PANDA EXPRESS FAST FOOD CHINESE?

Panda Express is and got to be the best chain restaurant in the world that serves up Chinese food. I mean c'mon it's in every major city, it's even in Maui where I live. And although I'd rather have maybe a kau yuk, and pot stickers from a major China town U.S.A. because I've never been to fucking China, I'd take Panda's any day when I'm in a hurry and hungry. Really you can't go wrong with your choice of sticky rice, fried rice, or my favorite the chow mein noodles for my starch. 

If you look at the picture here, I was with a buddy of mine who is a high school teacher, so when he was all stressed out because of the state's educational departments' incompetence and the students that aged him by 5 years because the kids now days have no respect, not like in the good old 80s right? I mean sure we cussed back then…but I mean all we did was smoked weed, and told the teacher we hated where to go. We didn't threaten him with a 9" cimeter or a 9mm Glock did we? Noooo. So my buddy was just trying to unwind and the place we picked for dinner was Panda's on Kiawe street off of Highway 30 in Lahaina across of the Lahaina Cannery Mall. Cool. My plate was filled with chow mein noodles, some grilled teri chicken mmmmm, and some spicy cod. The portions at Panda's are always just right, and sometimes the girls will just add on a few more ounces of food, and us local Hawaii boys, man we can scarf!

Okay I can make Chinese food a little better I think, it's the pride and ego we chefs have, but as a paying customer, what the hell? Panda's is okay, can't complain…ok maybe the sweet and sour sauce or whatever may come from a can from their corporate distribution hub, but again what the hell? It's fast food Chinese done right..their business model is a success, and really it's all about making money. I'm sorry, yeah you need a product, and you gotta fill a need, but it all comes down to execution and making it happen, ringing the registers, because if you aren't ringing your registers, you aren't good in business. Take note future entrepreneurs in food and beverage, take note. Fill the need, have quality food and service, feed em quick, take the cash and make that deposit at the end of the night.

© 2014 

SHRIMP SCAMPI

Personal chef jobs, I like to do the smaller gigs, no large groups where the people are loud, don't want that, I like to serve people for a reason, like a person who can't cook living by themselves, or romantic dinners for two, and maybe a small family dinner like 4-8 peeps.

Well, one of my gigs I had to deliver some food to some office girls, so what did they wanna eat? Pasta with shrimp, or scampi…scampi actually means shrimp to begin with, so if you say "pasta with shrimp scampi" you are actually saying "scampi scampi" anyhow, that's something up for discussion.

Here's my tip on heating up shrimp in a hot pan when making shrimp shrimp haha. 

First get a pan, one that you are comfy with…me, I'm old school I love stainless steel baby! Okay follow me, shrimp is something you don't want to overcook because like most crustaceans overcooking em can make em tough. But don't fret, I'll walk you through it real easy like… First, you heat up the pan over high heat or medium high heat with some oil, take your pick, I'll use light olive, canola or anything in the cupboard with a little garlic and some butter. Once the oil and butter begins to slightly smoke I toss the shrimp into the pan, and keeping the heat kind of strong, I'll simply cook the shrimp until it turns from pale to like a pinkish orange, once it turns, I pour a few ounces of sherry wine, or dry white wine, and just cook it so the alcohol burns off, then I take those suckers out of the pan and on to a warm plate. Then I'll take a stick of butter the unsalted kind, and melt it in the same pan. Then I'll put a little more white wine in there and slowly melt it down, not boil it, melt it. Then I'll place the shrimp in a little saucer or boat, and pour in the melted butter, garnished with some minced garlic and chives, and sprinkling some salt and white pepper over everything. Or if I'm making pasta, I'll heat up the shrimp in the butter, and top the pasta with the shrimp. Easy!

© 2014

MY VEGAN COOKING DEMO IN 2008? YIKES!

