Avanti Cafe Musings: California

Showing posts with label California. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Spice Your Holiday Gifts The Avanti Way!

Everyone is creative and crafty these days. And everyone is thinking about healthful additions to our lifestyle. Combine the fun of these joys as you craft fun healthful gifts this [and future] holiday season to give the gift of foodie fun, health, vibrance, spirit & flavor! Read our Avanti post on the Ron&Lisa blog for more!

Spices, herbs & seeds are among the most invigorating and body nurturing ingredients. So for the holidays, why not put your culinary knowledge and creativity into practice for flavorful herb & spice gift blends. We all pay attention to the new trend of integrative medicine and nutrition. We get so much new info on what to eat from Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil, Dr. Fuhrman, Dr. Amen and more. And it’s great stuff. Like Lucy Ricardo said so many years ago, “We can spoon our way to health!” But all this info can be overwhelming. Oregano is an anti viral, cloves are anti bacterial, turmeric & ginger are anti inflammatory. Fennel and hibiscus are good for high blood pressure. Cinnamon & nopales regulate blood sugar. Chili pepper stimulates the cardio vascular system. And so on and so forth. So as your interest and knowledge increase and your spice cabinet explodes, how many curries can we eat on a daily basis. Instead of spending too much time reaching for multiple jars in front of the stove, plan ahead and create great tasting & health boosting spice blends, in a fun filled creative hour in the kitchen. Think regional flavors, think specific health benefits, think overall wellness then get out your measuring spoons and combine stuff. I like a mixture of ground spices, whole seeds & dried herbs. Go for Italian, Thai, Mexican, French, Japanese Spanish, Lebanese and more. Whip up some fun labels with a list of ingredients and serving suggestions, pack the blends into wee zip bags or larger glass jars. Blooming spices in a little evoo, avocado or sesame oil creates a ton of flavor right away. Cooking is fast, flavorful and fun if you plan ahead. And the spicy gifts you give nurture body (taste nutmeg, cumin, peppermint), soul (mediate on lavender, sesame, chamomile & lemon balm) and mind (think sage, saffron, rosemary, garlic & basil). Give a tasteful hand blended gift of culinary pizzazz this holiday season. When you begin to research the health benefits of herbs, seeds and spices you’ll find that many are across the board powerhouses. Ginger, turmeric, chili peppers (including sweet paprika, for those that don’t like heat), sage, rosemary, parsley, saffron, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, basil, lavender and fennel are on almost every list. Spend some time online and make up your own mind as you dream up concoctions that will fill your senses with fragrance and tantalizing flavor as they soothe and support your body’s health.

You’ll find several Avanti Spice Blends for your low sodium buddies on the Avanti blog. And here are our favorite ayurvedic style Avanti Golden Spice Blend. Buon Apetito & Namaste

Eating Healthy & Delicious is a Win Win Win Situation!

Eat, Live & Party Well

Blog post by Chef Mark Cleveland

Avanti is the longstanding leader in organic, sustainable, local, flavorful cuisine in Orange County, CA.

Meaning 'forward' in Italian, Avanti Natural is a culinary philosophy that integrates the best of traditional European and Asian healthful eating with the latest nutritional information for optimum health.

At Avanti Natural, we believe that you don't have to sacrifice taste to eat healthy. You can Eat Well & Live Well. Follow us on social media to see what Avanti is up to now. We are Whole Foods Experts. Post photos of your versions of Avanti Natural recipes on our Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram pages. Check our blog on the website for how to recipe blogs. We’re excited to see and share your culinary creativity!

Avantinatural.com

https://www.pinterest.com/avantinatural/avanti-natural-lifestyle-media/

https://www.pinterest.com/avantinatural/mark-cleveland-creative/

https://www.pinterest.com/avantinatural/

Youtube

Avanti Natural

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Q6ljhrJ56QXRF3vR4snMQ

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https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYaIGYey-BCf7gIh1-DcSQA

Facebook

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https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avanti-Natural/665626266871334?ref=hl

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avanti-Culinary-Consulting/166822256677277?ref=hl

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chefs-Mark-Cleveland-Tanya-Fuqua/296158060441737?ref=hl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/AvantiNatural

Instagram

https://instagram.com/avantinatural/

Avanti Natural Website & Blog

http://avantinatural.com

http://avantinatural.com/blog.html

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-cleveland/b9/a1/823

Peach Bhut Jolokia HOT Sauce

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If you like your flavors complex and your hot sauce smoking, then grow yourself a patch of Peach Bhut Jolokia HOT chili peppers!

