Khalil Hymore

Food of the Week: Pretzel M&M’s

June 18, 2010 at 3:08 pm , by Khalil Hymore

First it was Q.Bels. Now it’s Pretzel M&M’s. Have you tried these yet? If not, you must! M&M’s newest flavor is winning rave reviews around our offices lately, and we’re not the only ones who think so. The salty, sweet, chocolaty center housed inside the classic M&M’s candy shell is what makes this new snack our FOOD OF THE WEEK!!!

Enjoy.

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Do Good Alert: Buy Art, Help the Gulf!

June 10, 2010 at 10:00 am , by Khalil Hymore

While browsing ohdeedoh this morning (I’m a big fan of all of the Apartment Therapy blogs), I happened across this beautiful print for sale from Jen Corace. What caught my eye, was the fact that this cute illustration,” Down, Down, Down”, perfectly matches the color scheme of my impending kitchen remodel (although it may end up in my bathroom), but I was sold when I learned that it’s only $30 with $15 of the purchase price benefit the Gulf Restoration Network. We all know that the Gulf of Mexico could use a lot of love at the moment—and for months to come!

You can purchase a copy of “Down, Down, Down” at Tiny Showcase now through June 18, so you’d better hurry!

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Plight Of The Honey Bee

May 11, 2010 at 4:22 pm , by Khalil Hymore

While most city dwellers dream of adopting a dog or a cat to live with them in their cramped NYC apartments, I have a different dream. My dream is bees. Uh-huh, you heard correctly. Bees. Confused? Don’t “bee” (Ha, ha—I couldn’t resist.)

It started years ago, during a saturday morning stroll through my local greenmarket. I spied a bottle that read “New York City Honey.” Honey in the city? Surely it must be imported from a neighboring county or state…NYC doesn’t have hives, right? Wrong! Our urban oasis is littered with honey bee hives, mostly housed on rooftops and tucked away in secret community gardens. From the Bronx to Brooklyn and boroughs in between, (formerly) renegade beekeepers have been housing bees and reaping the benefits (honey) for years. Until recently, keeping bees within the limits of New York City had been deemed illegal as they were considered to be too dangerous, but in March, the city’s board of health voted to lift the ban, so my dream may end up becoming a reality.

A boom in backyard beekeeping couldn’t be coming at a better time. Honey bees have been in the media a lot lately, with reports of colony collapse disorder (when a large number of honey bees go missing) becoming more widespread. This has prompted companies, like Haagen Daz and Burt’s Bees, to launch bee survival campaigns. It might not sound like a big deal, but bees help pollinate many of the crops that we feed ourselves with. This is the draw for many an urban and suburban beekeeper.

Read more

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What We’re Watching: New Food Shows

April 13, 2010 at 5:18 pm , by Khalil Hymore

Since I spend the better part of my days cooking, writing and talking about food, the LAST thing I want to do after work is watch any food TV. I prefer to unwind with an episode of Damages (Love Glenn Close!) or The Real Housewives of New York City (Gab and I are both hooked). There are, however, some exceptions:

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution – The former Naked Chef is on a mission to teach the West Virginia town of Huntington (and America) how to eat better and (hopefully) live longer, healthier lives. As the first episode points out, this is no small feat. The town seems quite fond of its artery-clogging ways. The show is gripping, not for what it exposes (a town addicted to processed foods), but that it is exposing it on national television during prime time. Jamie Oliver and producer Ryan Seacrest are not mining new territory here. At this point most of us already know that we are a fast food nation—still it’s nice to see somebody actually attempt to change it. Plus, the fact that the show is highly entertaining to watch can only help the cause. (Jaime showing a group of youngsters how chicken nuggets are made was enlightening.) It’s obvious that Chef Oliver is dedicated to this issue and I hope he succeeds, for all our sakes.

Top Chef Masters – I’m more than happy to bend my “no food TV” rule at home for Top Chef. As an admitted reality show addict (I’ll watch anything on Bravo), I love Top Chef because it’s great TV that just happens to be about cooking. Plus, I used to work for Tom Colicchio and I have a ton of respect for the man. That being said, the new season of Top Chef Masters (sans Colicchio) may be my favorite incarnation of the cooking competition franchise yet. It’s mind boggling to watch famous chefs (ones that I admire greatly) scrambling around the kitchen in their clogs like a bunch of culinary novices.

Food, Inc. – If you never saw this Academy Award-nominated film in the theater then tune into POV on PBS at 9 p.m. on  April 21. I promise you won’t be sorry. Food, Inc. asks, “How much do we really know about the food we buy at our local supermarkets and serve to our families?” The movie sets out to answer this seemingly-basic question by exploring issues like factory farming, genetic engineering, cloning and pesticides. As the old saying goes, “You are what you eat.” As someone who considers himself fairly knowledgeable about the food world around him, even I was stunned by what I didn’t know about the food I eat.

Ok, now back to your regularly scheduled broadcasting: Jill said WHAT to Bethenny?

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Cookbook Round-Up: New Favorites

March 30, 2010 at 5:18 pm , by Khalil Hymore

You wouldn’t believe the number of cookbooks that cross my desk in a week. While most are forgettable, Tara and I have have been quite taken with a few recent offerings. Here are some of our new favorites:

• For every kitchen, a great new reference - If you miss Sara Moulton on television as much as I do (former host of Cooking Live and Sara’s Secrets on Food Network and Sara’s Weeknight Meals on PBS) then you’ll really appreciate her new book, Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners. It’s full of classic (Chicken Cassoulet) and unique recipes (Fruit Dumplings), as well as useful kitchen tips and tricks.

