Catering Awarded

Hi from the depths of Carmel Highlands on the Central Coast of California.  I am renewing my connections by publishing this note.  Our catering business, dba: Lincoln Court Catering, has just received a most prestigious award for "the Best of Carmel Awards in the Wedding Reception Locations & Services Category" by the Carmel Award Program committee.  Thank you Carmel by the Sea for this great recognition!

The Magic of Ventana Inn & Spa at Big Sur, CA

We are just now coming out of the wonderful aura of a couple of days spent at the Ventana Inn and Spa in glorious Big Sur.  We had two days in a luxurious room which is complete in every detail:  the mattress; ‘juuuust right’, hot tub, shower, television, location, view, all the necessary amenities and more.  The maid service is exceptional as well, everything in its right place, plenty of it and of great quality.  The joint heads of Housekeeping, Rosa and Vicente are true landmarks of Ventana.  So that being so magical; there’s more.  All the maids, bellmen, desk clerks are wonderfully pleasant and helpful.  David the Landscape manager has done and maintains a most lush and beautifully appropriate environment throughout the property.  The pathway to the Restaurant is a must to allow more of the magic of Ventana to seep in. Even a pleasant guided hike around the property with Dava or any of the available guides gives you an in depth approach to the history and environment of Ventana and Big Sur.  Thanks to Steve Copeland for his staff of hikers.  Lunch and dinners at the Restaurant at Ventana has always been and still is a terrific experience, or should I say adventure.  Food and Beverage director Kara Stout is the essence of hospitality.  She is most gracious in hosting and looking after guests while dining.  Executive Chef Truman Jones is quite accomplished in food innovation, presentation and ah, the flavors.  His chef’s tasting selections were indeed superb.  The rest of the staff at the restaurant is equally admirable; Matt the wine man, Richard the server/dining-room manager, Karlene the smiling hostess and all the servers, bartenders and cooks.  Especially great to see Chico at the grill; he’s been there, that we know of, for over 25-years; the same with Richard and Matt.  It seems that every department still maintains employees for that length of time and even longer.  We just couldn’t miss the Ventana Store with its unique array of art, gifts and practical and wear-able items.  Under the direction of Store Manager, Brigga Mosca it maintains a current style and content in all aspects.  We had memorable massages at the Spa, having selected deep tissue as our particular style and even at wine and cheese time they give a complimentary neck and back massage as you melt into another of Ventana’s special amenities.  And yes, even Yoga classes.  The man directing all of these wonderful adventures is General Manager Steve Johnson who is ever present in all areas watchful and contributing to guests’ wants, needs and pleasure.  Congratulations on your hospitality and your great staff.  We returned home enveloped in lifted spirits, restful reflections and overall peace and tranquility.  Camelot could not have http://jdvhotels22px.trvlclick.com/hotels/centralcoast/ventana

Wendy honored by Escoffier

Stonepine Estate along with “Les Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier” USA will be hosting a first ever Women Chef Induction ceremony and dinner on October 30, 2011 for the Disciples d'Escoffier here in California.

The three exceptional women Executive-Chefs are:

Elisabeth Falkner
Owner - Citizen Cake & Orson – San Francisco
www.elizabethfalkner.com

Nancy Oakes
Owner – Boulevard Restaurant – San Francisco
www.boulevardrestaurant.com

Wendy Brodie
Artist & Chef – Art of Food Catering – Carmel
www.artoffoodtv.com

Stonepine Estate is the new headquarters for the association of “Les Disciples d’Auguste Escoffier” USA with Jean-Paul Peluffo as Vice-President, California Chapter. The ceremony will take place at Stonepine Estate in the Chateau Noel, a very special venue with limited seating.

The Disciples d'Escoffier is the most prestigious membership of Executive Chefs in the world. Escoffier is really the Father of culinary arts in this and the past century; most every culinary school does and has used his encyclopedic volume for reference and training in their curriculum. We are honored they are inducting the first female (three) chefs for membership in the California Chapter.

Find out details about the induction ceremony.

Find out more about the mission, history, goals, programs and membership of Disciples Escoffier International USA.

@ the 33rd Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA | July 29-31, 2011

Here we are again: I have been the Food Consultant for the Great Garlic Cook-Off for several years, and it is coming again this weekend! My function is to review recipes in June that have been submitted by the public. I receive about 30 recipes that have been culled from over 100+ by the Cook-Off committee. I then choose 15-20 that seem to work for the various categories. Next comes a couple of days of intense cooking to determine the 8 most seemingly appropriate ones (with wonderful help of members of the Gilroy Garlic Cook-Off Committee). We then, altogether, determine 8 submitters who will actively create their individual recipes at the Festival on Saturday.