Peach Bhut Jolokia Persimmon & Tahini HOT Sauce

I wanted to create a light colored hot sauce to showcase the crazy heat of the peach bhut jolokia I grew this summer in the Avanti Natural garden. This HOT sauce is sincere! It’s got all the SE Asian flavor components, Spicy, Salty, Bitter, Sweet. Hence one of the odd ingredients in the recipe, Scotch Wiskey. It imparts a slightly smoky bitterness that marries w/ the bite of the sesame and other seeds.

It’s all made over the course of a day in one large blender jar. If you have a smaller blender, you can make a half batch. I use organic whole brown sesame seeds. I never use hulled sesame seeds, those have most of the beneficial fiber removed. So this HOT sauce has good texture. The seeds will plump and begin to germinate as they sit in the jar before grinding.

Amount	Measure	Ingredient	Prep Method
1 1/3	Cups	Organic sesame seeds	Whole brown
1	Tablespoon	Organic flax seeds
1	Tablespoon	Organic chia seeds
2	Tablespoons	Organic quinoa
5 /12	Cups	Flavorful herbal brewed tea	Room temperature
3	Tablespoons	Miso	White preferable
2	Tablespoons	Avanti ginger puree
¾	Cup	Red wine vinegar
1	Medium	Orange	Juice and zest
1	Medium	Lemon	Juice and zest

Directions:

When you make the herbal tea, make at least 7 cups. You’ll need some more at the end. You can get extra fancy and whip up a batch of Avanti Power Dashi for added flavor & magical nutrition. Combine all in the jar of a large powerful blender. Let plump and germinate for several hours or overnight. Next, prepare the flavor base:

¼	Cup	Evoo
1	Large	Shallot	Rough chop

Saute the shallot over med heat in the evoo until it begins to color. Add in:

1 ½	Teaspoons	Hawaij	Or garam masala
¼	Teaspoon	Nutmeg	Freshly ground
¼	Teaspoon	Black pepper
2 ½	Teaspoons	Sea salt
2 to 4	Whole	Peach bhut jolokia	Or favorite habanero type chili
¼	Cup	Scotch whiskey

These chilis are soooo hot, I hold the stem end and snip w/ scissors into the pot. Even then, you will get some chili oil on your fingers. So wash your hands well, rub your finger tips w/ oil, or wear gloves. The Bhut family is like The Sons of Anarchy. Mess w/ them at your own risk peoples. And, if you can’t find peach bhut jolokia, substitute any extra HOT chili, preferably from the habanero family, like scorpion, scotch bonnets, chocolate habs, fatalii, etc. I grew a fatalii chili this summer and got over 50 chili fruits. The peach bhut produced only 5. But man, they pack a wallop.

Once the chilis are slightly wilted, after a few minutes of sauté and the scotch has reduced a bit, add in the pulp of two very ripe persimmons, skin and seeds removed:

Medium

Persimmons

Pulp only

You can use either fuyu or hachiya persimmons for this. Just make sure they are very ripe, nicely squishy and gelatinous. Heat through for just a couple of minutes and cool.

Have the following ingredients ready:

½	Cup	Jamaica / Hibiscus blossoms	Full flower pieces
1+	Cup	Extra herbal tea	To rinse out blender jar

Add to the blender jar and let ‘er rip. This makes a full jar. Blend just to combine and work the seeds into a tahini like paste. Don’t let the sauce get too hot from the friction. It’s filled w/ healthy probiotics after all. Let this mix sit in the blender for several hours and blend again, two or three times. Pour into clean and sterile glass jars, not completely full. Add a couple of pieces of Jamaica (hibiscus) to each jar for a rosy glow. Add a cup of herbal tea to the blender jar and rinse out. Top off each jar. Allow to ferment at room temp for up to 4 days. Shake twice daily. Then put into the fridge.

This is a complex HOT sauce that has oh so many applications. Unlike some commercial jarred sauces that just make everything taste like it, this is a foodie’s creativity booster. Learn its flavor profile and create dishes that are enhanced by its bold and braggadocios flavor stance.

Even simple roasted vegetables take on a whole new dimension when infused w/ Peach Bhut Jolokia HOT Sauce. This one is the HOT Stuff for the big kids y'all!

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Eating Healthy & Delicious is a Win Win Win Situation!

Eat, Live & Party Well

Blog post by Chef Mark Cleveland

Avanti is the longstanding leader in organic, sustainable, local, flavorful cuisine in Orange County, CA.

