The Skinny on Summer Salads | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

When you think about a salad, most often you consider the leafy green type with a simple vinaigrette and maybe a few nuts, cheese or veggies to finish. Simple and straightforward, which is sometimes all you need. When the moment is right for a little something extra, consider taking your salad to the next level by including other ingredients that take an ordinary salad to extraordinary levels! 

Here are a few ideas to “wet” your appetite, if you may:

• Orange / Grapefruit Segments
• Dried blueberries or cherries
• Dates
• Spicy Arugula
• Kale (and the numerous varieties)
• Carrot or zucchini ribbons
• Blackberries/Blueberries/Strawberries
• Swiss Chard
• Grilled Corn
• Cucumber
• Peaches (grilled or not)
• Tomatoes (heirloom or cherry)
• Summer squash
• Feta / Blue Cheese / Goat Cheese / Cotija / Queso Fresco
• Pumpkin Seeds / Walnuts / Toasted Pecans
• Mint / Thyme / Parsley / Cilantro
• Lime / Lemon / Orange Juice
• White Balsamic / Champagne / Raspberry / Fig Vinaigrettes
• Walnut / Cashew / EVO / Peanut / Avocado Oils
• …to name a few

Need a little inspiration?  Try one of these fun combinations!

• Watermelon + Mint + Feta
• Grilled Corn + Avocado + Lime + Queso Fresco
• Grilled Peaches + Honey + Toasted Granola
• Tomatoes + Burrata + Garlic Oil
• Berries + Kale + Goat Cheese
• Zucchini + Lemon Zest + Pine Nuts + Feta + Spicy Arugula
• Summer Squash + Quinoa + Cherry Tomatoes + Basil

Whichever combination you choose, have fun with it and remember, the sky is your limit so get creative and go big!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Properly Slicing Tomatoes | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

With the abundance of juicy tomatoes prime for picking – and eating of course – it’s essential that you understand how to safely and efficiently slice tomatoes!

However you enjoy eating them, they can be difficult and slippery to slice as they simple don’t stay put on the cutting board. One way to help is by using a serrated knife that grabs ahold of the slippery skin creating beautiful, smooth and perfect slices.

Now how is that for easy-peasy?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

It's as easy as Pie! Perfectly Slicing Cake (or pie) | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

With all the summer birthdays and festivities, it’s certain either you or someone you know will be on cake slicing duty! It may seem easy slicing cake for a table full of hungry guests, but there is an art to slicing cake like a pro!

• Knife: First and foremost, always use a long cake knife that will slice through the cake in one slice. This will ensure a straight and smooth line.
• Wet Paper Towel: Secondly, always have a wet paper towel on hand to clean the knife after each slice.  This will help keep each cut smooth and clean.
• Cake Server: Have a cake server (usually triangular in shape) that can easily slide under the slice of cake perfectly transferring from the cake stand to dessert plate.
• Technique: And last but not least, when you slice cake, slice straight down and slide the knife out (toward you) vs. lifting up. Lifting pulls all the crumbs with it resulting in a “messy” slice.

I don’t mean to be fussy here as, well, cake is cake, but with these tips, you can easily and perfectly slice and serve your dinner guests.  After all, finishing on a sweet note is one thing, but finishing with a “sweet” slice is frosting on top (pun intended!).

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Easily Crumbing Goat Cheese | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

The next time you add crumbled goat cheese to your menu, pop it in the freezer for 20 minutes! This way, the cheese easily crumbles and doesn’t leave a creamy residue on your fingers.

Now how is that for genius?

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Storing, Sharpening and Honing Knives | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

When teaching cooking classes, I always make a point to share my tips for keeping kitchen knives at their prime.  After spending a few hundred dollars on a single knife, the average cost for a great quality chef knife, I am glad they ask!

Here are a few tips to keep your knives at their prime!

Storing:

I always recommend storing them either flat (in a shelf fitted with a knife organizer), in a wooden knife block, in individual sleeves, in a knife bag, or on a magnetic strip. All are great options but the key is not storing them tip down and keeping them separated from one to the other so they don’t scratch.

Sharpening:

If you cook a lot, I would recommend having your knives professionally sharpened twice a year! Most kitchen stores offer this service, which I personally take advantage of! Ask if they use a stone or machine and opt for the stone if they offer!

