YaDa Chef Private and Personal Chefs

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Amish friendship bread, as well as an interchangeable starter referred to as Herman (the name varies), became a popular exchange among friends who shared the starter as well as recipes. Herman Starter Preparation time: 10 minutes Standing time: 5 days Yield: 4 cups 1 cup sugar 1/3 cup warm water 2 packages (2 1/4 teaspoons each) active dry yeast 2 cups each: milk, flour 1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the sugar over the warm water. Sprinkle yeast over mixture; set aside until doubled in volume, about 10 minutes. 2. Combine milk, flour, remaining sugar and yeast mixture in a plastic or glass container. (Do not use metal.) Stir with a wooden spoon; cover loosely. Set aside at room temperature, at least 8 hours. 3. Stir mixture once a day for three days. On the fourth day, measure out 1 cup of Herman for baking; measure 1 additional cup to give to a friend as a gift. To replenish starter: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk and 1

A question often asked by our cooking class students is: “Which knife is the best”.  Our answer is “No one knife is the “best” one for everyone”. The reason is the knife has to feel comfortable in your hand. Go to a specialty cooking store and ask to hold the chef’s knives.   The one that feels best in your friend’s hand may not feel the most comfortable in yours. The reason is hand size, strength and dexterity. The most important thing is the knife must be well balanced and have some weight to it. The knife is supposed to do the work, not you. When it comes to ceramic vs. stainless steel that can be tough. I don’t think I have ever seen a ceramic knife in a professional kitchen, but that does not take away the positive attributes about ceramic knives. Ceramic knives are very sharp. Ceramic knives are produced from very hard ceramic, known as zirconium dioxide. This material is very hard that’s why they stay sharp for longer and don’t require frequent sharpening. The

  The grapefruit is a large orange-like fruit that belongs to the citrus family. It is a somewhat “new” addition to the family, deriving from a natural cross-breeding between orange and pomelo, thus its size. The diameter of a grapefruit, depending on its variety, can range between four and six inches. Its albedo (the white matter under the skin) is about a quarter to half an inch thick. The fruit’s skin looks like that of an orange, but its flesh comes in white, pink or red. It is called a grapefruit simply because it grows in clusters, like grapes. The taste of a grapefruit can be bitter and sour but it has so many health benefits. NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF GRAPEFRUIT Grapefruit doesn’t only contain vitamin C which is commonly known to be protective against cold or flu. It is not just one nutrient that helps prevent a certain disease, but rather the combination of several nutrients in it that does the trick. This is the kind of nutritional power that we can find only in the

Wasabi has anti-inflam matory properties for joints and muscles. Wasabi also helps to defend against bacterial infections in the body and mouth.  Fresh tuna is a rich source of lean protein, omega-3 fatty acids and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. A diet with a high intake of these nutrients can benefit your health by enhancing the function of your organs and by possibly lowering your risk of chronic medical conditions. Note: read ingredients on the peas. Many of these fiery snacks are made with wheat flour rather than corn starch. serves 4 4 fresh tuna fillets (sushi grade) 2 teaspoons/10ml sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml ground clove 1/8 teaspoon/.5ml allspice 5 ounces/145g wasabi peas ¼ cup/60ml coconut aminos 1 teaspoon/5ml minced ginger ¼ teaspoon/2ml oyster sauce 3 drops fish sauce Place wasabi peas in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour peas on a platter. Brush tuna with 1 teaspoon/5ml sesame oil. Sprinkle tuna with cloves and allspice rubbing to sp

Our exceptionally chocolatey and decadent brownies are best served warm, with a small amount of chocolate ganache, unsweetened vanilla heavy whipped cream and fresh berries. Ingredients: Shortening 3/4 cup unsalted butter 4 tablespoons unsweetened baking chocolate 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking dark chocolate 1 1/3 cup sugar 3 extra large eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease 13x9x2 baking pan (preferably glass). In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt, mix well and put aside. Melt butter and chocolate in large saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter and chocolate mixture if melted, remove from heat and stir sugar into melted butter and chocolate mixture. When fully mixed, added one egg at a time to the mixture. Add the vanilla to the mixture. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the melted butter mixture. Sc

Ingredients 1 pound breakfast sausage 10 eggs 1/4 cup half-and-half 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, such as Lawry's Ground black pepper 12 flour tortillas Breakfast Potatoes, recipe follows Optional Garnishes: Grated Monterey Jack cheese Jarred jalapenos Hot sauce Breakfast Potatoes: 12 russet potatoes Canola oil, for frying Butter, for frying 1 large onion, cut into fine dice 1 green pepper, cut into fine dice 1 red pepper, cut into fine dice 1 yellow pepper, cut into fine dice Salt and ground black pepper Directions Begin by browning the breakfast sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off the grease and reduce the heat to low. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the half-and-half, seasoned salt and some pepper, and whisk to beat the eggs lightly. With the heat still on low, pour the egg mixture over the sausage mixture. Now, with a spoon or spatula, very gently stir the mixture. Continue lightly cooking over low heat until the eggs