Jammin in August

It would be hard for me to choose, but stone fruits are always at the top of my favorites list. So of course this time of year is the best for making jam! I love both peach and nectarine jams and this summer the quality has been stellar. These techniques work for most stone fruits including peaches, apricots, nectarines and plums. It’s always better to work in small batches to ensure a good texture. I don’t work so much with recipes as I do w/ ratios. The general ratio for most of my jams is twice as much fruit to sugar. This is a lot lower in sugar than most standard jam recipes. That still adds enough sweetness but doesn’t cover the inherent flavor of the fruit, Your peach jam will actually taste like peaches instead of just sweet! Just add a little lemon juice and salt and you are good to go. Most home cooks shouldn’t cook more than 2 or 3 pounds of fruit at a time. Slice nectarines and toss w/ sugar and lemon juice. I’ve been using nectarines lately because I’m lazy. If you decide to use peaches you’ll need to peel them. Plums and apricots don’t require peeling either. The peels add nice color and a little extra texture to the jam! So pretty! Let them marinate at room temperature for a couple of hours- this will insure the sugars gets fully dissolved. Then refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, strain the slices away from their juice. You can do this by putting them in a colander set over a large bowl. Make sure they are drained very well. You should have a nice syrupy pool.

Find the largest/ widest pan you have. The whole idea is to get the syrup to cook as quickly as possible with maximum evaporation. This will help to keep the color and flavor as fresh as possible. Cook on very high heat until the syrup starts to form big, thick bubbles on top. Your going to reduce it by not quite half. Don’t let it get away from you- it will darken pretty quickly if your not paying attention. Remember- Safety First! It’s very hot, so don’t burn yourself.

When the syrup is nice and thick, add the nectarines and a generous pinch of salt. Stir everything together and bring back to a boil. Your going to cook long enough till the fruit starts to break down some. The jam will also start to thicken up and darken a little. Make sure to stir frequently- it likes to stick to the bottom of the pan.

When you feel its thick enough take it immediately off the heat. Let cool and refrigerate. If you know how to preserve in a jar- go ahead while its still hot. If not these jams lasts quite a while in the fridge. Cheers!

Avanti HOT Chili Garden Report Mid July 2012

The Avanti garden chili plants are gearing up for the HOT sunny days to come. So far the plants are small and compact. But the bird dung chili is the most prolific, covered in both small lumpy round green fruits and many flowers. The purina chili is ripening just two larger fruits & the cobra is tall yet somewhat bare.

The Chinese chili is ripening several very small fruits and working on some more buds and flowers. Very small plant w/ tiny leaves and flowers

Characteristically golden in color this aji chili has great form, and lots of flavor behind a medium heat. A second fruit is ripening.

With the ornamental ginger dominating the background, the chili patch prepares to explode into the HEAT of summertime growth.

Avanti Thoughts on Type Two Diabetes

Now that all the hoopla over Paula Deen’s diabetes drama has subsided, it’s a good time to talk rationally about the positive effects diet can have on type two diabetes. As a personal chef in from 1996 through 2005, I worked w/ cancer survivors, heart patients and folks diagnosed w/ type two diabetes on a regular basis. While cancer is by far the fiercer foe, with so many diseases the old adage ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’ is strikingly apparent. And it is exceptionally true when it comes to type two diabetes. I was perpetually amazed when clients would inform me after only two or three weeks of cooking whole food menus for them that they had been taken off their meds by their doctors. It’s really pretty simple, eliminate white starches, greatly reduce sugar and when baking use hearty whole grain flours & nuts to lower the glycemic index, reduce saturated fats and eat more whole foods, vegetables, fruits and whole grains and beans. In the wake of the accusations that Paula Deen’s restaurant menus can precipitate type two diabetes in people w/ a disposition in that direction, take a look at the film ‘Forks Over Knives’ to see the miraculous benefits a whole foods diet can have on everyone’s overall health. And as we’ve always said, ‘Just eat healthy 50 to 90% of the time. That gives you plenty of time for your favorite fun food pleasures AND provides your body w/ all the nutrients it needs to keep running in peak condition. You wouldn’t run your car w/ out ever changing the oil. Treat your body better than you treat your car.’ We also firmly believe that we are one of the few restaurants out there that can honestly say that if you eat at Avanti more often, you’ll be healthier than you already are. See y’all soon at Avanti Café. Cheers, Mark http://www.forksoverknives.com/

Feeling the Love for Good Quality Traditional Organic Soy Products

Talking w/ fellow foodies about soy these days creates a lot of divergent info bantered about confusingly. The soy fillers talked about w/ disdain in Food Inc. are not in the same category as the age old healthful and delicious soy foods, mostly Asian in origin, that remain a part of a body & taste bud nurturing wholesome diet. Organic soy sauce, tamari (100% soy sauce, wheat & therefore gluten free), miso, tofu & eda mame are all great sources of vegetable protein and phyto estrogens that are good for the body. Learn much more about the history of tofu making .....> http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Tofu.html#b