Honing:

A honing steel or blade is a great way to prolong the life of your blade and also to help keep the blade aligned. Honing doesn’t sharpen your blade but rather aligns the sharp blade so that it, well, cuts straight. I hone my knives before each use and in between use if cooking for an extended period of time. To avoid scratching your knives, make sure you know how to use the honing steel before putting it to use! Most kitchen stores can help you with this, or a simple You Tube search can also steer you in the right direction.

Now that you know how to properly store and sharpen your knives, let’s put them to use and start cook’n!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Safely and Properly Storing Leftovers | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

With all the summer gatherings, chances are you will have leftovers! What a terrific “problem” to have! Here are a few quick ways to keep your doggy-bags safe!

The next time you are at the grocery store, or Home Depot for that matter, pick up a roll of blue painters tape and a permanent marker. Blue tape adheres to just about anything and will stay intact even when in the refrigerator. Just make sure you put it on the to-go container before it goes in the fridge so the sides are dry. With the permanent marker, write what is inside the container as well as the date it was made and a “toss” date. For a general rule of thumb, cooked proteins are usually good for 5 days after cooking where other dishes that are vegetarian, usually are good for 5 – 7 days. Regardless, always trust your best judgment to ensure houseguests scrounging for leftovers know when items have expired and don’t have to guess.

Keep in mind food doesn’t always smell or look bad when it spoils so a little reminder labeled on the outside will help keep you and your family safe and sound! 

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

How to Quickly Peel Hardboiled Eggs | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

What if I told you there was more than one way to peel an egg? Well, there is! If you were to ask 5 chefs and home cooks how they peel an egg, I am sure they would all say, “by hand” which is absolutely a sure way to get the job done. However, the next time you hard-boil eggs, consider gently tapping them on the counter to crack the shell and use a everyday spoon tucked under the shell to gently lift the shell away from the egg. Clever, right?

However you peel your eggs, I hope this gives you one more tool for your toolkit.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Cooking Spinach | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

Have you ever tried cooking spinach without success? Chances are you may not be cooking this delicious leafy green properly. Come join me in the kitchen and let me show you how to properly cook spinach so that you can have delicious, fresh and healthy cooked spinach at home!

Blanching: Saucepan

Blanching spinach is the process of adding fresh spinach to boiling salted water, cooking until soft and wilted, approximately 30 seconds, then blanching in an ice water bath to “shock,” and then squeezing the spinach dry with paper towels before enjoying. This method is best used when adding spinach to a sauce or marinade as texturally it’s cold and kind of soggy.

Sautéing: Skillet

This is my preferred method because the spinach doesn’t get soggy or waterlogged. Simply add a little melted butter or olive oil to a hot skillet, add spinach, a pinch of salt and pepper and cook while occasionally stirring until spinach softens, approximately 3 minute. You can even sauté shallots and garlic in the pan before adding the spinach for a nice addition of flavor.

However you prefer to cook your spinach, I hope that this gives you the necessary skillset to try it again with confidence!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Come to a Boil Faster by Lidding your Pot | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

They say, “a watched pot will never boil,” and quite frankly that is true because in order to see the water there probably isn’t a lid on it! Right? Ok, so this may seem obvious but it constantly surprises me with how impatient people are when waiting for water to boil. One simple and effective way to bring water – or any liquid for that matter (see “side note” below) – to a quick boil is simply by putting a lid on it! Your pot or pan doesn’t have a lid? Foil, a baking sheet or even a large sauté pan will do just as well! Just keep in mind that when removing the lid, it is hot so act with caution!

So whatever you want to simmer or boil, tonight is the night to put this new information to test!

As a side note, you should never cover hot oil or alcohol…let that come to the proper temperature naturally with a little patience.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together, and to getting dinner on the table faster of course!!!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Properly Preparing Fennel | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

For those that don’t have much experience cooking with or eating fennel, it can look a little intimidating.  So, where do you begin? After understanding a few quick tips on how to properly shop for, purchase, store and cut fennel, you can, and may enjoy, finding ways to incorporate more fennel into your diet! So here is the skinny…

Shopping:

When shopping for fennel, the first thing I look for are that the fronds (the leafy green part at the top of the stalk) look bright green and free of blemishes or spotting. Feel it, smell it, heck even taste it – if no one is looking – before placing it in your basket. Secondly, the actual fennel bulb itself – the part you will be eating – should be white without any bruising, cuts or blemishes. Give it a gentle squeeze making sure it is solid without much resistance.