• For the glamorous “hostess-with-the-mostess” - New York City restauranteur Donatella Arpaia makes the simplest foods chic and fab in her new book Donatella Cooks. Her Mediterranean recipes could not be easier—many call for just a few ingredients! Come Summertime, I can’t wait to try her Zucchini Fritters and Bocconcini with Peaches.

• For the advanced pastry cook who dreams about moving to Paris – If you aren’t reading famed pastry chef David Lebovitz’s blog then allow me to introduce you. He writes about 2 of my favorite things in life: baked goods and Paris, chronicling his sweet exploits along the way. Ready for Dessert, is a gorgeous new offering full of homey (Cherry-Almond Cobbler) and haute (Pistachio-Cardamom Cake) recipes.

• For the young mom looking to add a bit zest to her meals - I love Daisy Martinez because she is a culinary school grad who uses her classical training to help the home cook. This FORR (Friend of Rachael Ray) is famous for her Latin cuisine. Daisy: Morning, Noon and Night, is full of fun recipes like Bacon and Shrimp Empanadas and Avocados stuffed with Crab-Mango Salsa.

• For the sometimes baker – Do you love to bake treats for your office mates? Are cupcakes and cookies part of your baking repertoire? Then you’ll love Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell. This homage to the famous Pennsylvanian treat features recipes for sweet and savory whoopies. We love the classic Chocolate, but can’t wait to try Chocolate Chip or Banana. You know, some say whoopie pies are the new cupcake!

• For the home cook who’s tired of chicken for dinner…again! -Recipes for chicken are some of the most searched for on the web. Chicken is versatile and inexpensive, but it can get boring, so when chef John Torode’s new book Chicken & Other Fowl arrived I was intrigued. His take on the humble bird is truly inspiring and will definitely help you rethink this weeknight staple. Try one of his Curries or Roast Chicken with Tarragon Sauce.

Do you have a favorite cookbook? Share it with us!

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Time-Saving Food Products We Love

March 16, 2010 at 3:35 pm , by Khalil Hymore

As a food editor, my inbox overflows daily with new food products. Today, I received a box of wine, several tins of chocolate, and packets of microwave rice. It’s (mostly) a delicious job, but someone’s gotta do it! As you would expect some products are better than others, and some….well, I won’t name names, but some just leave Tara and I scratching our heads, asking “what were they thinking?” The best food products are always the simplest. We love these products because they’re delicious and they’ll save you time:

• Women’s Bean Project Mixes - The Women’s Bean Project hires women with histories of unemployment and poverty to manufacture and pack a line of gourmet foods as a way to teach job readiness. Our shipment of soup, dip and brownie mixes were packed by Anita and Tonya—thanks ladies!

• Schoolhouse Kitchen Anytime Spreadable Fruit – Schoolhouse Kitchen is another gourmet food company with some definite do good spirit. Not only are their spreadable fruit comptes delish (loved the Strawberry-Black Peppercorn and the Cherry-Blackberry with Sage and Clove) but profits from the sale of their products benefit The Farm-Based Education Association.

• Better Oats Instant Oatmeal – Tara and I LOVE Better Oats oatmeal! Why? Because it’s healthy (whole oats, not processed pieces and flax seed in every packet) and contains less packaging (Yay! Better for the environment!), but mostly because 2 minutes in the microwave equals a stovetop quality oatmeal.

• Giada De Laurentiis for Target Pasta Sauce – I’ve been a huge fan of Target’s Archer Farms brand for years (I love, love, love their granola bars and potato chip flavors), but their new partnership with Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis really shines. The sauces (Tomato Basil, Creamy Tomato, and Vegetable Marinara) taste much more expensive than their $3 retail price.

• Canterbury Naturals’ Mixes - Canterbury Naturals’ line of baking mixes require only a few extra ingredients beyond the box.  If you have milk, butter and eggs in your fridge, you’re well on your way to making a great side dish for dinner or better yet, dessert!

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Eco-Friendly & Healthy Nonstick Pans

March 10, 2010 at 10:46 am , by Khalil Hymore

I love to cook with my stainless steel All-Clad, but I’ll be honest, at home I mostly use my inexpensive nonstick pans. Why? Because clean-up is SO much easier. But am I damaging my health? Well, maybe.

While nonstick cookware touts an easy way to be healthy and cook with less fat, its biggest draw is that it’s a breeze to clean. But there have been some health concerns surrounding the chemicals used to produce PTFE (the material that gives nonstick it’s properties), such as Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). This and other chemicals are being linked to thyroid disease and infertility. Basically, if your traditional nonstick pans aren’t cared for properly, it can be hazardous to your health.

Many companies have responded to this new information by introducing a nonstick ceramic-based surface. They have none of the worrisome chemicals and can outlast traditional nonstick. An added bonus? They’re earth-friendly!

We tried out a bunch of the new ceramic nonstick varieties and found that our favorites were also among the most affordable: (1) Earthpan II Sandflow, $25; (2) Cuisinart Green Gourmet, $50; (3) Todd English GreenPan, $50; (4) Starfrit Alternative Eco-Pan, $34.

Are you in the market for new cookware? If your Teflon pans are all scratched up, you should be—seriously, go toss them right now!

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