This year, the Cook-Off occurs on July 30, 2011. We also select 2 additional recipes, just in case an alternate is needed if one of the participants can't get to the Festival. The Cook-Off takes place on the stage, which has been very professionally designed with the 8 separate stations, completely outfitted with stove/oven, water and everything else needed for preparation of recipes. There are four judges to determine the winners, and I also sit in in the event of a tie.

This is truly an outstanding festival; in fact, fêted all across the USA for its quality in operation, effectiveness and success. I had previously not attended thinking it was too crowded or too hot; NOT SO! It is exciting, stimulating, inspirational and so wonderfully managed with everything a festival should be and more.

Please visit the Festival web site for all the info: www.gilroygarlicfesival.com

Recipe for Basil-Chive Oil

http://www.wendybrodie.com

Basil-Chive Oil

Blanch 1 bunch of basil and 1 bunch of chives in boiling water for about 5 seconds.

Leave the stems on the basil when blanching to better hold them when blanching. Before adding to blender cut the stem from the basil and cut the leaves in half. Also cut the chives in half; this helps keep them from winding around the blender blade. Add 1 cup of oil; light olive oil or vegetable oil, and whirl about 3 minutes. Strain; remaining bulk can be used in a pesto.

Initiation into the world of blogging

Hello all, I am happy to now have joined the bloggers of the world.  Please welcome me while I begin to share a recipe or tip.

Wendy's bio

Wendy J. Brodie, HAAC, Executive Chef

Celebrated California Artist/Chef Wendy Brodie is known for her creative style with food, presentation and table decor. In fact, she is often described as an artist whose medium is food.

With her husband, Bob Bussinger, CHA, Brodie was co-owner of Lincoln Court Restaurant in Carmel, which had become a very popular local restaurant, which generated outstanding reviews (see press page).
She has her own local weekly television show, "Art of Food," broadcast daily on Comcast cable and is also viewed weekly on Public Television stations nationwide in the United States and Canada.

A graduate of the first class of the California Culinary Academy of San Francisco, Brodie has held executive chef positions at prestigious world-class resorts, including the Preserve at Rancho San Carlos, where she developed her own innovative style of ranch cuisine, Stonepine Inn and Gardiner's Tennis Ranch, all in Carmel Valley.

Brodie, who was born in San Francisco and grew up there and in Palo Alto, has written food columns, lectured and demonstrated cooking and tabletop designs at such venues as Filoli Center, Macys, Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus.

She has been a guest chef, developing menus to represent California cuisine, at numerous four and five-star hotels in Europe and the Jockey Club in Hong Kong. Wendy has sailed with the Crystal Cruise Line as their Celebrity Guest Chef.

She has cooked for and with numerous celebrity chefs including Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Roy Yamaguchi, Paul Prudhomme and Martha Stewart. She has also been a guest chef at the Masters of Food and Wine in Carmel and the Monterey Wine Festival. She is one of the featured chefs in the Masters of Food and Wine cookbook.

In 1991 Brodie was selected to attend Madeleine Kamman's graduate program at the School for American Chefs at Berringer Wine Estates and has been inducted as an honorary member of the American Academy of Chefs of the American Culinary Federation. She was awarded the 1982 Chef-of-the-Year of the Monterey Peninsula. Currently she gives classes of her artful style with food, table décor and entertaining in her demonstration kitchen in the Carmel Highlands. She also teaches cooking classes as team-building and spousal programs.

Brodie is affiliated with The Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, Les Toques Blanches, Knights of the Vine, American Institute of Wine & Food, International Wine and Food Society, American Culinary Federation and has been an officer and board member of several of them.

She also operates Art of Food Catering, which handles all styles of groups and events. Wendy appears as guest chef throughout the U. S. and other countries. She consults for home kitchen design, for businesses menu development and is personal kitchen shopper.

Wendy's father is Howard Brodie, a Who's Who artist journalist who covered World War II, Korea and Vietnam in the battlefield with pencil and paper. He also covered the most sensational trials of the 20th Century with CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. He was recently elected to the Illustrators Hall of Fame, along with Norman Rockwell, Winslow Homer, Gibson Maxfield Parrish, N.C. Wyeth and others. Brodie covered WW II for Yank Magazine, Korean War for Collier's and Vietnam for CBS. He taught for several decades and was on the board of directors at the California Academy of Art in San Francisco.