Preparing:

When preparing your fennel, follow these steps:

• Step 1:
  • Remove the stalk by cutting just above where they attach to the bulb.
    
• Step 2:
  • Reserve the fennel fronds for a beautiful garnish. Finding ways to bring the ingredient from inside to finishing touches (i.e. garnishing with its leaves) is a great way to fully represent an ingredient.
    
• Step 3:
  • Cut the fennel bulb in half from top to bottom.
    

• Step 4:
  • Remove the core and stem by cutting a triangle in the bottom.
• Step 5:
  • Depending on your desired purpose, quickly and efficiently thinly slice or chop each half as they will discolor due to oxidation. The most common use for fennel is sautéing, pureeing into a soup or roasting.
    

Now that you know how to shop for and prepare fennel, let’s hit the store! We have some shopping to do.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Cooking for Guests | Tuesday's Tip of the Day!

When cooking for guests, or even a date, never ever try making a dish for the first time! Beside adding more stress to your plate – literally – cooking a new recipe can easily turn from a great idea to disaster!  Here are a few other tips to consider when preparing your menu.

Be Realistic:

Regardless of how many people you are inviting, always be realistic about what you can manage. For example, how much counter space do you have? How many burners, and ovens will you need at any given point? And this should be a given, but do you have enough manpower to execute all components for each dish? Don’t rely on your guests to help as they may be in the mindset of mingling and not cooking.

Set the Table:

One thing you can do to save yourself the day of, is to set the table the day before. Don’t forget to add flowers to your shopping list!

Menu:

Write down the menu, print any recipes you need and pull out the serving pieces for each dish. This way you know that everything will have a home and can easily be transferred once ready. I go a step farther and place a sticky note in each serving dish so when its time to serve, there is no question what goes where.

Shopping:

Actually write a shopping list and try to purchase as many items as you can  (the non-perishables like stock, canned items and sturdy vegetables like potatoes for your famous au gratin) as far in advance as possible. This way, the day before you are simply picking up proteins, lettuce and flowers.

Timing:

Write out a quick overview of when items need to be removed from the fridge (especially any proteins), when the oven should be turned on, when to start cooking, adding finishing touches, tossing, plating, serving, filling water glasses, corking wine, etc. Nothing is worse than a wilted salad and cold casseroles.

Execution:

If people ask to help, they most often genuinely mean it! This can especially come in handy when its time to serve and dishes are just finishing cooking. Have them help plate, garnish or even bring to the serving area. People like to feel included as if they were a part of something so offering them a simple task “can you grab me the platter that says pork chops” can easily do the trick. Don’t ask them to cook or cut anything as chances are they didn’t dress for an evening of cooking. And lastly, always offer them an apron.

Finishing:

As guests finish their meal, don’t collect plates until everyone is finished eating. This way, no one feels rushed. You can always say something like “I am going to start the coffee, would anyone like some with their dessert?” for a nice subtle way to encourage faster eating.

And lastly, as your guests make their exit, always thank them for a wonderful evening even if they didn’t thank you.

Now with that, let’s set The Table Together!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Grating Ginger

If you love adding a hint of ginger to vinaigrettes, marinades, chutneys or even your morning smoothie, this one goes out to you!

Mincing ginger can be cumbersome and a bit intimidating as there are knots and knobs interfering with a perfectly smooth surface from which to cut. Here is a better idea for you! After peeling your ginger, simple use a microplain to zest the ginger as you would a lime or lemon. Zesting ginger takes mere seconds to do and protects your fingers at the same time. Plus, when using ginger, a little goes a long way so a few fresh zests of ginger usually does the trick.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Cooking with Avocados

When it comes to cooking with avocados, your options are limitless. From mashing and serving with fresh tortilla chips to adorning on salads, tacos, burritos or even soup, and blending in your morning smoothie, avocados are an excellent source of nutrition for your daily diet. Simply put, when dealing with avocados, less is more so treat them simply and let them speak for themselves.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: A Safer Way to Pit an Avocado

When pitting an avocado, consider using a corkscrew in place of your chef knife for a safer alternative. Simply cut the avocado in half lengthways then insert the corkscrew in the pit as you would a wine cork. Twist and pull and voila, a pitted avocado in seconds.