2008 Maui Vegan Holiday Festival 
Set in Haiku, this old video was fun to do, it all started with my boss at Down To Earth Natural Foods Sarah Hoppe telling me to do a cooking demonstration at the Maui Vegan Holiday Festival at the Haiku Community Center, and all I had to do was a couple of dishes on stage with a big screen in the back, cool. I made some crisp tofu with a vegan sour cream sauce with some herbs and veggies. It went off really well as I recall. I had to get up the hill from town, by myself, load up all my cooking gear, knives and all the ingredients that was sponsored by Down To Earth, I loved going to Haiku, it is a peaceful place. Heading out from Kahului, passing the airport, and then into Paia town, and out of Paia town and eventually driving into the little town of Haiku, the district that is very very small town country and the same area where the famous surf spot Jaws is at. Haiku, a cool place, lots of history there.

Anyhooo, my friend Kat Tracy followed me to produce this little flick of foodies in Haiku, all Vegan, all organic stuff. Kat's a cool sister, we did  dozens of food videos in the past, and she's super cool. At the time in 2008, I was really involved with Akaku Community Television, Maui's only television station that is for the community, and it's all local producers doing shows for the island. I love it. The 2008 Akaku team was filled with the nicest people. I remember going into Linda Puppolo's office to talk about her family, and talking to CEO Jay April because he was a Red Sox fan, and I'm a die hard Dodgers fan, we had baseball in common. And then the programming crew with Shawn Michael and Peter…those were the days.

Yeah so this clip is just me trying to be like a Guy Fieri or something, you know, talking food with the other chefs and foodies, and finally doing a cooking demo, lots of fun back then. I can't wait to do this stuff again, it's nice to share things with others and also learn from each other, that's the cool part about that day in 2008, it was all natural, the folks were awesome, and I was actually eating better in 2008. What can I say, when you're around organics and lots of veggies and fruits, who needs fried chicken from a gas station?

Click this youtube link: producer Kat Tracy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BozXBsQo0Gk

©2014

MINT

There is no mistaking the aroma and flavor of mint. Mint was one of my favorite herbs…and still is because it has a pleasant and sweet aroma. Growing up when I was a kid one of my favorite chewing gums was the spearmint gums like Wrigley's. In fact more so than the popular Juicy Fruit Wrigley's that most kids loved, nope it had to be the spearmint. Mint has a powerful healing element, I remember working in a health food store and my stomach was kind of gassy, really uncomfortable. Well one of the cooks there, her name was Nat went straight for the walk-in fridge and handed me a few mint leaves. After chewing both leaves as instructed by Nat, a few minutes afterwards my stomach was relieved believe it or not, it really worked. Okay I'm not an expert on herbs, in fact I have a short attention span, if I went to a mint seminar I'd fall asleep unless Eddie Van Halen showed up to play his guitar in between speakers on mint.

So here's my take on mint, it's a healer. Another friend of mine used mint to control her body odor because she was a naturalist, she didn't like to use any man made deodorants. She ate mint, and less animal products and she claims her breath and body oder was lessened. Maybe that's why after eating a 10 oz double cheese burger I attract the dog across the street that loves beef. Maybe I should eat more mint. Interesting how our bodies operate, I figure if we eat more pleasantly smelling foods we'll smell better too. That's an idea we all should think about. Eat sweet smelling foods.

Back to mint, there's nothing like a nice mint chocolate chip ice cream cone, if you don't like mint chocolate chip somethings wrong with you. Who in their right mind doesn't like mint chocolate chip ice cream? Only a dork doesn't like mint chocolate chip ice cream are you kidding me? How about chocolate cake with a mint cream frosting? That'll work. And it doesn't stop there my friends. Go to any Vietnamese or Thai dig, you're bound to have mint in a dish, like a Tom Yum or a Beef Stir Fry. 

Okay this is just a short blog, nothing fancy, nothing really to think about, it's just my take on mint. I think I'll go to the store and buy me some mint and put it in a soup. Or maybe hold on to some, and if I see someone with a sore tummy, I'll give them a few mint leaves. Maybe I'll run into someone with a bad case of bad breath and body oder, I'll just hand them the whole bag of mint and say, "Here the mints on me, have some, you'll smell better." 

© 2014

Ahi Benedict at SLAPPY CAKES Maui

Ahi Benedict at Slappy Cakes on Maui. What a morning, having breakfast and talking shop with my buddy Peter from Oahu. First time there for both of us, we didn't get a table to cook our own pancakes, however we did order some Benedicts. Peter had the pork confi Benedict, while I went for the ahi Bendedict. Pete's was ono, so was mines. It was tasty and filling to the maximum.

