YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

Many of us call any wine with bubbles champagne. Indeed ,it is just as we call cling film Saran Wrap and tissues Kleenex.  In the world of wine, only wines produced in the Champagne region of France and following the rules of méthode champenoise may be called “Champagne.” In Spain, there is Cava.  Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine made using the traditional méthode champenoise. The process and quality of Cava is defined by the  Vino Espumoso de Calidad Producido en una Región Determinada (VECPRD). First known “Champaña,” it originated in the Catalonia region at the Codorníu Winery in the late 19th century. The term “Cava” was adopted in 1970 in reference to the underground cellars or “Cava” in which the wines ferment and age in the bottle. The phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century, which caused the destruction and uprooting of vineyards planted with red grape varieties, kick started the cava industry. The success of Codorníu encouraged vineyard owners to replant with white gr

10 Benefits of Blueberries – Backed by Science Blueberries are an amazing fruit, both in terms of flavour and their incredible nutritional profile. They’re jam packed with antioxidants - polyphenols, catechins, flavonols - along with lots of essential vitamins and nutrients. Blueberries are actually rated at a 9,621 on the ORAC scale. The ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) measures the efficacy of a certain food or herb on preventing oxidation. This makes them one of the highest scoring foods in terms of antioxidants in the entire world. A cup of blueberries also includes the following nutrients Manganese (25 percent of your daily value) This trace mineral helps promote the production of healthy bones, along with keeping blood pressure regulated. Fiber (14 percent of your daily value) Fiber is very important. It is digested differently than other nutrients - it remains largely unchanged until it hits the large intestine, where the intestinal flora consume it and

When starting out in the professional kitchen, whether it is via a classroom or in a real live restaurant it is best to start with the basics. When starting the “sauces” portion of education you start with the basics which are usually stocks, broths etc. You also learn the basics of building the sauces and eventually work up to the “Saucier”. The Saucier (sauce maker or sauté cook prepares sauce and warm hors d’oeuvres, completes dishes and might sauté items). A saucier is just below the sous chef, and as such is a much respected position. There are two basic sauces that are the base of many, many classic dishes and once you master these you can greatly expand your culinary repertoire. They are the béchamel and veloute sauces. The base of both sauces start with a “roux”. A roux is a combination of a fat, usually butter, and flour in equal proportions. The butter is melted over medium low to medium heat. The flour is sprinkled on, stirred to combine then cooked for 1-2 minute

English Muffins or Muffins as they are called throughout the UK are thought to be a variation of a crumpet made originally in the USA by Samuel B. Thomas. In  the USA muffins are “quick breads” made without the use of yeast and are more cake like than bread like. Muffins were sold by street vendors door to door in the UK in the 18 and 19th century before many houses had ovens, hence the ditty “do you know the muffin man, the muffin man ...” Makes 16 muffins 1 3/4 cups/435ml warm milk 1 packet instant yeast or 19.14g fresh yeast 2 tablespoons/25g sugar 3 tablespoons/43g butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon/2ml YaDa Chef Maya Natural salt 1 large egg, lightly beaten 4 1/2 cups/539g King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour semolina or farina, for sprinkling the griddle or pan (optional) If using instant yeast dissolve the yeast in small bowl with the milk and the sugar. Let “proof” for 5 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the milk yeast, butter and egg. Mix

A good recipe to start off - this one you can slather on whatever you like. It works well as a replacement for cranberry sauce on turkey, it can be used in place of jam on toast. You can drown your pancakes with it. It even works as a topping for ice cream! Fresh or frozen blueberries make this meal equally as delicious, so you can use your stored blueberries for this one. It’s a quick prep and quick cook time, so you can’t go wrong with this one. You’ll need: 2 cups of blueberries. They can be from the freezer or fresh. A quarter cup of water. A cup of orange juice. Three quarters of a cup of white sugar A quarter cup of water Three tablespoons of corn starch Half a teaspoon of almond extract An eighth teaspoon of cinnamon The method: Grab a saucepan. Put in the blueberries, your quarter cup of water (make sure it’s cold), orange juice, and sugar. Over medium heat, stir gently until the ingredients are brought to a boil. Next, mix the cornstarch and an

Need a little something different and elegant - a little rustic?  This soup is the answer.  It is thickened with potatoes, not flour, and is hearty enough to serve as a luncheon main course or starter for your next dinner party.  Why?  The milky, sweet, nutty flavor of cauliflower is a nice change from stronger-flavored vegetables. Even though it lacks chlorophyll, cauliflower has plenty of other nutrients including vitamin C (91.5% of the DV), folate and dietary fiber. Cauliflower is even a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Look for tightly packed heads with no brown spots Ingredients: 1 large head white cauliflower with leaves 2 medium potatoes (about one pound/450g) 1 handful dandelion leaves (or fresh celery leaves) 1 small onion, chopped 2 cups/500mls vegetable stock (water or chicken stock is fine) 1 tablespoon/30ml Italian seasoning 2 cups/500mls cauliflower water salt and white pepper, to taste (black pepper is fine) 1/2 cup125ml white wine 1/2 -

Wow! These are gorgeous and you won’t believe how easy they are to make! You will need about 2 minutes per strawberry… yes, they  are that easy! For the rose stems, you can use skewers or lollipop sticks. We recommend placing the stick or stem into the strawberry before you begin so you don’t crush the leaves once it’s done. These make a beautiful addition to a fruit plate or would be perfect for a bridal shower or Valentine’s day! The kids would even love them as a special snack dipped in whipped cream! Ingredients: Large fresh strawberries Lollipop sticks or plastic rose stems Small sharp paring knife Instructions: Wash and completely dry your strawberries. Insert the lollipop stick or rose stem in the bottom of each strawberry. (If you do it after they're cut it squishes the petals). Starting at the bottom, cut "petals" slightly angled towards the center of the strawberry but don't cut all the way through. You want to cut about 1/4" dow