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Learning to Cook with Asparagus

Over the last few days I have started to delve into asparagus from tips on selecting and storing to my genuine pure love of it!  Today I want to showcase its health benefits and offer some insight and tips into the best ways to cook and serve it.

Asparagus, for those that may not know, is grown like weeds. Imagine a perfectly fertilized field of soil with little spikes (like grass) merging from the pristine soil. Fascinating, right?

There are different colors of asparagus that each offer a nice variety when it comes to cooking. From the traditional green to white and even purple, pick your menu and crowd and plan accordingly. Regardless of what color you decide on, you can cook and treat them all the same but be prepared to spend a little extra for the white or purple variety. Sometimes it’s worth it, right?

Besides looking fascinating, asparagus is really good for you! High in vitamin A, K, C, E and folate, asparagus has also been known to act as an anti-inflammatory. And this is only a handful of its' true power.

When it comes to cooking asparagus, your options are limitless. Grilling, peeling (with a standard vegetable peeler) and tossing in a raw salad, poaching, steaming and pan frying, are all terrific options depending on your preference. Now that you know how to shop, store and cook asparagus, its time to start shopping!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Selecting and Storing Asparagus

Yesterday I announced my infatuation with asparagus and set the stage for all that comes with it. Today I want to take that a step farther by running through a few tips on selecting, storing and cooking it.

Selecting:

Asparagus is a living and breathing organism and should be displayed and stored in a hydrated and moist environment. When shopping for asparagus, always look for them standing in water and the tips are tightly closed.  If the bottoms look dry and cracked they are literally suffocating creating a dry and less-than-prime product. At this point, it is well worth the drive to a location that properly stores them.

Storing:

Just as noted above, asparagus should be kept in a hydrated and moist environment. Just as I pay careful attention to how they store them at the store, I also do the same at home. At home, standing them upright in a bowl or on a plate is not practical with all that is constantly coming in and out ­– plus that fact that simply put, I don’t have that much room.  Instead, loosely wrap the entire bunch in damp paper towels and place them in a Ziplock bag keeping the opening open so they can breath. Every few days, change out the towel to keep them fresh. 

Now that you know what to look for, head to the store and start shopping. Dinner will be ready in no time!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Asparagus

If you were to take one of my cooking classes and asparagus was on the menu, chances are you would hear me referring to it as “beautiful.” Quite frankly, asparagus IS beautiful, wouldn’t you agree? It’s interesting and unique offering such character and mystery. And, besides being “beautiful” and one of my favorite things to photograph – check my iPhoto library – asparagus is absolutely delicious and so good for you! So with asparagus at its prime, this week we will talk about asparagus and all of its wonderful features from health benefits to tips on buying, storing, prepping and cooking.

First on the menu? Tuesday’s Tip of the Day offering tips on selecting and storing. How does that sound for pure deliciousness?

Now what are you waiting for? It’s time to start shopping!

Until tomorrow...

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Quickly Defrosting Frozen Shrimp

When it comes to defrosting shrimp, time is usually of the essence!

The best way to thaw shrimp is by placing it in a bowl lined with paper towels in the lowest part of your fridge overnight. If time doesn’t allow, place the shrimp in a large bowl under cold running water and allow to thaw ensuring the water is cold and shrimp is not sitting in pooled water.  

However much time you have, understanding how to quickly defrost shrimp is a great tool to have in your toolkit!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!

Tuesday's Tip of the Day: Quickly Deveining Shrimp

Before you light up your BBQ this summer, let’s quickly discuss the best way to devein your shrimp.

After your shrimp are peeled, use a sharp pairing knife to make a slit on the shrimp’s back. Carefully use your pairing knife to lift the vein from inside the cavity discarding its entirety.

Repeat with the remaining shrimp before seasoning, marinating, grilling or whatever cooking method you prefer!

Cheers to starting a new tradition around The Table Together!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Lewis

Founder and true believer in the power of bringing people around The Table Together!