Breakfast seems to be the in thing now, because at Slappy Cakes there was a line going out the door, visitors and locals alike waiting for breakfast. The prices are pricey my friends, for each pancake it's 4.00 each, plus toppings can run you a few dollars more, so if you stuff or fill a pancake it can run you a good price, I'd rather buy me some Krusteez and cook it at home what the hell?

The bar was the only place to sit, so both Peter and I started to talk to the bartender, he was a cool surfer dude, he bought us a plate of battered bacon with apple caramel sauce.

The battered bacon was alright, just too much batter that was sweet and you couldn't get a handle on the flavor of the bacon. All in all it was alright.

Copyright 2014

Baked Bacon

Baked Bacon from the oven, what a concept, no need to pan fry these bad buggers, just put some baking paper on a large baking sheet, place your favorite bacon slices and crank up the oven anywhere from 350 to 400 and just keep an eye on it.

Here are some uses for your bacon.

1. Cut them into pieces and use then to dress a salad

2. Chop them up and place them in stews or soup

3. Line then on baguettes with a smothering of my favorite Best Foods Mayonnaise

4. Make a Bacon Musubi

5. Feed your dog

The usage of baked crisp bacon can go a long way, eat em with hot wings, fried chicken, or raw fish, it's a good item to have if you are a pork lover. I don't think you'll like this if you aren't a pork lover.

Remember the dog food commercial where the dog's snout is all you see? He's running around the house going "Bacon Bacon Bacon!"

Anyhow, that's all I'm blogging today, I feel tired, don't want to write anything.. until next time you all take care!

Ron

Copyright 2014 ©

CHEF ADAM TABURA THE SPICE RACK SUPPLY & SERVICE EXPO 2014

Chef Adam Tabura, The Spice Rack 

If being a chef isn't stressful enough, being a major celebrity on the Food Network's Great Food Truck Race, and winning it with his team, and being from Hawaii…well…I'll take Chef Adam's stress any day because things are looking pretty good for this local boy from Lanai Island, and going to school at Lahainaluna on Maui. After 21 years of working hard in restaurants in resorts, and other venues, as well as doing some personal chef work, Adam Tabura is a humble local brother, and he's making use of his new connections in the business.

Adam spends time in Lahaina, and we both live 2 doors apart from each other which is cool. Most of time Adam doesn't look the chef part at all, instead he's got his truck with his ohana and his long board in the back ready for the waves.

Adam's story is unique, a long time ago he saved a man's life in Lanai just four days after graduation, and the man was so grateful that he sent Adam to culinary school, and just think, he saves a man's life, and that man returns the favor in helping plant the seeds to Adam's current success. I've seen Adam in action in the few restaurants he's been at as an executive chef, and I do attest Adam is a true professional.

At one visit, this is Adam. He walks into the walk-in freezer, "Man!!! I told these guys, first in first out!" What chef was referring to was when cooks store any items, it must be labeled and dated, and the older stuff is always in the front and not the back…for obvious reasons. "Man I keep repeating myself." Yep, when you are in charge of a professional kitchen, you are also somewhat of a babysitter. However Adam maintains his cool, always wanting to do a cooking video soon.

But on this day at the Maui Food Technology Center's Supply & Service Expo at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center, Adam was there to showcase his spices he markets to local chefs in Hawaii. "I have a few spices that I want to market, I do proprietary blends, I'm a spice broker here in Hawaii." When asked what's his best sellers he responded, "We got the basics, like onion powder, garlic powder, bay leaves, black peppercorns. Some of the more custom blends is one I call Kiawe Smoked Salt, Vinegar Chili Pepper Salt, and some that I've been working on for the last six years that I'll use in our food trucks, and in our restaurants in the next couple of years."

Chef Adam was really happy to be at the Supply & Service Expo to network with the many vendors that can provide some service in the food industry. So for those of you who are wanting to be not just a chef, but also a businessman, you have to follow through, work hard and go to these events to see and understand the current state of your business. "You need to love what you're doing, put in long hours, not being at home for the holidays, that all comes with the territory."

© 2014

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