The Dude of Food meets Off The Shelf catering and likes it!

Good food is what fuels good thoughts in good creative people which is what the Dude of Food happen to be. It’s when the bean counters in the offices eating their favorite restaurants delivered dishes try to save $80. on lunch for the creative stage crew that the caterers are painted into a corner and forced to serve the equivalents of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cheap Chinese food.

The creative chef, Yossi Faigenblat, worked for Dustin Hoffman as the actors private chef. The food was ‘all that’ and Hoffman encouraged the chef to get into the catering game. That was in 2003. They opened a craft service /catering company for the movie industry. The line ups have changed over the years and OTS has grown and now have a couple trucks in New York and a few more in Los Angeles. Off The Shelf has both catering trucks and craft service trucks so their awesome creative food can be shared with all of the folks behind the scenes that make the actors playgrounds look so fabulous.

In Feb 9, 2010 Saveur magazine did an article (issue # 127) on movie industry catering companies that included Off The Shelf’s quality food preparation. The link below will take you there.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Travels/Fresh-Off-The-Truck

OTS is not cheap but will do wonderful things with the budget you have. The goal at Off The Shelf as told to the Dude of Food is ‘high end quality food and making people smile’ and this is something the folks at OTS catering are doing quite well. The Dude of Food would like to personally say ‘Thank you OTS and keep up the good work.”

Off The Shelf can be located at the following web address. http://www.otscatering.com/

OTS can also be followed on Facebook and other social media outlets.

The Dude of Food does the LA Michelada test.

There was a long time that the Dude of Food would not ruin a beer with tomato juice. Then I grew up and learned something. After a trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico a few September’s ago my mind was forever changed. It was the time of the annual Revolution Fiesta and San Miguel is where it began.

The place goes nuts.

To make a long story short I love a homemade michelada and it appears that many others do as well since the big brand brewers are beginning to see the light. These 2 were chosen because they were both brewed in Mexico and imported to the US.

The Dude of Food decided to compare the Tecate Michelada DIABLO to the Modelo CHELADA. I have had a few of these Modelo CHELADA’s and they are OK. When compared to the Tecate DIABLO though, a world of difference unveils itself.

The DIABLO is softer with a more subtle tomatoey and mildly spicy finish. Compared to the Modelo CHELADA which hits the tongue a bit cleaner and crisper, albeit less tomatoey and the finish falls of quickly.

After tasting separately, what the Dude of Food ended up doing was to mix the 2 equally and drink them that way. The crisp beginning and the tomatoey spice finish were a great combination.

Any responses should be submitted to the Dude of Food – weallgottaeat(at)gmail

The Dude of Food explores Prop 65 warning labels and coffee.

Many people have created myths and formed opinions about Starbucks for posting the state regulated Prop 65 warning label. While exploring this topic the local Dogtown coffee barista told the Dude of Food ‘our coffee isn’t like Starbucks cancer coffee because our coffee is organic’, not realizing the warning comes from the roasting not the beans origin.

The following information may help shed some light on the subject of Prop 65 warning labels at coffee stores.

A little research shows that it is not Starbucks fault. It may be possible Starbucks could alter their process and possibly avoid the warning altogether, but that would cost money, and is a different story.

The warning is prompted and occurs due to the following research.

Acrylamide is on the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity (such as birth defects and other reproductive harm).

For many years, acrylamide has been used in grouts and cements, pulp and paper production, ore processing, permanent-press fabrics, and dye manufacture. It is also used to produce polyacrylamide, which is used in water and wastewater treatment, soil conditioning and oil drilling. Acrylamide also is present in tobacco smoke.

In 2002, Swedish researchers discovered that acrylamide forms during the baking, frying, or roasting of certain kinds of foods, particularly starchy foods.

Acrylamide is not added to foods. It is a contaminant that forms during the baking, frying or roasting of certain plant-based foods. Boiling and steaming foods does not create acrylamide.

French fries, potato chips, other fried and baked snack foods, roasted asparagus, canned sweet potatoes and pumpkin, canned black olives, roasted nuts, coffee, roasted grain-based coffee substitutes, prune juice, breakfast cereals, crackers, cookies, bread crusts, and toast all contain varying levels of acrylamide.

