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Demystifying Asian
Culture through Cuisine
NuCulinary News Asian Flavors August 20, 2010 |
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Greetings!
How did we get this deep into August already? Is September really so close? In honor of the back to school mode, I've got a little pop quiz for you on noodles. (Don't worry, it's open book!) For those of you with iPhones, I found the new Asian Ingredients 101 app a neat little tool that will clear up many of your shopping queries. And don't let the summer get away from you without savoring all the fruits and vegetables in their prime at our farmers markets right now. There's no better place to enjoy this bounty than at this Sunday's Incredible Feast, Seattle's biggest food event highlighting our amazing chefs and hardworking farmers. In case you missed the announcement, NuCulinary's regular weekly classes are coming to a close at the end of September when they take a hiatus for a little revamping and retooling. I've packed September full of my most requested classes, giving you one last chance to take the sushi, noodles, grilling, or dim sum class you've always wanted to do. But don't forget that NuCulinary isn't disappearing, there are many ways for you be involved with us besides our classes. We are still offering private lessons and cooking parties, wellness events, chef demos, and team-building. I'm also looking at having some special classes, covering a specific technique or cuisine, featuring a fantastic chef, or a possibly a masterclass or two. You'll want to stay in touch so you can be in the know! Keep your eyes out for this newsletter or follow me on twitter. Do you have an idea for a class you'd like me to offer or a subject you'd like to see explored in depth? Let me know!
Naomi "Building Community Through Cuisine" If you have friends who would enjoy our ezine news, recipes and offers, please feel free to forward it to them here. |
Do you know your noodles?
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Take this little quiz to measure your noodle expertise:
- If you order Chow Mein 'Hong Kong Style' instead of 'American Style,' what would be omitted?
- Japanese harusame noodles are made from what?
- What should you look for when buying fresh rice noodles?
Answers:
1. Hong Kong Style Chow Mein omits the
bean sprouts and is served on a bed of
crunchy fried noodles instead of the usual soft noodles.
2. Harusame are a thin, translucent noodle, that are typically made with potato, sweet potato, or mung bean starch.
3. The best noodles will have been made on the day you buy them, are soft and springy, and are at room temperature. Don't let your fresh noodles sit, eat them the same day you buy them.
Well, how did you do? If you missed a couple, we can help! Even if you got them all, there's more to learn!
Come to next Monday's Asian Noodle Primer and go home with the expertise to make 6 noodle dishes, including Phad Thai, Harusame Salad, and Sesame-Ginger Noodles.
And next Thursday, our Everyday Asian Pantry class, Chef Toby Kim will focus on using Japanese somen noodles. Typically these super thin wheat
noodles are served chilled, making them a summertime favorite. You'll learn how use somen in a salad with pork and and
vegetables; and we'll introduce you to Memmi - a bottled sauce that
makes a savory both. Class includes Chef Toby's guided tour of Uwajimaya, designed to demystify your shopping experience.
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An Incredible Feast Where the Farmers Are the Stars! |
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Conceived by local celebrity chef Tamara Murphy, this is one of
Seattle's premier food events and showcases an astounding variety of
local flavors, all prepared using fresh ingredients from regional
farmers, ranchers, fishers and foragers.
All proceeds from the event support the Good Farmer Fund (an emergency
relief fund for local farmers in need) and the the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance.
This year's Feast will again be held at the University District Farmers Market site, under
one enormous event tent, complete with chandeliers to light up the
farmer and chef tables. Guests will enjoy over 30
gourmet dishes, excellent local (Salmon Safe certified!) wines
and beers, and meet the chefs and farmers behind the food. The event
also features country-fair-style games with fabulous prizes (and lots of
chances to win!), live music and a truly fantastic dessert auction.
Click here to see short video about
An Incredible Feast - with personal testimonies from the chefs and farmers bringing you Seattle's most incredible evening of feasting and fun!
A sampling of dishes from past "Feasts" include: Wild Coho Salmon
with Moroccan Olive-Harissa Tapenade; Chantrelles, Huckleberries and
Moscovy Duck Breast with Sherry Syrup; Red Beet Salad with Point Reyes
Blue Cheese and Lemon Mint Vinaigrette; Corn Gaspacho with Escabeche of
Carrots; Grilled Peach Salad with Goat Cheese and Truffle Vinaigrette;
Schuh Farms Green Beans and "Big Ugly" Carrot Shiraae Salad; Heirloom
Tomato Salad with Watercress and Fried Shallots...
Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com Individual Tickets - $80 Pair of tickets - $150 More info at www.seattlefarmersmarkets.org
Special note: in the spirit of sustainability and care for the
environment, guests are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own
plate and fork to use at the event. All ticketholders who bring their
own plate and fork will be entered in a drawing
to win a Farmers Market gift basket valued at $100!
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Hey iPhone users! New iPhone App Makes Shopping Easy!
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Asian ingredients on the Go
A screenshot from Asian Ingredients 101  | Have you ever tried cooking pad Thai or beef rendang but just couldn't make heads or tails of the recipe? Or have you wandered around an Asian market aimlessly search for an ingredient you can't even pronounce? Fret no more! Asian Ingredients 101 is a comprehensive guide to East Asian, Southeast Asian and South Asian ingredients at your fingertips. Whether you are shopping at an Asian market or traveling in Asia, this app for your iPhone will help you to identify hundreds of ingredients ranging from spices to herbs to sauces using color photographs as well as their common names in different languages. It also tells you where to find the ingredients at the market (i.e. frozen or dried goods section) and offers little tidbits on selection and preparation.
You can check it out here: sutromedia.com/apps/Asian_Ingredients_101. And download it for .99¢ at the App Store.
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Save $100 |
A NuCulinary exclusive!
This September, my two favorite culinary adventurers Robert & Morrison (The Globetrotting Gourmet) are headed to Central Vietnam and Laos. You can join them for an epicurean exploration of these two unique regions of Southeast Asia, and feast on truly royal cuisine.
Wayne and I traveled with Robert and Morrison ourselves when we went to Thailand, so we're sure you'll have a great time of fun with this
dynamic duo, full of laughs, learning, and breaking bread -- or rather,
rice -- together.
If you mention NuCulinary when you sign up, you'll get a $100 discount! Photo by Globtrotting Gourmet  |
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