165 acre private woodland preserve north of Claire, Michigan. Cost $150 per person; $250 per couple. If interested contact Mary Spencer at cookbookie8@yahoo.com.

A Mexican Village Tour - Saturday, May 16, 2009. $45 per person. This tour will visit the culinary highlights of Mexican Village in southwest Detroit including Mary's favorite food market. We are in the process of setting up a tortilla factory tour at this time. Restaurant lunch included. The Eastern Market tour was great fun. Don't miss out on the Mexican Village Tour. Tour begins at Scottie's Kitchen 8:30 AM and returns to Scottie's at approximately 2 PM. A pamphlet including specific directions, stores to visit and recipes is included. Contact Debbie at Scottieskitchen.com to register.

Scottie's Kitchen Cooking Classes: Scottie's May class schedule is out. I will be teaching these classes: A Night in Greece (Wednesday, May 6), Middle Eastern (Friday, May 8), French Bistro (Friday, May 15), Italian Riviera II (Tuesday, May 19), Breakfast and Brunch (Thursday, May 21), Lasagna (Tuesday, May 26) and California Fusion (Friday, May 29). For more detailed class descriptions and to register go to Scottie'skitchen.com.

Food News:

The first Scottie's Kitchen Eastern Market Tour was a big success. Our intrepid gaggle of food groupies some 20 plus strong met at Scottie's Kitchen, Northville on Saturday, April 18 at 8:30 AM. Fortified by coffee and cinnamon rolls the group boarded a big yellow school bus (what a hoot!) and descended upon the Market at 9:30. Hirt's, Rocky Peanut, Cost Plus Wine Shop, Ronnie's Meats and Wigley' at Gratiot Central Market didn't now what hit them. Ronnie's was particularly descimated. The group then hit the produce stalls. Additional shopping carts were purchased in order to carry away the plunder. A merry but weary band of pillagers returned to Northville by about 2:15. It was decided by unanimous vote on the bus that another food tour was required. Check out the Mexican Village tour scheduled for May 16.

Morel Season: Unseasonably warm weather and rain over the April 25, 26 weekend have heralded in the morel mushroom season. The budding leaves are as big as a squirrel's ear. It's time to get out in the woods.


Cooking Class Confessions:

I have heard that in job interviews, chef applicants are often asked to cook an omelet. It's a simple yet revealing task. So is pan searing a steak. And so it was with some trepidation that I approached my Steaks and Sides class at Scottie's Kitchen on April 21, 2009. Sure I have pan seared steaks. Many times. Easy peasy. Yet, truth be told, we generally grill steaks at home, winter or summer, rain or shine. The key to a perfectly pan seared steak is heat and timing...almost precise timing. In a class setting of some 20 people I was concerned that some distraction would take me off my game and lead to an overcooked steak. How horrible would that have been? I was relieved that all the steaks came out tender and medium rare.

Confessions #2:

I pride myself on my ability to analyze recipes, sift the good from the bad and demonstrate a dish which accomplishes my goal. Such was the case with the creamed spinach accompaniment which I prepared at Scottie's Kitchen Steaks and Sides class. It was surprisingly good. Thank you to Emeril, Delmonico's cookbook.


Food Oddities:

I couldn't believe it. Evergreen Market, (northeast corner of 8 Mile and Lahser - go figure?) is one of my favorite Asian food markets. On a recent visit I discovered they sell Durian - the King of Fruit? Durian, to say the least, is an acquired taste. It is widely regarded as the most horrific smelling food product in the world. Some Asian countries forbid the possession and eating of Durian in public places. I just read one account where an intrepid food traveler brought a Durian up into their hotel room and within the half hour security, alerted by the smell, demanded its removal. To eat Durian, you cut the fruit in half and eat the soft inner flesh. I did not have the time or courage to purchase a Durian at that visit but perhaps in the near future. Potluck anyone?

Food Wars:

An individual who shall remain nameless stops by the house. I offer her a taste of an Artichoke Dip which I had just made. She raves about it and begs me for the recipe. I happily comply. Less than a week later I get a call. "Mary, we need to talk." She comes over and tells me "I'm sorry but that recipe you gave me was horrible, absolutely horrible." She silently awaits my response. What doe she expect? Should I apologize, offer to reimburse her for her expense, fall on my chef's knife? I mean come on! She tasted it, she raved about it, she begged me for the recipe and now my recipe is horrible. I was dumbfounded. The recipe has only 3 ingredients: artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese and mayonnaise. I thought a minute, recovered my composure and then asked "Did you substitute low fat mayonnaise?" She hesitated and then confessed. Her substitution of an inferior food product ruined the recipe. What lesson have we learned here? Is it that particular care must be taken in substituting ingredients in recipes with few ingredients to begin with?

Food Bargains:

Rafal's Spice Company at Eastern Market is sadly closed. Rafal's was my main source of spices. Grocery store spices are a sadly expensive and tired alternative. Check out small ethnic groceries, particularly Indian and MiddleEastern. Many offer fresh bulk spices at reasonable prices.

Food Finds: Onion Rolls

My friend and food detective Mary C discovered some great onion rolls at Bake Station Bakery, Southfield Rd. and 13 Mile and Bake Station Too at Orchard Lake and15 Mile. Check store for hours.