Vegetable pasta. Spaghetti squash. Miss Paris!

From what the Dude of Food understands, you can purchase a thing that you stick vegetables in and when you turn the handle it magically turns the veggies into, voila!, spaghetti! This is a kitchen item that I need to add to my kitchen toolbox.

Right now the Dude of Food is sitting down with coffee at home, pretending to be served by Miss Paris in my amber room overlooking the river. I ask her to dip her finger in my coffee to sweeten it just right and sip my delicious cup of brew while relaxing in bed watching the boats on the river. I’m imagining a zucchini pasta with assorted mushrooms smothered in a cheesy white wine glaze served with a side of warmed buttery green beans and 3 poached eggs on sourdough toast is about to arrive next pushed in on a cart by 2 of Germany’s Next Top Models. A breakfast of champions in bed is a great way for the Dude of Food to greet the day.

See what happens to you if you purchase one of these Paderno Spiralizer from Williams-Sonoma.

Bon Appetite.

the Dude of Food gets blessed. 2 yolks – no jokes

Is it the year of the chicken or what?

Don’t know what they are feeding these chickens but my luck seems to be changing in 2015. The first egg i cracked revealed 2 yolks inside! It happened to me at the sushi bar with a double yolked quails egg too!

Now if i can just get that kind of return when i buy beers!

The Dude of Food likes Leberkasse und kaffe

A good way to start a leisurely Saturday is with a Leberkasse from the downtown LA Grand Central food court.

They need to do something about the parking though. The street is $4.00 an hour and the lot across the street is $5.00 flat. Can’t imagine what it’s like on weekday but it must be madness. Probably not best suited for folks who are on a budget or quick lunch break unless you can walk from your office.

The Dude of Food brings you mac n cheese morning

A breakfast designed to warm the hearts of mac n cheese lovers.

Last nights mac n cheese supremely blended with the morning eggs, yum!

Also for mac n cheese lovers the Dude of Food recommends the mac n cheese pizza from Company 77 Pizza truck.

Follow The Dude of Food on Yelp

Curious about the over 500 restaurants I have reviewed?

Ride your mouse over to the link below or click on the Yelp logo to find out more.

Bon apetite!

http://thedudeoffood.yelp.com

The Dude of Food shares Micheladas

The first photo shows how they serve Micheladas in the streets of San Miguel de Allende.

A liter styrofoam cup filled with all the fixings of a great refreshing drink for 50 pesos.

They have this stick in them that has some red picante stuff stuck to it that you use to mix your drink.

The second photo shows the ingredients.

For best results use fresh limes and skip the bottled lime juice.

I use Red Rooster or Pete’s hot sauce and not put too much ice.

Make-a-Michelada

the Dude of Food Morning Coffee Mantra

COFFEE

by Peter Pearce

The scent of the brew wafts through the house and wraps itself into the cool dark morning air.

My senses tingle when the aroma arrives at my nostrils and the pulse of excitement runs through my body reminding me of another beautiful day that is about to begin.

I hear the final pumps of water as the machine gasps and sighs and steam seeps out the seam at the top.

As I turn the corner towards the kitchen the green power light on the machines front penetrates the night as strongly as the scent of the brew itself. I see it’s green glow in the form of a dot at the base of the source of the scent, resonating small and bright in the distance.

The chosen mug stands by attentively waiting to fulfill its duty as holder of the vital morning fluid. The organic milk with an expiration date way into the future stands nearby to assist in the control of the fluid. The machine gives up its final gasp of steam as the last of the water runs through its process. The dark, warm, effervescent brew sits idly in the glass container patiently waiting to be consumed.

The hand that rocks my cradle pours the brown joy into the attentive mug and then proceeds to top it off with a splash of vitamin D milk. It’s at this point that I begin to think things are going well.

When the brew touches my lips and the heat from it rises into my face i begin to feel more alive. Then the warm brew hits my stomach and on the way down lets my body know a beautiful new day is about to begin and it is time to get into the moment and to lead the masses.