Friday, December 18, 2009

Fri Dec 18, 2009

Chef Aarón Sánchez – co-star of Food Network's, "Chefs vs. City"
This is the ultimate foodie tour. In each episode of Chefs vs. City, Food Network chefs Aarón Sánchez and Chris Cosentino challenge two local foodies in an action-packed food adventure to locate that city's biggest, boldest, most unexpected food places. From wine stomping in Malibu, to eating the spiciest curry in all of NYC, to braving the coldest room in Las Vegas, Chefs vs. City will test the wits, guts, and skills of both teams as they race to the finish line.  The son of celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, Aarón's passion, commitment and skills have placed him among the country's leading contemporary Latin Chefs.  Aarón began his career with Food Network as co-host of Melting Pot, where he introduced a national audience to his technique and creativity with contemporary interpretations of classic Latino cuisine. Today Aarón appears on multiple Food Network shows including; Chopped, Chefs vs. City, Iron Chef, Next Iron Chef, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Food Detectives and more. Aarón is the owner and executive chef of restaurants Paladar and Centrico, both located in New York City. He also was a co-developer of the eatery Mixx, a part of the Borgata Hotel and Spa in Atlantic City.

Larry Van Aalst - Sommelier Equus Restaurant - Fountaingrove Inn

At the FountainGrove Inn, Hotel & Conference Center business and leisure travelers alike will discover simple elegance, gracious hospitality and all the amenities one could desire. From the skylighted, rock-walled lobby whose decor evokes the four elements of earth, sky, fire and water-including a stunning wall-length waterfall that graces the room's far end-you move through quiet corridors that blend the ancient (Venetian plaster) and modern (brushed metal). The Inn's signature horses are represented throughout the property in exquisite sculptures, hand-carved redwood murals, and on colorful canvases in every room as well as in the Equus Restaurant. The buildings deliberately sweep low across historic Fountaingrove Ranch, affording an unobscured view of the landmark Round Barn above. The native redwood, oak, and stone seem a natural, yet contemporary extension of the surrounding landscape. At the FountainGrove Inn, the area's rural heritage and cosmopolitan future are in perfect harmony. FountainGrove Inn's owners began with the most basic premise; The Inn would have to be a place they would just as soon bring their own guests and business associates, as they would to their own home. Thus, the FountainGrove Inn reflects upon the people who built it and their deep attachment to Sonoma County's way of life. Luxurious but not ostentatious, elegant but comfortable, the Inn is true to its environment. In the twenty years since the FountainGrove Inn first opened, Wine Country visitors have made it their lodging of choice while in Sonoma

Jim Lahey - "My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method"
Jim Lahey studied sculpting at SUNY Stonybrook and the School of Visual Arts but soon headed off to Italy to work with bakers in northeastern and central Italy. He opened the Sullivan Street Bakery in New York City in 1994; the bakery has since moved farther uptown to Manhattan's west side. His new pizza restaurant, Co., opened in Manhattan in early 2009.  The process couldn't be more simple, or the results more inspiring. My Bread devotes chapters to Jim's variations on the basic loaf, including an olive loaf, pecorino cheese bread, pancetta rolls, the classic Italian baguette (stirato), and the stunning bread stick studded with tomatoes, olives, or garlic (stecca). He gets even more creative with loaves like Peanut Butter and Jelly Bread, others that use juice instead of water, and his Irish Brown Bread, which calls for Guinness stout. For any leftover loaves, Jim includes what to do with old bread (try bread soup or a chocolate torte) and how to make truly special sandwiches.  And no book by Jim Lahey would be complete without his Sullivan Street Bakery signature, pizza Bianca—light, crispy flatbread with olive oil and rosemary that Jim has made even better than that of Italy's finest bakeries. Other pizza recipes, like a pomodoro (tomato), only require you to spread the risen dough across a baking sheet and add toppings before baking.  Here—finally—Jim Lahey gives us a cookbook that enables us to fit quality bread into our lives at home. color photos throughout.

Steve Evans "The Movie Guy"
Tips on the best & worst this weekend at the Box Office. Steve reviews and comments on all the latest from Hollywood and gets the story behind the film.A veteran of the industry, "The Movie Guy" says exactly how he feels about the movies that you will be watching this weekend. Mike Horn comments on the lineup of big screen offerings but does not always agree with what Steve has to say. This is the movie review program to listen to every week and get the "real deal".