Avantinatural.com

https://www.pinterest.com/avantinatural/avanti-natural-lifestyle-media/

https://www.pinterest.com/avantinatural/mark-cleveland-creative/

https://www.pinterest.com/avantinatural/

Youtube

Avanti Natural

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8Q6ljhrJ56QXRF3vR4snMQ

Avanti Café

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYaIGYey-BCf7gIh1-DcSQA

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/avanti.natural?ref=hl

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avanti-Natural/665626266871334?ref=hl

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avanti-Culinary-Consulting/166822256677277?ref=hl

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chefs-Mark-Cleveland-Tanya-Fuqua/296158060441737?ref=hl

Twitter

https://twitter.com/AvantiNatural

Instagram

https://instagram.com/avantinatural/

Avanti Natural Website & Blog

http://avantinatural.com

http://avantinatural.com/blog.html

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/mark-cleveland/b9/a1/823

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Avanti Guava Preserves 2015 :: From Ms Catherine's Pineapple Guava Tree ::

Avanti Guava Preserves jarred & ready to enjoy

Everyone who has a pineappleguava tree knows that they are fruit producing beasts. They have beautiful silver grey celadon foliage, lovely ornate blossoms each spring & once they set fruit, it’s always a bonanza.

Photo: maggiesgarden.com

A native of South America, it's not actually a true guava, but this tree makes a lovely garden plant. With minimal care and pruning it stays a graceful, compact shape, has few issues or pests and produces fruit abundance. There are many reasons to add one to your garden.

Tons of guavas ready to roll

Come about August the thump of the ripening fruit becomes a summertime drumbeat. Usually late September is when my tree really lets loose. And that’s when I make my guava jam. This summer, I got caught cooking a vat of jam in the middle of a heat wave. I do it over the course of two days, and if the weather is hot, I do the cooking in the evenings. Each year, I experiment w/ adding other fruits loaded w/ natural pectin. This batch includes Dr. Baba’s citrus from his Fallbrook farm, as well as organic apples & pears. The plan is to create a high fiber lower sugar preserve w/ as many fruit solids as possible. That way, we have a ton of flavor in a more healthful concoction. You can do a half batch if you wish. My tree usually gives me two full batches each summer. This year, the first was at the end of September, the second was in mid October.

Amount	Measure	Ingredient	Prep Method
20	Quarts	Pineapple guava
16	Quarts	Water
1	Tablespoon	Sea salt
4	Large stalks	Lemon grass

Simmering w/ lemongrass

Bring to a boil over high heat in a huge covered pot (or divided into two large stock pots) for 45 mins. Reduce heat to med and use a potato masher to break up the guavas every 30 mins. Cook for about 3 hours. Then remove cover and cook for another 1 ½ hours. Mash w/ the potato masher every 30 mins. Add two large oranges, quartered. Squeeze the juice into the mix then add the spent rinds too. Cook for 10 mins more. Then turn off the heat and cool completely. I do it overnight.

The pressing of the pulp to release all the juice

Strain through colanders. This will take some time. Set up several colanders over bowls and add the mash. After 15 or 20 mins, put a plate on top of the mash and add a heavy bowl or some cans to weight down the pulp. I let it drain for a few hours, pouring out the golden guava nectar into a clean stock pot every hour or so. The fragrance is a delight. I didn't realize until this year that some people don't like the smell of guavas. Tis a puzzlement. The tangy sweet perfume is a joy to me. Collect all the liquid, compost or discard the pulp. The pulp can be high pressure composted (if your community has composting bins, add the left over pulp to your bin in a compostable bag).

You should have about 10 quarts of guava goodness. Bring this golden liquid to a boil partially covered w/ the following:

5	Pounds	Organic Fuji apples
12	Large	Organic pears	D’anjou or othere favs
3	Large	Quince	optional

Bring to a boil partially covered

I rarely find organic quince, so I peel AND core those. The organic apples and pears need only be cored, the skins add flavor, texture and nutrition.

The organic apples, pear and the quince add natural sugar & a lot of natural pectin too

Once the mix boils, reduce heat to med and cook uncovered for 1 hour. Cool completely, then blend all in a powerful blender.

Return to a large wide pot and add:

2	Quarts	Organic sugar
8	Medium	Lemons	Add juice, reserve zest
4	Medium	Limes	Add juice, reserve zest
2	Large	Oranges	Add juice, reserve zest

Bring the guava mix with the sugar and citrus juices to a boil over highest heat.

Boil, stirring and skimming every 20 mins or so until the temperature reaches 102.5 degrees Celsius.

Once we get up to 102.5 degrees celsius, it's time to add the citrus zest

Stir in the reserved citrus zest and pack into clean and sterile glass jars. This yields about 8 pints. A good thermometer is important, but visually, you’re looking for unctuous bubbles, just like these.

It's all about the bubbles

Keep this delicious high fiber garden guava tree gift in the fridge. It's very stable, great flavor and texture and lasts in the fridge for well over a year.