The Shift Is About To Hit The Fan

Great documentary for New Year's Day & a new way of thinking about connectedness & that dialog we never new was going on w/ each of us and that petri dish of yogurt www.iamthedoc.com/thefilm/

Avanti July Fourth Brunch

French organic omelettes ∞
2 organic eggs & fresh herbs rolled w/ Avanti cheese blend & served w/ 10+ grain bread toast

Cranberry Walnut French toast b
Our delicious house made cranberry walnut loaf bread grilled in a light coconut
French toast batter served w/ real maple syrup & seasonal fresh fruit

10+ Avanti scrambler
2 organic eggs scrambled w/ arugula, spinach, served open faced on 10+ grain toast
w/ cumin tomato jam, organic smoked mozzarella, avocado & organic citrus miso dressed baby greens

Avanti magic bruschetta ∞
2 organic eggs sauted w/ seasonal mixed vegetables, baby greens, Avanti organic house made ricotta & white cheese blend & served w/ Avanti housemade toasted bread

Golden tofu bruschetta ∞ b
Organic tofu sauted in golden spiced oil & spices w/ seasonal mixed vegetables, baby greens, mixed raw nuts & served w/ Avanti housemade toasted bread

Our famously vegan biscuits & red miso gravy b
Fluffy whole grain biscuits served w/ flavorful red miso gravy & citrus miso mixed greens

Crispy raised organic waffles
Not too sweet, light and crispy and served w/ fresh seasonal fruit & real maple syrup

Organic Fritatta Fresca ∞
Organic eggs, fresh garden vegetables, Avanti cheeses, fresh herbs & citrus miso mixed greens

Grilled Cheesy Goodness
Our delicious house made cranberry walnut loaf bread toasted & piled w/ blood orange honey Dijon mustard, white cheddar & havarti cheeses, garlic & shallot arugula & spinach

+++ Special Caramelized Banana English Muffin Stack Special +++
w/ Avanti house made crispy English muffin & smoked apple spread topped w/ whole caramelized banana, organic house made mascarpone, chocolate hawej spiced sauce & cafe candied nuts


All served with Apple Lemon Verbena Sparkler, Seasonal fresh fruit starter, Avanti oven rosemary hash browns red potatoes & garnet yam, Hot or iced coffee, Select hot or iced tea, Mini cupcake & cookie special brunch dessert


$16 egg white only add $3 add avocado deliciousness $1.95

+ Enjoy margaritas, mimosas, margamosas for $6

Memorial Day Brunch @Avanti 2011

French organic omelettes ∞
2 organic eggs & fresh herbs rolled w/ Avanti cheese blend & served w/ 10+ grain bread toast

Cranberry Walnut French toast b
Our delicious house made cranberry walnut loaf bread grilled in a light coconut
French toast batter served w/ real maple syrup & seasonal fresh fruit

10+ Avanti scrambler
2 organic eggs scrambled w/ arugula, spinach, served open faced on 10+ grain toast
w/ cumin tomato jam, organic smoked mozzarella, avocado & organic citrus miso dressed baby greens

Avanti magic bruschetta ∞
2 organic eggs sauted w/ seasonal mixed vegetables, baby greens, Avanti organic house made ricotta & white cheese blend & served w/ Avanti housemade toasted bread

Golden tofu bruschetta ∞ b
Organic tofu sauted in golden spiced oil & spices w/ seasonal mixed vegetables, baby greens, mixed raw nuts & served w/ Avanti housemade toasted bread

Our famously vegan biscuits & gravy
rosemary & poppy seed biscuits & red miso gravy b
Fluffy whole grain biscuits served w/ flavorful red miso gravy & citrus miso mixed greens

Crispy raised organic waffles
served w/ cranbabies & fresh seasonal fruit

Organic Fritatta Fresca ∞
Organic eggs, fresh garden vegetables, Avanti cheeses, fresh herbs & citrus miso mixed greens

Grilled Cheesy Goodness
Our delicious house made cranberry walnut loaf bread toasted & piled w/ blood orange honey Dijon mustard, white cheddar & havarti cheeses, garlic & shallot arugula & spinach

HOT & Spicy stuffed jalapeños w/ organic greens beans, barley & black eyed peas,
garlic paté, arugula pesto & roasted cherry tomatoes ∞ b

$16 egg white only add $3

All served with:
Grapefruit, blueberry mint sparkler, Seasonal fresh fruit starter, Avanti oven roasted herbed home fried red potatoes & garnet yam, Hot or iced coffee, Select hot or iced tea, Mini cupcake & cookie special brunch dessert

add avocado deliciousness $1.95
+ Enjoy margaritas, mimosas, margamosas & greyhounds for $6