hospitality – Page 11 – THE DUDE OF FOOD

R.I.P. my beloved Mr. Coffee maker

I have owned a Mr. Coffee coffee maker for the last 10 years and have formed somewhat of a bond with it. This basic machine got my day started right.

Every morning it patiently waits on the counter for me to decide if I will be making coffee or not.

Well much to my dismay, earlier this week my Mr. Coffee coffee maker just decided to quit working. It was easy to clean, worked quick, was efficient and made good, hot coffee.

So this week, I have been getting to know my new, replacement coffee maker, the Toastmaster. it looks pretty similar to the old Mr. Coffee. Same color and about the same size. Easy change right?

Well now I have been using a Toastmaster, I have to say that I am not all that impressed. I know you are thinking that how can a coffee maker be that different, but they are, and this one bugs me a little.

The new cone shaped filter is the first change I am dealing with.

It seems the the fine folks at Toastmaster want to use cone shaped filters, so I am adapting my old filters to work since I have so many round ones.

The second thing I immediately noticed was when I poured the coffee out, the fluid hits the lip of the pitcher top and gets diverted onto the countertop. This I fixed by taking the top off and cutting it back on my band saw.

The next thing I noticed was that the heating element is not as hearty as the Mr. Coffee maker and now my cups of morning java are not quite hot enough after I add a little milk.

Personally, the Dude of Food recommends the Mr. Coffee brewer as it performs better all around and can’t wait to buy another Mr. Coffee maker and return to quality. Enjoy.

Bodega ELENA de Mendoza 2010 Red Blend

This family of fine wine is named after the matriarch who came from Italy, Elena Napoli.

Bodega ELENA de Mendoza, Argentina

2010 RED BLEND

62% Malbec

21% Syrah

17% Bonarda

This family has developed some top wines from Argentina that I happen to enjoy. The Malbec and the Red Blend from Bodega Elena de Mendoza are my favorites.

According to the web, the “legs” or “tears” of wine that run down the inside of the wine glass are a sign of alcohol. The heavier the legs, the lower the alcoholic content of the wine. If this is in fact true, then these wines are low in alcohol and big in flavor. The legs may be attributed to sugar, I don’t know.

This Red Blend, like it’s sister Malbec, is loaded with solid flavors and not too sweet.

It’s not too dry either, but just right. These wines will slowly undress for your tongue, landing softly, pleasuring your taste buds, leaving you wanting another sip.

Was priced under $10. Get some.

MALBEC Review – Espuela del Gaucho Reserve 2012

This tasty limited edition Malbec was also grown and bottled in the Mendoza region of Argentina and is imported by WX Imports, Novato, CA

www.espueladelgaucho.com

This is another fine Malbec that is now on my Top 5 Malbec list. Not as good as my favorite, Bodega de ELENA, but gets close. This winning wine is a 2012, so maybe could use a year to age, but is a very good selection.

The Espuela del Gaucho has unique, slow running, heavy legs. It carries a lighter body, that lands gently on the tongue, joyfully leaving hints of mixed berries grown in the fresh Andes air and then drifts away.

This is another quality Malbec from Argentina, that any California cab or Merlot drinker will enjoy for under $12.

Kudos to this spatchula maker.

http://www.farberware.com

http://www.lifetimebrands.com

A couple weeks ago the Dude of Food needed a new ‘spatchula’ and ended up purchasing a Farberware “slotted turner”. It turns out there was a problem with the one I bought and I wrote the company an email to inquire about it.

The problem was the first spatchula they sent me was super flimsy and wasn’t worth the plastic it took to make it. To the credit of the company, they were interested in hearing about my experience and what happened. After we spoke they were more than happy to replace the product. Today the new product arrived and the replacement is heavy duty, solid and overall is a much better made product. All is good in the kitchen again.

Thank you Farberware and parent company Lifetime Brands, for supporting your customers and standing behind your product line. Maximum respect. You can bet the Dude of Food endorses your kitchen gear and when I need new kitchen utensils you can bet I will be looking at your brands.

Malbec – TERRAZAS de los Andes 2010

Another fine wine from the Mendoza region nestled in Argentina.

TERRAZAS de los Andes Reserva Malbec 2010

Produced and bottled by Terrazas de los Andes, Argentina.

Selected grapes of the Mendoza region terraces, found a little more than 1,000 meters above sea level, make their way into this wine. The selectivity of this wine is probably why it is imported by the Moet Hennessy company.

Personally, this wine is almost as good as my still favorite Malbec, Bodega de ELENA. The Terrazas is kind of similar to the Elena, but I found it to be a touch lighter in body and flavor when landing on the tongue. The Terrazas is flowery and fruity. Perhaps the Terrazas could be imagined as a Merlot version of the Elena if it were imagined as a Cabernet style of the same producer.

The Terrazas is a good wine, reasonably priced and will be gone before the other bottles that folks brought to the party.

For comments or contact with the Dude of Food, please visit me at

Yelp as Dude Food G.

Red Rock Malbec Reserve 2010

Grown and bottled by Red Rock winery Healdsburg, CA

This Malbec is grown here in California, not Argentina.

The flavor of this reserve wine lacks the depth of the Bodega de ELENA Malbec, which is my current favorite. It is not a bad wine, but if looking for a reasonably priced California red, I’d go Murphy-Goode Cabernet.

Dude of Food Fact – Cellulose (wood chips)

Wood Pulp is A Popular Food Additive

Think you won’t eat wood? Think again

Cellulose is added to many foods as a thickening agent, lending texture and boosting fiber content.

This reduces the need for expensive ingredients like flour and oil.

While cellulose comes from wood, it is the same structure as cellulose found in celery, serving as a source of dietary fiber.

The Dude of Food thinks this kind of information should be more clearly marked on food labels.

In the case of the Mozzarella cheese above, the front of the label says organic. They are not lying, but I’d rather have flour and oil.

Tivoli Cookware

Tivoli, Italy is an amazing place.

I bought a new Tivoli light blue enamel sauce pan with a glass lid and am really happy with its addition to my kitchen. For the price, it looks cool and cooks evenly. It will be good for sauces.

For a look at Tivoli products visit them at

http://www.tivolicook.com

“Grazie Tivoli”, the Dude of Food.

Homemade Fried Catfish Sticks Rock

Homemade fried catfish sticks are easy to make and fun to eat. If you are looking for an alternative to pizza, pasta or hoagies then give this a try.

Take 1 lb of catfish and wash it off.
Chop it into preferred sized bits.
Mix 2 eggs into a bowl.
Pour some bread crumbs onto a plate.
Dip the cut fish bits in the eggs and then onto the bread crumb plate.
Once all the bits are crumbed up then deposit them into an electric frying pan that is dialed up to 340 degrees.
There only needs to be enough oil to sit the fish in. The sticks do not need to be submerged as you can flip them over. Let cook for about 5 minutes each side or until they look as crispy as you like them. Remove sticks from oil and pat dry. Put the sticks on a plate, sprinkle with some fresh lemon juice and serve with a side of tartar and your favorite cold beer. YUM.

Dude of Food Port Wine Recommendation

The dude of food has obtained a bottle of 10 year old tawny port from Trader Joe’s. The producer is Quarles Harris, established 1680, in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. This beauty of a port wine was roughly $12. but tastes like a fine, expensive bottle. This port boasts a light and fruity but not too sweet flavor that follows through nicely.

It is a great after dinner sipper and also goes great with chocolate. Let out your inner man and WOW your lady tonight with this fine selection.